Exhibit 10.2
EXECUTION COPY
GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
dated as of
March 13, 2007
among
LEVEL 3 COMMUNICATIONS,
INC.,
the Subsidiaries of LEVEL 3
COMMUNICATIONS, INC. identified herein,
and
MERRILL LYNCH CAPITAL
CORPORATION,
as Agent
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Page
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ARTICLE I
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Definitions
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SECTION
1.01.
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Credit
Agreement
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1
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SECTION
1.02.
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Other Defined
Terms
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1
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ARTICLE II
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Guarantee
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SECTION
2.01.
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Guarantee
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2
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SECTION
2.02.
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Guarantee of
Payment; Continuing Guarantee
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2
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SECTION
2.03.
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No Limitations,
Etc
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2
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SECTION
2.04.
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Reinstatement
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3
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SECTION
2.05.
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Agreement to
Pay; Subrogation
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4
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SECTION
2.06.
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Information
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4
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SECTION
2.07.
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Taxes
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4
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SECTION
2.08.
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Representations
and Warranties
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4
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ARTICLE III
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Miscellaneous
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SECTION
3.01.
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Notices
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4
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SECTION
3.02.
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Guarantee
Absolute
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5
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SECTION
3.03.
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Survival of
Agreement
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5
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SECTION
3.04.
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Binding Effect;
Several Agreement
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5
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SECTION
3.05.
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Successors and
Assigns
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5
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SECTION
3.06.
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Applicable
Law
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6
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SECTION 3.07.
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Waivers;
Amendment
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6
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SECTION
3.08.
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WAIVER OF JURY
TRIAL
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6
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SECTION
3.09.
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Severability
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7
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SECTION
3.10.
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Counterparts
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7
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SECTION
3.11.
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Headings
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7
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SECTION
3.12.
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Jurisdiction;
Consent to Service of Process
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7
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SECTION
3.13.
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Termination or
Release
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8
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SECTION
3.14.
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Additional
Subsidiary Guarantors
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8
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SECTION
3.15.
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Right of
Setoff
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8
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SECTION
3.16.
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Conflicts
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8
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SECTION 3.17.
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Agent’s
Fees and Expenses; Indemnification
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8
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Schedule I – Subsidiary
Guarantors
Exhibit A – Form of Supplement
ii
GUARANTEE AGREEMENT dated as of
March 13, 2007 (this “ Agreement ”), among
LEVEL 3 COMMUNICATIONS, INC., a Delaware corporation (“
Level 3 ”), the Subsidiary Guarantors identified
herein and MERRILL LYNCH CAPITAL CORPORATION, as administrative
agent and collateral agent (in such capacity, the “
Agent ”).
PRELIMINARY
STATEMENT
Reference is made to the Credit
Agreement dated as of March 13, 2007 (as amended, supplemented
or otherwise modified from time to time, the “ Credit
Agreement ”), among Level 3 Financing, Inc. (the “
Borrower ”), Level 3, the lenders from time to time
party thereto (the “ Lenders ”) and the Agent.
The Lenders have agreed to extend credit to the Borrower pursuant
to and upon the terms and conditions specified in the Credit
Agreement. The obligations of the Lenders to extend such credit to
the Borrower are conditioned upon, among other things, the
execution and delivery of this Agreement by Level 3 and the
Subsidiary Guarantors. Level 3 and the Subsidiary Guarantors are
affiliates of the Borrower, will derive substantial direct and
indirect benefits from the extension of credit to the Borrower
pursuant to the Credit Agreement and are willing to execute and
deliver this Agreement in order to induce the Lenders to extend
such credit.
Accordingly, the parties hereto
agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
Definitions
SECTION 1.01. Credit
Agreement . (a) Capitalized terms used in this Agreement
(including the preamble and preliminary statement hereto) and not
otherwise defined herein have the meanings set forth in the Credit
Agreement.
(b) The rules of construction
specified in Section 1.02 of the Credit Agreement also apply
to this Agreement.
SECTION 1.02. Other Defined
Terms . As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the
meanings specified below:
“ Borrower ” has
the meaning assigned to such term in the preliminary statement of
this Agreement.
“ Agent ” has the
meaning assigned to such term in the preamble of this
Agreement.
“ Agreement ” has
the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble
hereto.
“ Credit Agreement
” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preliminary
statement of this Agreement.
“ Guarantors ”
means Level 3 and the Subsidiary Guarantors.
“ Obligations ”
has the meaning assigned to such term in the Credit
Agreement.
“ Secured Parties
” means (a) the Lenders, (b) the Agent,
(c) each counterparty to any Specified Hedging Agreement the
obligations under which constitute Obligations, (d) the
beneficiaries of each indemnification obligation undertaken by any
Loan Party under any Loan Document and (e) the successors and
assigns of each of the foregoing.
“ Subsidiary Guarantors
” means (a) the Subsidiaries identified on Schedule
I and (b) each other Subsidiary of Level 3 that becomes a
party to this Agreement as a Subsidiary Guarantor pursuant to
Section 3.14 after the Effective Date.
ARTICLE II
Guarantee
SECTION 2.01. Guarantee. Each
Guarantor irrevocably and unconditionally guarantees, jointly with
the other Guarantors and severally, as a primary obligor and not
merely as a surety, the due and punctual payment and performance of
the Obligations. Each of the Guarantors further agrees that the
Obligations may be extended or renewed, in whole or in part,
without notice to or further assent from it, and that it will
remain bound upon its guarantee hereunder notwithstanding any such
extension or renewal of any Obligation. Each of the Guarantors
waives presentment to, demand of payment from and protest to the
Borrower or any other Loan Party of any of the Obligations, and
also waives notice of acceptance of its guarantee and notice of
protest for nonpayment.
SECTION 2.02. Guarantee of
Payment; Continuing Guarantee. Each of the Guarantors further
agrees that its guarantee hereunder constitutes a guarantee of
payment when due (whether or not any bankruptcy or similar
proceeding shall have stayed the accrual or collection of any of
the Obligations or operated as discharge thereof) and not merely of
collection, and waives any right to require that any resort be had
by the Agent or any other Secured Party to any security held for
the payment of the Obligations or to any balance of any deposit
account or credit on the books of the Agent or any other Secured
Party in favor of the Borrower, any other Loan Party or any other
Person. Each of the Guarantors agrees that its guarantee is
continuing in nature and applies to all Obligations, whether
currently existing or hereafter incurred.
SECTION 2.03. No Limitations,
Etc. (a) Except for termination of a Guarantor’s
obligations hereunder as expressly provided in Section 3.13,
the obligations of each Guarantor hereunder shall not be subject to
any reduction, limitation, impairment or termination for any
reason, including any claim of waiver, release, surrender,
alteration
2
or compromise, and shall not be subject to any
defense or setoff, counterclaim, recoupment or termination
whatsoever by reason of the invalidity, illegality or
unenforceability of the Obligations, any impossibility in the
performance of the Obligations or otherwise. Without limiting the
generality of the foregoing, the obligations of each Guarantor
hereunder shall not be discharged or impaired or otherwise affected
by (i) the failure of the Agent or any other Secured Party to
assert any claim or demand or to enforce any right or remedy under
the provisions of any Loan Document or otherwise; (ii) any
extension or renewal of any of the Obligations, (iii) any
rescission, waiver, amendment or modification of, or any release
from any of the terms or provisions of, any Loan Document or any
other agreement, including with respect to any other Guarantor
under this Agreement; (iv) the release of, or any impairment
of or failure to perfect any Lien on or security interest in any
security held by the Agent or any other Secured Party for the
Obligations or any of them; (v) any default, failure or delay,
willful or otherwise, in the performance of the Obligations; or
(vi) any other act, omission or delay to do any other act
which may or might in any manner or to any extent vary the risk of
any Guarantor or otherwise operate as a discharge of any Guarantor
as a matter of law or equity (other than the indefeasible payment
in full in cash of all the Obligations) or which would impair or
eliminate the right of any Guarantor to subrogation. Each Guarantor
expressly authorizes the Agent to take and hold security for the
payment and performance of the Obligations, to exchange, waive or
release any or all such security (with or without consideration),
to enforce or apply such security and direct the order and manner
of any sale thereof in its sole discretion or to release or
substitute any one or more other guarantors or obligors upon or in
respect of the Obligations, all without affecting the obligations
of any Guarantor hereunder.
( b) To the fullest extent permitted
by applicable law, each Guarantor waives any defense based on or
arising out of any defense of the Borrower or any other Loan Party
or the unenforceability of the Obligations or any part thereof from
any cause, or the cessation from any cause of the liability of the
Borrower or any other Loan Party, other than the indefeasible
payment in full in cash of all the Obligations. The Agent and the
other Secured Parties may, at their election, foreclose on any
security held by one or more of them by one or more judicial or
nonjudicial sales, accept an assignment of any such security in
lieu of foreclosure, compromise or adjust any part of the
Obligations, make any other accommodation with the Borrower or any
other Loan Party or exercise any other right or remedy available to
them against the Borrower or any other Loan Party, without
affecting or impairing in any way the liability of any Guarantor
hereunder except to the extent the Obligations have been fully and
indefeasibly paid in full in cash. To the fullest extent permitted
by applicable law, each Guarantor waives any defense arising out of
any such election even though such election operates, pursuant to
applicable law, to impair or to extinguish any right of
reimbursement or subrogation or other right or remedy of such
Guarantor against the Borrower or any other Loan Party, as the case
may be, or any security.
SECTION 2.04. Reinstatement.
Each of the Guarantors agrees that its guarantee hereunder shall
continue to be effective or be reinstated, as the case may be, if
at any time payment, or any part thereof, of any Obligation is
rescinded or must otherwise be restored by the Agent or any other
Secured Party upon the bankruptcy or reorganization of the
Borrower, any other Loan Party or otherwise.
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SECTION 2.05. Agreement to Pay;
Subrogation. In furtherance of the foregoing and not in
limitation of any other right that the Agent or any other Secured
Party may have at law or in equity against any Guarantor by virtue
hereof, upon the failure of the Borrower or any other Loan Party to
pay any Obligation when and as the same shall become due, whether
at maturity, by acceleration, after notice of prepayment or
otherwise, each Guarantor hereby promises to and will forthwith
pay, or cause to be paid, to the Agent for distribution to the
applicable Secured Parties in cash the amount of such unpaid
Obligation. Upon payment by any Guarantor of any sums to the Agent
as provided above, all rights of such Guarantor against the
Borrower or any other Guarantor arising as a result thereof by way
of right of subrogation, contribution, reimbursement, indemnity or
otherwise shall in all respects be subordinate and junior in right
of payment to the prior indefeasible payment in full in cash of all
the Obligations. In addition, any indebtedness of the Borrower now
or hereafter held by any Guarantor is hereby subordinated in right
of payment to the prior indefeasible payment in full of the
Obligations. If any amount shall erroneously be paid to any
Guarantor on account of (i) such subrogation, contribution,
reimbursement, indemnity or similar right or (ii) any such
indebtedness of the Borrower, such amount shall be held in trust
for the benefit of the Secured Parties and shall forthwith be paid
to the Agent to be credited against the payment of the Obligations,
whether matured or unmatured, in accordance with the terms of the
Loan Documents.
SECTION 2.06. Information.
Each Guarantor assumes all responsibility for being and keeping
itself informed of the Borrower’s and each other Loan
Party’s financial condition and assets, and of all other
circumstances bearing upon the risk of nonpayment of the
Obligations and the nature, scope and extent of the risks that such
Guarantor assumes and incurs hereunder, and agrees that none of the
Agent or the other Secured Parties will have any duty to advise
such Guarantor of information known to it or any of them regarding
such circumstances or risks.
SECTION 2.07. Taxes. Each of
the Guarantors agrees that the provisions of Section 2.11 of
the Credit Agreement shall apply equally to such Guarantor with
respect to payments made by it hereunder.
SECTION 2.08. Representations and
Warranties. Each of the Guarantors represents and warrants as
to itself that all representations and warranties relating to it
contained in the Credit Agreement are true and correct.
ARTICLE III
Miscellaneous
SECTION 3.01. Notices . All
communications and notices hereunder shall (except as otherwise
expressly permitted herein) be in writing and given as provided in
Section 9.01 of the Credit Agreement. All communications and
notices hereunder to any Subsidiary Guarantor shall be