MCI COMMUNICATIONS CORP
8-K, 1996-06-21
TELEPHONE COMMUNICATIONS (NO RADIOTELEPHONE)
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C.  20549


                                    FORM 8-K

                               CURRENT REPORT

                      Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                      the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

     Date of Report (Date of earliest event  reported)  June  21, 1996 
                                                       (June 19, 1996)


                       MCI COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION
            ----------------------------------------------------
           (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


        Delaware                    0-6457            52-0886267
     --------------           ----------------       -------------
     (State or other             (Commission         (IRS Employer
     jurisdiction of             File Number)        Identification No.)
     incorporation)



           1801 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20006
           ------------------------------------------------------
                  (Address of Principal Executive Offices)

     Registrant's telephone number, including area code (202) 872-1600.




















<PAGE>



                             PAGE 2


Item 5. Other Events.

         The  registrant  has  agreed  to issue on June  24,  1996  $500,000,000
aggregate  principal  amount  of  7-1/8%  Debentures  due  June  15,  2027 in an
underwritten  offering under a  Registration  Statement on Form S-3 filed by the
registrant  with the  Securities  and Exchange  Commission  on December 30, 1994
(File No.  33-57155).  The Debentures are not redeemable by the registrant prior
to maturity but are subject to  redemption on June 15, 2003 at the option of the
holders thereof,  which options must be exercised no earlier than April 16, 2003
and no later than May 15, 2003.


Item 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits.

     Exhibit No.                                     Description
     -----------                        -------------------------------------

           1                      Form of Underwriting Agreement Basic
                                  Provisions and attached Terms Agreement.

           4 (a)                  Form of 7-1/8% Debenture due June 15, 2027.

           4 (b)                  Junior Subordinated Indenture between
                                  registrant and Wilmington Trust Company, as
                                  Debenture Trustee (incorporated herein by
                                  reference to Exhibit 4.01 to registrant's
                                  Registration Statement on Form S-3,
                                  Registration No. 333-02593).

           4 (c)                  Form of Amended and Restated Trust Agreement
                                  among registrant, as Depositor, Wilmington
                                  Trust Company, as Property Trustee and
                                  Delaware Trustee, and the Administrative
                                  Trustees named therein (incorporated herein by
                                  reference to Exhibit 4.10 to registrant's
                                  Registration Statement on Form S-3,
                                  Registration No. 333-02593).

          4 (d)                   Form of Guarantee Agreement between
                                  registrant, as Guarantor, and Wilmington Trust
                                  Company, as Trustee (incorporated herein by
                                  reference to Exhibit 4.12 to registrant's
                                  Registration Statement on Form S-3,
                                  Registration No. 333-02593).








<PAGE>



                             PAGE 3


           4(e)                            Form   of   Supplemental   Indenture
                                            between  registrant  and  Wilmington
                                            Trust Company,  as Debenture Trustee
                                            (incorporated herein by reference to
                                            Exhibit    4.13   to    registrant's
                                            Registration  Statement on Form S-3,
                                            Registration No. 333-02593).















































<PAGE>



                             PAGE 4

                           SIGNATURES


     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.




                                   MCI COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION

                                    /s/ Jonelle St. John
                                   ------------------------------
                                    Jonelle St. John
                                    Vice President and Treasurer

Date: June 21, 1996




































<PAGE>



                         EXHIBIT INDEX


     Exhibit No.                                     Description
     -----------                          -------------------------------------

           1                      Form of Underwriting Agreement Basic
                                  Provisions and attached Terms Agreement.

           4 (a)                  Form of 7-1/8% Debenture due June 15, 2027.

           4 (b)                  Junior Subordinated Indenture between
                                  registrant and Wilmington Trust Company, as
                                  Debenture Trustee (incorporated herein by
                                  reference to Exhibit 4.01 to registrant's
                                  Registration Statement on Form S-3,
                                  Registration No. 333-02593).

           4 (c)                  Form of Amended and Restated Trust Agreement
                                  among registrant, as Depositor, Wilmington
                                  Trust Company, as Property Trustee and
                                  Delaware Trustee, and the Administrative
                                  Trustees named therein (incorporated herein by
                                  reference to Exhibit 4.10 to registrant's
                                  Registration Statement on Form S-3,
                                  Registration No. 333-02593).

          4 (d)                   Form of Guarantee Agreement between
                                  registrant, as Guarantor, and Wilmington Trust
                                  Company, as Trustee (incorporated herein by
                                  reference to Exhibit 4.12 to registrant's
                                  Registration Statement on Form S-3,
                                  Registration No. 333-02593).

           4(e)                   Form   of   Supplemental   Indenture
                                  between  registrant  and  Wilmington
                                  Trust Company,  as Debenture Trustee
                                  (incorporated herein by reference to
                                  Exhibit    4.13   to    registrant's
                                  Registration  Statement on Form S-3,
                                  Registration No. 333-02593).









                                          MCI COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION

                                                  Debt Securities

                                      UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT BASIC PROVISIONS



                  MCI Communications  Corporation,  a Delaware  corporation (the
"Company"),  proposes to issue and sell its senior debt  securities (the "Senior
Securities") and/or subordinated debt securities (the "Subordinated  Securities"
and,  together  with the Senior  Securities,  the  "Securities")  in one or more
offerings on terms determined at the time of sale. The Senior Securities will be
issued under an Indenture dated as of February 17, 1995, as amended by the Trust
Indenture Reform Act of 1990 (the "Senior  Indenture"),  between the Company and
Citibank,  N.A.,  as  trustee  (the  "Senior  Trustee"),  and  the  Subordinated
Securities  will be issued under an Indenture  dated as of October 15, 1989,  as
amended by the Trust Indenture Reform Act of 1990 (the "Subordinated Indenture",
and together with the Senior Indenture,  the "Indentures"),  between the Company
and Bankers Trust Company, as trustee (the "Subordinated  Trustee", and together
with the Senior Trustee,  the "Trustees").  Each issue of Securities may vary as
to aggregate principal amount, maturity date, currency, interest rate or formula
and timing of  payments  thereof,  any  redemption,  repayment  or sinking  fund
requirements  and any  other  variable  terms  as the  Senior  Indenture  or the
Subordinated Indenture, as the case may be, contemplates and as may be set forth
in the Senior Securities or Subordinated Securities issued from time to time.

                  This  is to  confirm  the  arrangements  with  respect  to the
purchase of  Securities  (the "Offered  Securities")  from the Company by one or
more  Representatives  (collectively,  the  "Representative")  and  the  several
Underwriters  (collectively,  the "Underwriters") listed in the applicable terms
agreement  (the  "Terms  Agreement")  entered  into  between the Company and the
Representative,  which Terms  Agreement  shall be  substantially  in the form of
Annex A hereto.  With  respect  to any  particular  Terms  Agreement,  the Terms
Agreement,   together  with  the  provisions  hereof  incorporated   therein  by
reference, is referred to herein as the "Agreement".

                  The  Company  has  filed  with  the  Securities  and  Exchange
Commission  (the  "Commission")  a  registration  statement  on  Form  S-3  (No.
33-57155) in respect of certain of the Company's debt





                                                         1

<PAGE>



securities  under the Securities  Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"),  and
the offering thereof from time to time in accor dance with Rule 415 of the rules
and  regulations  of  the  Commis  sion  under  the  1933  Act  (the  "1933  Act
Regulations").  Such registration  statement has been declared  effective by the
Commission  and  each of the  Indentures  has been  qualified  under  the  Trust
Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the "1939 Act"). Such registration  statement
(and any further  registration  statement  which may be filed by the Company for
the purpose of registering  additional  debt  securities and in connection  with
which this Agreement is included or incorporated by reference as an exhibit) and
the  prospectuses  constituting a part thereof,  and any  prospectus  supplement
relating to the Offered Securities, including all documents incorporated therein
by  reference,  as from time to time  amended or  supplemented  by the filing of
documents pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "1934
Act"), or the 1933 Act or otherwise,  are collectively referred to herein as the
"Registration Statement" and the "Prospectus",  respectively; provided, however,
that the supplement to the Prospectus  relating to the Offered  Securities shall
be deemed to have  supplemented the Prospectus only with respect to the offering
of Offered Securities to which it relates.

SECTION 1.  Representations and Warranties.

                  (a) The Company  represents and warrants to the Representative
and to each  Underwriter  named in the Terms  Agree  ment as of the date of such
Terms Agreement (the "Representation Date"), as follows:

                  (i) Due Incorporation and Qualification.  The Company has been
         duly  incorporated  and is validly  existing as a  corporation  in good
         standing  under  the  laws  of  the  state  of its  incorporation  with
         corporate  power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties
         and to conduct its  business as described  in the  Prospectus;  and the
         Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business
         and is in good  standing  in  each  jurisdiction  in  which  such  qual
         ification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of
         property or the  conduct of  business,  except  where the failure to so
         qualify  would not have a  material  adverse  effect on the  condition,
         financial  or  otherwise,  or the  earnings or business  affairs of the
         Company and its subsi diaries considered as one enterprise.

             (ii)          Subsidiaries.  Each subsidiary of the Company
         which is a significant subsidiary as defined in Rule 405 of
         Regulation C of the 1933 Act Regulations (each, a "Signifi
         cant Subsidiary") has been duly incorporated and is validly





                                                         2

<PAGE>



         existing  as a  corporation  in good  standing  under  the  laws of the
         jurisdiction of its incorporation, has corporate power and authority to
         own,  lease and operate its  properties  and to conduct its business as
         described  in  the  Prospectus,  and is  duly  qualified  as a  foreign
         corporation  to  transact  busi  ness and is in good  standing  in each
         jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason
         of the  ownership  or leasing of property  or the conduct of  business,
         except  where the  failure  to so  qualify  would  not have a  material
         adverse  effect  on  the  condition,  financial  or  otherwise,  or the
         earnings  or  business  affairs  of the  Company  and its  subsidiaries
         considered  as one  enterprise;  and all of the issued and  outstanding
         capital stock of each  Significant  Subsidiary has been duly authorized
         and  validly  issued,  is fully  paid and  non-assessable  and all such
         shares  owned by the  Company,  directly or through  subsidiaries,  are
         owned free and clear of any security interest,  mortgage, pledge, lien,
         encumbrance,  claim or  security  (except  for any lien or  encumbrance
         pursuant to the Indentures, the Revolving Credit Agreement, dated as of
         July 8, 1994,  between the Company and Bank of America  National  Trust
         and Savings Association,  as agent for the financial institutions party
         thereto,  the  Indenture,  dated as of October  15,  1989,  between the
         Company and Bankers Trust Company, as trustee, the Indenture,  dated as
         of October  15,  1989,  between  the Company  and  Citibank,  N.A.,  as
         trustee,  and the Junior  Subordinated  Indenture,  dated as of May 29,
         1996, between the Company and Wilmington Trust Company, as trustee).

            (iii)  Registration  Statement  and  Prospectus.  At  the  time  the
         Registration  Statement became  effective,  the Registration  Statement
         complied,  and as of the  Representa  tion  Date  will  comply,  in all
         material  respects with the  requirements  of the 1933 Act and the 1933
         Act  Regulations  and the 1939 Act and the rules and regulations of the
         Commission promulgated thereunder.  The Registration State ment, at the
         time it became effective, did not, and at each time thereafter at which
         any amendment to the Registration  Statement  becomes effective and any
         Annual Report on Form 10-K is filed by the Company with the  Commission
         and as of the  Representation  Date, will not,  contain an untrue state
         ment of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be
         stated  therein  or  necessary  to  make  the  statements  therein  not
         misleading;  and the Prospectus,  as of the Representation Date (unless
         the term "Prospectus" refers to a prospectus which has been provided to
         the Underwriters by the Company for use in connection with the offering
         of the Offered  Securities  which  differs from the  Prospectus on file
         with the Commission as of the Representation Date, in which case at the
         time it is first provided to the





                                                         3

<PAGE>



         Underwriters  for such  use) and at the  Closing  Time  referred  to in
         Section 2 will not,  include an untrue  statement of a material fact or
         omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements
         therein,  in the light of the circumstances under which they were made,
         not  misleading;   provided,  however,  that  the  representations  and
         warranties in this subsection  shall not apply to statements in or omis
         sions  from  the  Registration  Statement  or the  Prospectus  made  in
         reliance  upon and in  conformity  with  information  furnished  to the
         Company  in  writing  by the  Representative  expressly  for use in the
         Registration   Statement  or   Prospectus   or  to  that  part  of  the
         Registration  Statement which constitutes the Statements of Eligibility
         under the 1939 Act (Form T-1) of the Trustees.

             (iv)  Incorporated  Documents.   The  documents  incorpo  rated  by
         reference in the  Prospectus,  at the time they were or  hereafter  are
         filed with the  Commission,  complied  and will comply in all  material
         respects  with  the  requirements  of the 1934  Act and the  rules  and
         regulations  promulgated thereunder (the "1934 Act Regulations"),  and,
         when read together and with the other  information  in the  Prospectus,
         did not and will not, as the case may be,  include an untrue  statement
         of a material  fact or omit to state a  material  fact  required  to be
         stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in
         light of the  circumstances  under  which  they were or are  made,  not
         misleading.

              (v)  Accountants.  The  accountants  who  certified  the financial
         statements  included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus are
         independent public accountants as required by the 1933 Act and the 1933
         Act Regulations.

             (vi) Financial Statements.  The financial statements of the Company
         and its consolidated subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference
         in the  Registration  Statement and the  Prospectus  present fairly the
         consolidated  financial  position of the  Company and its  consolidated
         subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the consolidated  results of
         their  operations  for the  periods  specified;  and,  except as stated
         therein,  said  financial  statements  have been prepared in conformity
         with  generally  accepted  accounting  principles  in the United States
         applied on a consistent basis.

            (vii)  Material  Changes.  Since  the  respective  dates as of which
         information is given in the Registration  Statement and the Prospectus,
         except as otherwise stated therein or contemplated  thereby,  there has
         been  no  material  adverse  change  in  the  condition,  financial  or
         otherwise,  or in the  earnings or business  affairs of the Company and
         its subsi diaries considered as one enterprise,  whether or not arising
         in the ordinary course of business.

           (viii) No Defaults.  Neither the Company nor any of its  subsidiaries
         is in  violation  of its  charter or in default in the  performance  or
         observance of any material obligation, agreement, covenant or condition
         contained in any contract,  indenture,  mortgage, loan agreement, note,
         lease or other  instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any
         of them or their  properties is bound,  except where such viola tion or
         default  would not have a  material  adverse  effect on the  condition,
         financial  or  otherwise,  or the  earnings or business  affairs of the
         Company and its  subsidiaries  con sidered as one  enterprise;  and the
         execution and delivery of any applicable  Terms Agreement to which this
         Agreement  is  attached  and forms a part  thereof  and the  applicable
         Indenture and the consummation of the transactions contem plated herein
         and therein have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action
         and do not conflict with or  constitute a breach of, or default  under,
         or result in the  creation  or  imposition  or  violation  of any lien,
         charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any
         of its  subsidiaries  pursuant  to,  (A) the  charter or by-laws of the
         Company,  (B) any law,  administrative  regulation or administrative or
         court order or decree  applicable  to the  Company,  (C) any  contract,
         indenture, mortgage, loan agreement, note, lease or other instrument to
         which the Company or any such  subsidiary  is a party or by which it or
         any of them is bound or to which any of the  property  or assets of the
         Company or any such  subsidiary is subject where, in the case of clause
         (C),  such  conflict,  breach or default,  or creation,  imposition  or
         violation,  would  have a  material  adverse  effect on the  condition,
         financial  or  otherwise,  or the  earnings or business  affairs of the
         Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise.

             (ix)  Legal  Proceedings;   Contracts.   Except  as  set  forth  or
         incorporated by reference in the Prospectus,  there is no action,  suit
         or  proceeding  before or by any court or govern mental agency or body,
         domestic or foreign,  now pending, or, to the knowledge of the Company,
         threatened  against or affecting the Company or any of its subsidiaries
         which  might,  in the opinion of the  Company,  result in any  material
         adverse  change in the  condition,  financial or  otherwise,  or in the
         earnings  or  business  affairs  of the  Company  and its  subsidiaries
         considered as one enterprise, or might materi ally and adversely affect
         the  properties  or assets  thereof or might  materially  and adversely
         affect  the  consummation  of the  transactions  contemplated  by  this
         Agreement, any





                                                         4

<PAGE>



         applicable Terms Agreement or the applicable  Indenture;  and there are
         no contracts  or  documents  of the Company or any of its  subsidiaries
         which  are  required  to be  filed  as  exhibits  to  the  Registration
         Statement by the 1933 Act or by the 1933 Act Regulations which have not
         been so filed or incorporated by reference as exhibits thereto.

                  (x)  No  Authorization,   Approval  or  Consent  Required.  No
         authorization,  approval,  consent,  order or  decree  of any  court or
         governmental  authority or agency is necessary in  connection  with the
         sale of the Offered  Securities,  except those which have been obtained
         prior to the execution and delivery of the applicable  Terms  Agreement
         to which this Agreement is attached and forms a part thereof.

             (xi) Regulatory Certificates,  Authorities and Permits. The Company
         and its subsidiaries possess such certificates,  authorities or permits
         issued by the appropriate state, federal or foreign regulatory agencies
         or bodies  necessary  to conduct  the  business  now  operated by them,
         except where the failure to possess such  certificates,  authorities or
         permits  would not have a material  adverse  effect on the con  dition,
         financial  or  otherwise,  or the  earnings or business  affairs of the
         Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise;  and neither
         the Company nor any of its sub  sidiaries  has  received  any notice of
         proceedings  relating to the  revocation  or  modification  of any such
         certificate,  authority or permit which, singly or in the aggregate, if
         the  subject  of an  unfavorable  decision,  ruling or  finding,  would
         materially and adversely affect the condition, finan cial or otherwise,
         or the earnings or business affairs of the Company and its subsidiaries
         considered as one enter prise.

           (xii)  Authorization  and  Validity  of the Offered  Securities.  The
         Offered  Securities  have been duly author ized for  issuance  and sale
         pursuant to this Agreement and any applicable Terms Agreement and, when
         issued, authenti cated and delivered pursuant to the provisions of this
         Agreement,  such Terms Agreement and the applicable  Indenture  against
         payment  of  the  consideration   therefor   specified  in  such  Terms
         Agreement,  such Offered  Securities will consti tute valid and binding
         obligations of the Company  enforce able against it in accordance  with
         their  terms,   except  as  enforcement   thereof  may  be  limited  by
         bankruptcy, insol vency, or other similar laws relating to or affecting
         enforcement  of  creditors'  rights  generally  or  by  general  equity
         principles and except further as enforcement  thereof may be limited by
         (i)  requirements  that a claim  with  respect  to  Offered  Securities
         denominated other than in U.S. dollars





                                                         5

<PAGE>



         (or a foreign  currency  or currency  unit  judgment in respect of such
         claim) be converted  into United  States  dollars at a rate of exchange
         prevailing on a date determined  pursuant to applicable law or (ii) any
         statute, law, judgment,  decree, order, regulation or rule of any court
         or governmental  authority that limits,  delays or prohibits the making
         of payments in a foreign  currency or currency unit or payments outside
         the  United  States;  the  Offered  Securities  will be in the  form(s)
         prescribed in or pursuant to the applicable Indenture,  and the Offered
         Securities  and  the  applicable  Indenture  conform  in  all  material
         respects  to  all  statements   relating   thereto   contained  in  the
         Prospectus;  and each holder of Offered  Securities will be entitled to
         the benefits provided by the applicable Indenture.

            (xiii)  Authorization  of this Agreement and Terms  Agreement.  This
         Agreement and the applicable Terms Agree ment, as of the Representation
         Date,  will have been, duly  authorized,  executed and delivered by the
         Company.

             (xiv) Doing Business with Cuba. The Company has complied, and as of
         the  Representation  Date will comply,  with all of the  provisions  of
         Section 517.075 of the Florida Statutes,  and all rules and regulations
         promulgated thereunder, relating to issuers doing business in Cuba.

                  (b) Additional  Certifications.  Any certificate signed by any
officer of the Company and delivered to the Representative or to counsel for the
Underwriters  in  connection  with an  offering of Offered  Securities  shall be
deemed  a  representation  and war  ranty  by the  Company  to each  Underwriter
participating  in such offering as to the matters covered thereby on the date of
such certificate.

SECTION 2.  Purchase and Sale.

         (a) The obligations of the Underwriters to purchase, and the Company to
sell,  the Offered  Securities  shall be evidenced by the Terms  Agreement.  The
several  commitments of the Underwriters to purchase Offered Securities pursuant
to such  Terms  Agreement  shall be deemed to have been made on the basis of the
represen  tations and  warranties  herein  contained and shall be subject to the
terms and conditions  herein set forth.  The Terms  Agreement  shall specify the
principal amount of the Senior Securities and/ or Subordinated  Securities,  the
names  of  the  Underwriters   parti  cipating  in  the  offering   (subject  to
substitution  as  provided  in Section 10 hereof)  and the  principal  amount of
Offered Securities which each Underwriter severally has agreed to purchase,  the
purchase price to be paid by the  Underwriters for the Offered  Securities,  the
initial public offering price, if any, of the





                                                         6

<PAGE>



Offered  Securities,  any  delayed  delivery  arrangements  and any terms of the
Offered Securities not already specified in the applicable Indenture pursuant to
which  they are being  issued  (including,  but not  limited  to,  designations,
denominations,  current  ratings,  interest rates or formulas and payment dates,
maturity  dates,   redemption  and/or  repayment  provisions  and  sinking  fund
requirements).

    (b) In addition,  on the basis of the  representations and warranties herein
contained and subject to the terms and condi tions herein set forth, the Company
may grant, subject to any applicable laws or regulations,  if so provided in the
Terms  Agreement  relating  to  the  Offered   Securities,   an  option  to  the
Underwriters  named in such  Terms  Agreement,  severally  and not  jointly,  to
purchase  up to the amount of Option  Securities  set forth  therein at the same
price as is applicable to the Offered Securities.  Such option, if granted, will
expire 30 days after the date of the applicable Terms Agreement  relating to the
Offered  Securities,  and may be exercised in whole or in part from time to time
only for the purpose of covering over-allotments which may be made in connection
with the offering and distribu tion of the Offered Securities upon notice by the
Representative  to the Company setting forth the number of Option  Securities as
to which the several  Underwriters  are then exercising the option and the time,
date and place of payment and delivery for such Option Securities. Any such time
and  date of  delivery  (a  "Date  of  Delivery")  shall  be  determined  by the
Representative,  but shall not be later than three full  business days after the
exer  cise of said  option,  nor in any  event  prior to  Closing  Time,  unless
otherwise agreed upon by the  Representative  and the Company.  If the option is
exercised  as to all or  any  portion  of the  Option  Securities,  each  of the
Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, will purchase that proportion of
the total number of Option  Securities  then being purchased which the number of
Offered Securities each such Underwriter has agreed to pur chase as set forth in
the applicable Terms Agreement bears to the total number of Offered  Securities,
subject to such adjustments as the  Representative  in its discretion shall make
to eliminate any sales or purchases of fractional Securities.

    (c)  Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of, any
Offered Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters shall be
made at the office of Brown & Wood, One World Trade Center, New
York, New York 10048, or at such other place as shall be agreed
upon by the Representative and the Company, at 10:00 A.M., New
York City time, on the third business day (unless postponed in
accordance with the provisions of Section 10) following the date
of the applicable Terms Agreement, or at such other time as shall
be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company (each such
time and date being referred to herein as a "Closing Time").  In





                                                         7

<PAGE>



addition, in the event that notice of the exercise of the option to purchase any
or all of the Option  Securities  is given  pursuant to  subsection  (b) of this
Section 2,  payment of the  purchase  price for,  and  delivery  of, such Option
Securities shall be made at the  above-mentioned  offices of Brown & Wood, or at
such other place as shall be agreed upon by the  Representative and the Company,
on each Date of Delivery as specified in the notice from the  Representative  to
the Company.  In either case, unless otherwise specified in the applicable Terms
Agreement,  payment shall be made to the Company by a certified or official bank
check or checks in Federal or similar same-day funds payable to the order of the
Company against delivery to the  Representative  for the respective  accounts of
the Underwriters of the Offered Securities to be purchased by them. Such Offered
Securities  shall be in such  denominations  and registered in such names as the
Representative  may request in writing at least two  business  days prior to the
applicable  Closing  Time or Date of  Delivery,  as the case may be. The Offered
Securities,  which  may be in  tempo  rary  form,  will  be made  available  for
examination and packaging by the  Representative on or before the first business
day prior to Closing Time or Date of Delivery, as the case may be.

SECTION 3.  Covenants of the Company.

                  The Company  covenants with the  Representative  and with each
Underwriter participating in an offering of the Offered Securities, as follows:

                  (a)   Preparation   of  Prospectus   Supplement.   Immediately
following  the execution of the  applicable  Terms  Agreement,  the Company will
prepare a supplement to the  Prospectus  setting  forth the principal  amount of
Senior Securities or Subordinated  Securities covered thereby,  the terms of the
Offered  Securities  not otherwise  specified in the applicable  Indenture,  the
names of the Underwriters participating in the offering and the principal amount
of the Offered Securities which each severally has agreed to purchase,  the name
of the Underwriter or Underwriters  acting as the  Representative  in connection
with the offering, the price at which the Offered Securities are to be purchased
by the  Underwriters  from the Company,  the initial public offering price,  the
selling  concession and reallowance,  if any, and such other  information as the
Representative and the Company deem appropri ate in connection with the offering
of the Offered  Securities.  The Company will  promptly  transmit  copies of the
Prospectus  Supplement to the Commission for filing  pursuant to Rule 424 of the
1933 Act Regulations and will furnish to the Underwriters  named therein as many
copies of the Prospectus and such  Prospectus  Supplement as the  Representative
shall reasonably request.






                                                         8

<PAGE>



                  (b) Notice of Certain  Events.  The  Company  will  notify the
Representative  immediately  (i) of the  effectiveness  of any  amendment to the
Registration Statement,  (ii) of the transmittal to the Commission for filing of
any  supplement to the  Prospectus  or any document to be filed  pursuant to the
1934 Act which will be incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, (iii) of the
receipt of any comments  from the  Commission  with respect to the  Registration
Statement  or the  Prospectus,  (iv) of any  request by the  Commission  for any
amendment to the  Registration  Statement or any  amendment or supplement to the
Prospectus  or for  additional  information,  and  (v) of  the  issuance  by the
Commission of any stop order  suspending the  effectiveness  of the Registration
Statement or the  initiation of any  proceedings  for that purpose.  The Company
will make every reasonable effort to prevent the issuance of any stop order and,
if any stop  order is  issued,  to obtain the  lifting  thereof at the  earliest
possible moment.

                  (c) Notice of Certain Proposed Filings.  The Company will give
the  Representative  notice of its intention to file or prepare any amendment to
the  Registration  Statement  (including  any  post-effective  amendment  or any
additional registration statement with respect to the registration of additional
debt securities of the Company) or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus
(including  any revised  prospectus  which the Company  proposes  for use by the
Underwriters  in  connection  with the offering of the Offered  Securities  that
differs  from  the  prospec  tus on file  with  the  Commission  at the time the
Registration Statement became effective, whether or not such revised prospec tus
is required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the 1933 Act Regulations, and
including the documents incorporated by reference into the Prospectus),  whether
by the filing of docu ments pursuant to the 1934 Act, the 1933 Act or otherwise,
and will  furnish  the  Representative  with  copies  of any such  amendment  or
supplement a reasonable  time in advance of such proposed  filing or use, as the
case may be and will not file any such  amendment or  supplement or use any such
prospectus  to which the  Representative  or counsel to the  Underwriters  shall
reasonably object.

                  (d) Copies of the  Registration  Statement and the Prospectus.
The  Company  will  deliver to the  Representative  one signed  copy and as many
conformed copies of the Registration Statement (as originally filed) and of each
amendment  thereto  (including  exhibits  filed  therewith  or  incorporated  by
reference therein and documents incorporated by reference in the Prospec tus) as
the  Representative  may  reasonably  request.  The Company  will furnish to the
Representative  as many copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as
the  Representative  shall  reasonably  request so long as the  Underwriters are
required





                                                         9

<PAGE>



to deliver a Prospectus in connection with sales or  solicitations  of offers to
purchase the Offered Securities.

                  (e)      Revisions of Prospectus -- Material Changes.  If
                           -------------------------------------------
at any time when the Prospectus is required by the 1933 Act to be
delivered in connection with sales of the Offered Securities any
event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is
necessary, in the reasonable opinion of counsel for the
Underwriters or counsel for the Company, to amend or supplement
the Prospectus in order that the Prospectus will not include an
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material
fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the
light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered
to a purchaser, not misleading, then, after the receipt by the
Company of such opinion, the Company will forthwith amend or
supplement the Prospectus by either (i) preparing and furnishing
to the Representative a reasonable number of copies of an
amendment or amendments of, or a supplement or supplements to,
the Prospectus (in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to
counsel for the Underwriters) or (ii) making an appropriate
filing pursuant to Section 13 or 14 under the 1934 Act (in form
and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the
Underwriters), so that, as so amended or supplemented, the
Prospectus will not include an untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make
the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances
existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser, not
misleading, and the Company will furnish to the Representative a
reasonable number of copies of such amendment or supplement.

                  (f)  Earnings  Statements.  The  Company  will make gen erally
available to its security holders as soon as practicable,  but not later than 90
days after the close of the period covered  thereby,  an earnings  statement (in
form  complying  with the provi  sions of Rule 158 under the 1933 Act)  covering
each twelve month period  beginning,  in each case, not later than the first day
of the Company's  fiscal quarter next following the "effective date" (as defined
in such Rule 158) of the Registration Statement with respect to each sale of the
Offered Securities.

                  (g) Blue Sky  Qualifications.  The Company will  endeavor,  in
cooperation  with the  Representative,  to qualify  the Offered  Securities  for
offering and sale under the applicable  securities laws of such states and other
jurisdictions  of  the  United  States  as  the  Representative  may  designate;
provided,  however,  that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general
consent to service  of  process  or to qualify as a foreign  corporation  in any
jurisdiction  in  which it is not so  qualified.  The  Company  will  file  such
statements and reports as may be





                                                        10

<PAGE>



required by the laws of each  jurisdiction in which the Offered  Securities have
been qualified as provided above.

                  (h) 1934 Act Filings. The Company,  during the period when the
Prospectus  is  required  to be  delivered  under  the 1933  Act,  will file all
documents  required to be filed with the Commission  pursuant to Sections 13(a),
13(c),  14 or 15(d) of the 1934 Act on or  before  the time such  documents  are
required to be filed.

                  (i)  Stand-Off  Agreement.  The Company will not, be tween the
date of any  Terms  Agreement  and the  applicable  Closing  Time,  without  the
Representative's  prior  written  consent,  offer  or sell,  or  enter  into any
agreement to sell,  any debt  securities of the Company  (other than the Offered
Securities  which are to be sold  pursuant to such Terms  Agreement,  commercial
paper in the ordinary  course of business  and  borrowings  under the  Company's
revolving credit facilities).

SECTION 4.  Payment of Expenses.

                  The Company will pay all expenses incident to the per formance
of its obligations under this Agreement or any Terms Agreement, including:

                  (i)      The preparation and filing of the Registration
         Statement and all amendments thereto and the Prospectus and
         any amendments or supplements thereto;

             (ii)          The preparation and filing of this Agreement and
         each Terms Agreement;

            (iii)  The  preparation,  printing,  issuance  and  delivery  of the
         Offered  Securities,  including  any fees and expenses  relating to the
         issuance of Offered Securities in book-entry form;

             (iv) The fees and  disbursements  of the Company's  accountants and
         counsel, of the applicable Trustee and its counsel,  and of any issuing
         and paying agent, calculation agent or exchange rate agent;

              (v) The  qualification of the Offered  Securities under securities
         laws in accordance  with the provisions of Section 3(g),  including the
         reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters (other
         than filing fees) in connection  therewith  and in connection  with the
         preparation of any Blue Sky Survey and any Legal  Investment  Survey up
         to a maximum of $10,000 for any series of Offered Securities and filing
         fees;





                                                        11

<PAGE>



             (vi) The printing and delivery to the Underwriters in quantities as
         hereinabove  stated of copies of the Registra  tion  Statement  and any
         amendments  thereto,  and of the  Pro  spectus  and any  amendments  or
         supplements  thereto,  and  the  delivery  by the  Underwriters  of the
         Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto in connection with
         solic itations or confirmations of sales of Offered Securities;

            (vii)          The preparation and delivery to the Underwriters
         of copies of the applicable Indenture;

           (viii)          Any fees charged by rating agencies for the rating
         of the Offered Securities; and

             (ix) The fees and  expenses,  if any,  incurred with respect to any
         filing with the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.

                  If  the  applicable  Terms  Agreement  is  terminated  by  the
Representative  in accordance  with the provisions of Section 5 or clause (i) of
Section 9 hereof,  the Company shall  reimburse the  Underwriters  named in such
Terms  Agreement  for  all  of  their  out-of-pocket  expenses,   including  the
reasonable fees and disburse ments of counsel for such Underwriters.

SECTION 5.  Conditions of Underwriters' Obligations.

                  The obligations of the Underwriters  hereunder are sub ject to
the  accuracy  of the  representations  and  warranties  of the  Company  herein
contained,  to the performance by the Company in all material respects under the
then pertaining circumstances of its obligations hereunder, and to the following
further condi tions:

         (a) At the  applicable  Closing  Time,  no stop order  suspend  ing the
effectiveness  of the  Registration  Statement  shall have been issued under the
1933 Act or proceedings therefor initiated or threatened by the Commission.

         (b)  At the applicable Closing Time, the Representative
shall have received:

                  (1)  Opinion of Company Counsel.  The opinion of
         Kramer, Levin, Naftalis & Frankel, counsel to the Company,
         to the effect that:

                           (i) The  Company  has been duly  incorporated  and is
                  validly  existing as a corporation  in good standing under the
                  laws of the State of Delaware.






                                                        12

<PAGE>



                      (ii) The Company has the corporate  power and authority to
                  own, lease and operate its properties and conduct its business
                  as described in the Registration Statement.

                     (iii) This  Agreement and the  applicable  Terms  Agreement
                  have each been duly authorized,  executed and delivered by the
                  Company.

                      (iv) The Indenture under which the Offered  Securities are
                  to be issued has been duly and  validly  authorized,  executed
                  and delivered by the Company and (assuming  such Indenture has
                  been  duly   authorized,   exe  cuted  and  delivered  by  the
                  applicable Trustee) consti tutes a valid and binding agreement
                  of the Company,  enforceable against it in accordance with its
                  terms,  except that (i)  enforceability may be limited by bank
                  ruptcy, insolvency,  reorganization,  moratorium or other laws
                  affecting   creditors'   rights  generally  and  by  gen  eral
                  principles  of  equity  and  (ii)  the  remedy  of  speci  fic
                  performance  and  injunctive  and  other  forms of equi  table
                  relief are subject to certain  equitable  defenses  and to the
                  discretion of the court before which any  proceeding  therefor
                  may be brought,  and except further as enforcement thereof may
                  be limited by (A) require  ments that a claim with  respect to
                  Offered Securities  denominated other than in U.S. dollars (or
                  a foreign  currency  or  foreign  currency  unit  judgment  in
                  respect of such claim) be converted into United States dollars
                  at a rate of exchange prevailing on a date determined pursuant
                  to applicable law or (B) any statute,  law, judgment,  decree,
                  order,  regulation  or  rule  of  any  court  or  governmental
                  authority  that  limits,  delays or  prohibits  the  making of
                  payments in a foreign  currency  or currency  unit or payments
                  outside the United States.

                           (v) The Offered Securities,  in the form(s) certified
                  by the  Company  to be a true  and  correct  copy,  are in the
                  form(s) prescribed in or pursuant to the applicable Indenture,
                  have  been  duly  and  validly  authorized  by  all  necessary
                  corporate action on the part of the Company and, when executed
                  and  authenti  cated  as  specified  in  or  pursuant  to  the
                  applicable  Indenture and delivered against payment of the con
                  sideration   therefor   determined  in  accordance  with  this
                  Agreement and the applicable  Terms  Agreement,  will be valid
                  and binding  obligations of the Company,  enforce able against
                  it  in   accordance   with  their   terms,   except  that  (i)
                  enforceability  may  be  limited  by  bankruptcy,  insolvency,
                  reorganization, moratorium or other laws





                                                        13

<PAGE>



                  affecting   creditors'   rights   generally   and  by  general
                  principles   of   equity    (regardless    of   whether   such
                  enforceability  is  considered in a proceeding in equity or at
                  law)  and  (ii)  the  remedy  of  specific   performance   and
                  injunctive and other forms of equitable  relief are subject to
                  certain equitable  defenses and to the discretion of the court
                  before  which any  proceeding  therefor  may be  brought,  and
                  except  further as enforce  ment thereof may be limited by (A)
                  requirements  that a claim with respect to Offered  Securities
                  denominated  other than in U.S. dollars (or a foreign currency
                  or foreign currency unit judgment in respect of such claim) be
                  converted  into  United  States  dollars at a rate of exchange
                  prevailing on a date determined  pursuant to applicable law or
                  (B) any statute, law, judgment,  decree, order,  regulation or
                  rule of any  court  or  governmental  authority  that  limits,
                  delays  or  prohibits  the  making  of  payments  in a foreign
                  currency  or  currency  unit or  payments  outside  the United
                  States; and each holder of Offered Securities will be entitled
                  to the benefits of the applicable Indenture.

                      (vi) The statements in the  Prospectus  under the captions
                  "Description   of   Debentures",    "Description   of   Senior
                  Securities" or "Description of  Subordinated  Securities",  as
                  the  case  may be,  and  "Federal  Income  Tax  Consequences",
                  insofar as they purport to  summarize  certain  provisions  of
                  documents  specifically  referred  to  therein,  are  accurate
                  summaries of such provisions in all material respects.

                     (vii)  The applicable Indenture is qualified under
                  the 1939 Act.

                    (viii) The  Registration  Statement is  effective  under the
                  1933 Act and, to the best of such  counsel's  knowl  edge,  no
                  stop order  suspending the  effectiveness  of the Registration
                  Statement  has been issued  under the 1933 Act or  proceedings
                  therefor initiated or threatened by the Commission.

                      (ix)  At  the  time  the  Registration   Statement  became
                  effective and at the  Representation  Date,  the Registra tion
                  Statement  (other  than the  financial  statements  and  notes
                  thereto  and  related   schedules  and  other   financial  and
                  statistical data included or incorporated by reference therein
                  or  omitted  therefrom)  complied  as to form in all  material
                  respects with the  requirements  of the 1933 Act, the 1939 Act
                  and the  regulations  of the  Commission  under  each of those
                  Acts.





                                                        14

<PAGE>



                           (x) No  authorization,  approval,  consent,  order or
                  decree of any United States or Delaware court or gov ernmental
                  authority  or agency is necessary in connec tion with the sale
                  of the  Offered  Securities,  except  such as may be  required
                  under  the 1933  Act,  the 1939 Act,  the  regulations  of the
                  Commission  promulgated  under  each of  those  Acts or  state
                  securities or Blue Sky laws.

                      (xi)  Each  document  filed  pursuant  to the 1934 Act and
                  incorporated  by reference in the  Prospectus  (other than the
                  financial  statements and notes thereto and related  schedules
                  and  other   financial  and   statistical   data  included  or
                  incorporated  by  reference  therein  or  omitted   therefrom)
                  complied  when filed as to form in all material  respects with
                  the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations thereunder.

                     (xii) The  execution and delivery of the  applicable  Terms
                  Agreement to which this Agreement is attached and forms a part
                  thereof and the applicable  Indenture and the  consummation of
                  the  transactions  contemplated  herein  and  therein  do  not
                  conflict with or result in any violation of the  provisions of
                  the charter or by-laws of the Company.

                  (2)  Opinion of General Counsel.  The opinion of the
         General Counsel of the Company to the effect that:

                           (i) To the  best of  such  counsel's  knowledge,  the
                  Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact
                  business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which
                  such qualification is required, except where the failure to so
                  qualify  would  not  have a  material  adverse  effect  on the
                  Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise.

                           (ii) Each  Significant  Subsidiary of the Company has
                  been  duly   incorporated   and  is  validly   existing  as  a
                  corporation   in  good   standing   under   the  laws  of  the
                  jurisdiction of its incorporation, has the corporate power and
                  authority to own, lease and operate its properties and conduct
                  its business as described in the Registration Statement,  and,
                  to the best of such counsel's knowledge,  is duly qualified as
                  a foreign  corporation  to  transact  business  and is in good
                  standing in each  jurisdiction in which such qualifica tion is
                  required,  except  where the  failure to so quali fy would not
                  have  a  material  adverse  effect  on  the  Company  and  its
                  subsidiaries  considered as one enter prise; all of the issued
                  and outstanding  capital stock of each Significant  Subsidiary
                  has been duly  authorized and validly issued and is fully paid
                  and non-assessable, and all of such capital stock owned by the
                  Company,  directly or through subsidiaries,  is owned free and
                  clear of any mortgage,  pledge,  lien, encum brance,  claim or
                  equity  (except for any lien or encum  brance  pursuant to the
                  Indentures,  the Revolving Credit Agreement,  dated as of July
                  8, 1994,  between  the  Company  and Bank of America  National
                  Trust and  Savings  Association,  as agent  for the  financial
                  institutions party thereto, the Indenture, dated as of October
                  15, 1989,  between the Company and Bankers Trust  Company,  as
                  trustee, the Indenture,  dated as of October 15, 1989, between
                  the Company and  Citibank,  N.A.,  as trustee,  and the Junior
                  Subordinated Indenture,  dated as of May 29, 1996, between the
                  Company and Wilmington Trust Company, as trustee).

                     (iii) To the best of such counsel's knowledge, there are no
                  legal or governmental  proceedings pending or threatened which
                  are  required to be disclosed  in the  Prospectus,  other than
                  those disclosed therein, and all pending legal or governmental
                  proceedings  to which the Company or any subsidiary is a party
                  or of which any of their property is the subject which are not
                  described in the Registration  Statement,  including  ordinary
                  routine  litigation  incidental to the  business,  are, in the
                  aggregate,  not  material to the Company and its  subsidiaries
                  considered as one enterprise.

                      (iv) To the best of such counsel's knowledge, there are no
                  contracts,  indentures,  mortgages,  loan  agreements,  notes,
                  leases  or other  instruments  or docu  ments  required  to be
                  described or referred to in the  Registration  Statement or to
                  be filed as exhibits  thereto  other than those  described  or
                  referred to therein or filed or  incorporated  by reference as
                  exhi bits  thereto,  the  descriptions  thereof or  references
                  thereto are correct in all material  respects,  and no default
                  exists in the due  performance  or  observance of any material
                  obligation, agreement, covenant or condi tion contained in any
                  contract, indenture,  mortgage, loan agreement, note, lease or
                  other   instrument  so   described,   referred  to,  filed  or
                  incorporated by refer ence which would have a material adverse
                  effect on the Company and its  subsidiaries  considered as one
                  enterprise.






                                                        15

<PAGE>



                           (v) To the  best of  such  counsel's  knowledge,  the
                  execution and delivery of the  applicable  Terms  Agreement to
                  which this  Agreement is attached and forms a part thereof and
                  the  applicable   Indenture  and  the   consummation   of  the
                  transactions  contemplated  herein and therein do not conflict
                  with or constitute a breach of, or default under, or result in
                  the creation or imposition of any lien,  charge or encumbrance
                  upon any material  property or assets of the Company or any of
                  its   subsidiaries   pursuant  to,  any   material   contract,
                  indenture,  mortgage,  loan  agreement,  note,  lease or other
                  instrument  known to such  counsel and to which the Company or
                  any of its  subsidiaries  is a party  or by which it or any of
                  them is bound  or to which  any of the  material  property  or
                  assets of the Company or any of its  subsidiaries  is subject,
                  or any material United States or Delaware law,  administrative
                  regulation or administrative or court order or decree known to
                  such  counsel to be  applicable  to the  Company of any United
                  States or Delaware court or governmental agency,  authority or
                  body or any arbitrator having jurisdiction over the Company.

         (3)  Opinion of Counsel to the Company  Relating to the  Communications
Act. The opinion of the General Counsel of the Company,  or other counsel to the
Company  satisfactory  to  the  Underwriters,  to the  effect  that,  under  the
Communications Act of 1934, as amended,  or the  Telecommunications  Act of 1996
(collectively,  the  "Communications  Act") (as to which  matters  the  opinions
required  pursuant to subsection  (b)(1) (and (b)(2),  if the General Counsel of
the Company is not rendering the opinions  required by this subsection (b)(3) of
this Section 5) of this Section 5 shall not cover):

                  (i)  Nothing  in the  Communications  Act  prevents,  impairs,
         limits  or   otherwise   adversely   affects  (i)  the  due  and  valid
         authorization,  execution and delivery of the Offered Securities or the
         applicable   Indenture,   (ii)  the   valid  and   binding   nature  or
         enforceability  of any of the  provisions of the Offered  Securities or
         the applicable Indenture or (iii) any holder of Offered Securities from
         being entitled to the benefits of the applicable Indenture.

             (ii)  To  the  best  of  such   counsel's   knowledge,   under  the
         Communications  Act there  are no legal or  governmental  pro  ceedings
         pending  or  threatened  which  are  required  to be  disclosed  in the
         Prospectus,  other than those disclosed therein,  and all pending legal
         or governmental proceedings to which the Company or any subsidiary is a
         party or of which any of their property is the subject which are not





                                                        16

<PAGE>



         described in the  Registration  Statement,  including  ordinary routine
         litigation  incidental  to the  business,  are, in the  aggregate,  not
         material  to  the  Company  and  its  subsidiaries  considered  as  one
         enterprise.

            (iii)  Insofar  as  such  relates  to  the  Communications  Act,  no
         authorization,  approval,  consent,  order or  decree  of any  court or
         governmental  authority or agency is necessary in  connection  with the
         sale of the  Offered  Securities;  and,  to the best of such  counsel's
         knowledge, the execution and delivery of the applicable Terms Agreement
         to which this  Agreement  is attached  and forms a part thereof and the
         applicable   Indenture  and  the  consummation  of  the  transac  tions
         contemplated herein and therein do not conflict with, violate or result
         in the creation or imposition of any lien,  charge or encumbrance  upon
         any  material  property  or  assets  of  the  Company  or  any  of  its
         subsidiaries  pursuant to the  Communications Act or any administrative
         regulations there under.

                  (4)  Opinion of Counsel to the  Underwriters.  The  opinion of
         Brown & Wood, counsel to the Underwriters, with respect to such matters
         as the Representative may reasonably request.

                  (5) Rule 10b-5 Opinion.  In giving their opinions  required by
         subsections (b)(1),  (b)(2), (b)(3) and (b)(4),  respectively,  of this
         Section 5, Kramer,  Levin,  Naftalis & Frankel,  the General Counsel of
         the Company,  counsel  rendering  the opinions  required by  subsection
         (b)(3) (as to any  matters  under the  Communications  Act) and Brown &
         Wood  shall each  additionally  state  that  nothing  has come to their
         attention  that  has  caused  them to  believe  that  the  Registration
         Statement  (other than the financial  statements  and notes thereto and
         related  schedules and other financial and statistical data included or
         incorporated  by  reference   therein  or  omitted  therefrom  and  the
         Statements of Eligibility of the Trustees on Form T-1, as to which such
         counsel need not express any belief),  at the time it became  effective
         or (if an amendment to the  Registration  Statement or an Annual Report
         on Form  10-K  has  been  filed  by the  Company  with  the  Commission
         subsequent to the  effectiveness of the Registration  Statement) at the
         time such amendment  became effective or at the time of the most recent
         such  filing,  or at  the  Representation  Date,  contained  an  untrue
         statement  of a  material  fact or  omitted  to state a  material  fact
         required  to be stated  therein  or  necessary  to make the  statements
         therein not misleading or that the Prospectus (other than the financial
         statements and notes thereto and related  schedules and other financial
         and statistical data





                                                        17

<PAGE>



         included or incorporated by reference therein or omitted therefrom), at
         the  Representation  Date  (unless  the term  "Prospectus"  refers to a
         prospectus  which has been provided to the  Underwriters by the Company
         for use in connection with the offering of the Offered  Securities that
         differs  from  the  Prospectus  on  file  at the  Commission  as of the
         Representation  Date, in which case at the time it is first provided to
         the Underwriters for such use) or at Closing Time, included or includes
         an untrue  statement of a material  fact or omitted or omits to state a
         material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the
         light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

                  (c) Officer's  Certificate.  At the  applicable  Closing Time,
there shall not have been,  since the date of the applicable  Terms Agreement or
since the respective dates as of which infor mation is given in the Registration
Statement and the  Prospectus,  any material  adverse  change in the  condition,
financial or other wise,  or in the earnings or business  affairs of the Company
and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the
ordinary  course of business;  and the Representa tive shall have received (1) a
certificate  of the Chief  Financial  Officer and the  Treasurer of the Company,
dated as of such  Closing  Time,  to the effect  that (i) there has been no such
material adverse change,  (ii) the other  representations  and warranties of the
Company  contained  in  Section 1 are true and  correct  with the same force and
effect  as though  expressly  made at and as of the date of such  Closing  Time,
(iii) the Company has in all material  respects complied with all agreements and
satis fied all  conditions  on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior
to such  Closing  Time and (iv) to such  officers'  knowl  edge,  no stop  order
suspending the  effectiveness of the Registration  Statement has been issued and
no  proceedings  for that  purpose  have been  initiated  or  threatened  by the
Commission  and  (2) a  certificate  of  the  Chief  Financial  Officer  or  the
Controller  of the Company,  dated as of such Closing  Time,  to the effect that
there was no material  decrease,  on a consolidated  basis, in the net assets of
the  Company  at a  specified  date not more than five days prior to the date of
such  certificate,  as  compared  with the  amounts  shown  on the  most  recent
consolidated  balance  sheet of the Company  incorporated  by  reference  in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus or, during the period from the date of
such balance sheet to a specified date not more than five days prior to the date
of such  certificate,  there were no material  decreases,  as compared  with the
corresponding  period in the preceding  year, on a  consolidated  basis,  in the
revenue or net income of the  Company,  except in each such case as set forth in
or contemplated by the Registration  Statement and the Prospectus and except for
such exceptions enumerated in such





                                                        18

<PAGE>



certificate as shall have been agreed to by the Representative
and the Company.

                  (d)  Comfort  Letter.  Prior to the close of  business  on the
first business day succeeding the date of the applicable  Terms  Agreement,  the
Representative  shall have received a letter from Price  Waterhouse LLP or their
successors  as  the  Company's   independent   accountants   (the   "Independent
Accountants"),  dated the date of such Terms  Agreement,  in form and  substance
satis factory to the Representative, to the effect that:

                  (i)      they are independent public accountants with
         respect to the Company and its subsidiaries within the
         meaning of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations;

             (ii) in their opinion, the consolidated financial statements of the
         Company   audited  by  them  and   incorporated  by  reference  in  the
         Registration  Statement  and the  Prospectus  comply  as to form in all
         material  respects with the applicable  accounting  requirements of the
         1933 Act and the 1933 Act  Regulations  with  respect  to  registration
         statements on Form S-3 or the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations;

            (iii) they have performed specified procedures,  not constituting an
         audit,  including a reading of the latest available  interim  unaudited
         consolidated  financial  informa tion of the Company,  a reading of the
         minute books of the Company  since the end of the most recent year with
         respect to which an audit  report  has been  issued,  inquiries  of and
         discussions  with  certain  officials  of the Company  responsi ble for
         financial  and  accounting   matters  with  respect  to  the  unaudited
         consolidated  financial  statements  incorporated  by  reference in the
         Registration  Statement  and the  Prospectus  and the latest  available
         interim unaudited consolidated financial information of the Company and
         such other inquiries and procedures as may be specified in such letter,
         and on the basis of such inquiries and procedures nothing came to their
         attention   that  caused  them  to  believe  that:  (A)  the  unaudited
         consolidated  financial  statements  of  the  Company  incorporated  by
         reference  in the  Registration  Statement  and the  Prospectus  do not
         comply  as to  form  in  all  material  respects  with  the  applicable
         accounting  require ments of the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act  Regulations
         or that any  material  modifications  should be made to such  unaudited
         consolidated  financial  statements  for them to be in conform ity with
         generally accepted accounting principles, (B) at the date of the latest
         available interim unaudited consoli dated financial information,  there
         was any decrease in the  consolidated  capital stock or any increase in
         consolidated





                                                        19

<PAGE>



         long-term debt of the Company or any decrease in the  consolidated  net
         assets of the Company,  in each case as compared with the amounts shown
         on  the  most  recent  con  solidated  balance  sheet  of  the  Company
         incorporated  by  reference  in  the  Registration  Statement  and  the
         Prospectus or, during the period from the date of such balance sheet to
         the  date of the  latest  available  interim  unaudited  consoli  dated
         financial information,  there were any decreases,  as compared with the
         corresponding period in the preceding year, in consolidated revenues or
         net income of the Company,  except in each such case as set forth in or
         contemplated by the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or except
         for such exceptions enumerated in such letter as shall have been agreed
         to by the Representative and the Company or (C) at a specified date not
         more  than five days  prior to the date of such  letter,  there was any
         decrease  of 5% or  more  in  the  consolidated  capital  stock  or any
         increase of 5% or more in consolidated  debt of the Company  consisting
         of commercial  paper,  bank borrowings or publicly  registered debt, in
         each  case as  compared  with the  amounts  shown  on the  most  recent
         consolidated balance sheet of the Company,  except in each such case as
         set forth in or  contemplated  by the  Registration  Statement  and the
         Prospectus or except for such  exceptions  enumerated in such letter as
         shall have been agreed to by the Representative and the Company;

             (iv)          the letter shall also state that they have:

                           (A)      Compared the dollar amounts set forth under
                                    the columns under the captions "Capitaliza
                                    tion" and "Selected Consolidated Financial
                                    Data" to the appropriate consolidated state
                                  ments of operations included in the Company's
                                    Annual Reports to Stockholders and the quar
                                  terly reports on Form 10-Q, or to accounts in
                                    the Company's accounting records subject to
                                    its system of internal accounting controls
                                    and to schedules prepared by the Company
                                    therefrom, as appropriate;

                           (B)      Compared the dollar  amounts set forth under
                                    the caption "Recent  Developments",  if any,
                                    to the  appropriate  unaudited  consolidated
                                    state ments of  operations  of the  Company;
                                    and

                           (C)      Compared the dollar  amounts set forth under
                                    the columns in the exhibit  "Computation  of
                                    Ratio of Earnings  to Fixed  Charges" to the
                                    appropriate  consolidated statements of oper
                                    ations and disclosures included in the





                                                        20

<PAGE>



                                    Company's Annual Reports to Stockholders and
                                    the  quarterly  reports on Form 10-Q,  or to
                                    accounts in the Company's accounting records
                                    and to  schedules  prepared  by the  Company
                                    therefrom, as appropriate,  and computed the
                                    ratios set forth in the same exhibit.

                  (v) In addition to the examination referred to in their report
         included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and
         the Prospectus, and the limited procedures referred to in clauses (iii)
         and  (iv)  above,   they  have  carried  out  certain  other  specified
         procedures, not constituting an audit, with respect to certain amounts,
         percentages   and   financial   information   which  are   included  or
         incorporated  by  reference  in  the  Registration  Statement  and  the
         Prospectus  and which are specified by the  Representa  tive,  and have
         found such  amounts,  percentages  and financial  information  to be in
         agreement with the relevant accounting,  financial and other records of
         the Company and its subsidi aries identified in such letter.

                  (e)  Bring-Down Comfort Letter and Certificate.  At the
                       -----------------------------------------
applicable Closing Time, the Representative shall have received
from the specified officers of the Company a certificate, and
from the Independent Accountants a letter, each dated as of such
Closing Time, to the effect that they each reaffirm the state
ments made in the certificate furnished pursuant to subsection
(c)(2) and the letter furnished pursuant to subsection (d) of
this Section 5, respectively, except that the "specified date"
referred to shall be a date not more than five days prior to
Closing Time.

                  (f) Other Documents.  At the applicable  Closing Time, counsel
for the Underwriters  shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions
as such counsel may reasonably  require for the purpose of enabling such counsel
to pass upon the issuance and sale of Offered Securities as herein  contemplated
and related proceedings,  or in order to evidence the accuracy and complete ness
of any of the representations and warranties,  or the ful fillment of any of the
conditions,  herein  contained;  and all  proceedings  taken by the  Company  in
connection  with  the  issuance  and  sale  of  Offered   Securities  as  herein
contemplated  shall be  reasonably  satisfactory  in form and  substance  to the
Represen tative and to counsel for the Underwriters.

                  (g) Option Securities.  In the event the Underwriters exercise
their option provided in the applicable  Terms Agreement as set forth in Section
2(b)  hereof  to  purchase  all or any por tion of the  Option  Securities,  the
representations   and  warranties  of  the  Company  contained  herein  and  the
statements in any certif icates furnished by the Company hereunder shall be true
and cor rect as of each Date of  Delivery,  and the  Representative  shall  have
received:

                  (1) A certificate of the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
         of the  Company,  dated  such  Date of  Delivery,  confirming  that the
         certificate  delivered  at Closing  Time  pursuant  to Section  5(c)(1)
         hereof remains true and correct as of such Date of Delivery.

                  (2) The opinion of Kramer, Levin, Naftalis & Frankel,  Counsel
         for the  Company,  in form and  substance  reasonably  satisfactory  to
         counsel for the Underwriters,  dated such Date of Delivery, relating to
         the Option  Securities  and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion
         required by Section 5(b)(1) and (b)(5) hereof.

                  (3) The opinion of the General Counsel of the Company, in form
         and substance reasonably  satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters,
         dated such Date of  Delivery,  relating  to the Option  Securities  and
         otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(b)(2)
         and (b)(5) hereof.

                  (4) The opinion of counsel to the Company  relating to matters
         under  the  Communications  Act,  in  form  and  substance   reasonably
         satisfactory  to  counsel  for the  Underwriters,  dated  such  Date of
         Delivery,  relating to the Option  Securities and otherwise to the same
         effect as the opinion required by Section 5(b)(3) and (b)(5) hereof.

                  (5) The  favorable  opinion of Brown & Wood,  Counsel  for the
         Underwriters,  dated  such Date of  Delivery,  relating  to the  Option
         Securities and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion  required by
         Section 5(b)(4) and (b)(5) hereof.

                  (6) A certificate of the specified officers of the Company and
         a  letter  from the  Independent  Accountants,  in form  and  substance
         satisfactory to the  Representative,  each dated such Date of Delivery,
         substantially  the same in scope and substance as the  certificate  and
         letter furnished to the Representative pursuant to Section 5(e) hereof,
         except that the "specified  date" in the letter  furnished  pursuant to
         this Section  5(g)(6)  shall be a date not more than five days prior to
         such Date of Delivery.

                  (h) If any  condition  specified  in this  Section 5 shall not
have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled,  the applicable  Terms
Agreement may be terminated by the  Representa  tive by notice to the Company at
any time at or prior to the applicable  Closing Time, and such termination shall
be without





                                                        21

<PAGE>



liability of any party to any other party, except that the covenant set forth in
Section 3(f) hereof,  the  provisions  of Section 4 hereof,  the  indemnity  and
contribution agreements set forth in Sections 6 and 7 hereof, and the provisions
of Sections 8, 12 and 13 hereof shall remain in effect.

SECTION 6.  Indemnification.

                  (a) The Company  agrees to indemnify  and hold  harmless  each
Underwriter  and each person,  if any, who controls any  Underwriter  within the
meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act as follows:

                  (i) against  any and all loss,  liability,  claim,  damage and
         expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or
         alleged   untrue   statement  of  a  material  fact  contained  in  the
         Registration  Statement (or any amend ment thereto), or the omission or
         alleged  omission  therefrom of a material  fact  required to be stated
         therein or neces sary to make the statements  therein not misleading or
         aris ing out of any untrue  statement or alleged untrue  statement of a
         material  fact  included  in  the   Prospectus  (or  any  amendment  or
         supplement  thereto) or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a
         material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the
         light of the circum stances under which they were made, not misleading;

             (ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense
         whatsoever,  as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in
         settlement of any  litigation,  or  investigation  or proceeding by any
         governmental agency or body,  commenced or threatened,  or of any claim
         whatsoever  based upon any such untrue  statement or  omission,  or any
         such  alleged  untrue  statement  or  omission,  if such settle ment is
         effected with the written consent of the Company; and

            (iii) against any and all expense whatsoever (including,  subject to
         Section 6(c) hereof,  the reasonable fees and  disbursements of counsel
         chosen  by the  Underwriters),  as  incurred,  reasonably  incurred  in
         investigating,  preparing  or  defending  against  any  litigation,  or
         investigation  or pro  ceeding  by any  governmental  agency  or  body,
         commenced or threatened,  or any claim  whatsoever  based upon any such
         untrue  statement or omission,  or any such alleged untrue statement or
         omission,  to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or
         (ii) above;

provided,  however,  that this indemnity  agreement shall not apply to any loss,
liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent





                                                        22

<PAGE>



arising out of any untrue  statement or omission or alleged untrue  statement or
omission  made in  reliance  upon and in  conformity  with  written  information
furnished  to the  Company  by the  Repre  sentative  expressly  for  use in the
Registration  Statement (or any  amendment  thereto) or the  Prospectus  (or any
amendment or supple ment  thereto),  or made in reliance upon the  Statements of
Eligibility  under  the 1939 Act of the  Trustees  filed  as an  exhibit  to the
Registration  Statement;  provided,  further,  that if it  shall  ultimately  be
determined  that the  Underwriters  are not  entitled to be  indemnified  by the
Company,  the  Underwriters  shall  repay to the  Company  any sums  paid to the
Underwriters by the Company pursuant to this Section 6.

                  (b) Each  Underwriter  severally  agrees to indemnify and hold
harmless the Company,  its directors  and officers and each person,  if any, who
controls  the  Company  within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act against
any  and all  loss,  liability,  claim,  damage  and  expense  described  in the
indemnity  contained in subsection (a) of this Section 6, as incurred,  but only
with re spect to untrue  statements or omissions,  or alleged untrue state ments
or omissions,  made in the Registration  Statement (or any amendment thereto) or
the Prospectus (or any amendment or supple ment thereto) in reliance upon and in
conformity   with   written   information   furnished  to  the  Company  by  the
Representative  ex  pressly  for  use  in the  Registration  Statement  (or  any
amendment  thereto) or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement  thereto);
provided, however, that if it shall ultimately be determined that the Company is
not entitled to be indemnified by the  Underwriters,  the Company shall repay to
the Underwriters  any sums paid to the Company by the  Underwriters  pursuant to
this Section 6.

                  (c) Each  indemnified  party  shall give notice as promptly as
reasonably  practicable  to each  indemnifying  party  of any  action  commenced
against it in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, but failure to
so notify an indemnifying  party shall not relieve such indemnifying  party from
any liabil  ity which it may have  otherwise  than on account of this  indemnity
agreement.  An  indemnifying  party may  participate  at its own ex pense in the
defense of such action. In no event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for
the fees and  expenses  of more  than one  counsel  (in  addition  to any  local
counsel)  separate  from  their  own  counsel  for all  indemnified  parties  in
connection with any one action or separate but similar or related actions in the
same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances.

SECTION 7.  Contribution.






                                                        23

<PAGE>



                  In order to provide  for just and  equitable  contribution  in
circumstances in which the indemnity  agreement provided for in Section 6 is for
any  reason  held  to be  unenforceable  by the in  demnified  parties  although
applicable in accordance with its terms, the Company and the  Underwriters  with
respect to the Offered  Securities  shall  contribute to the  aggregate  losses,
liabilities,  claims,  damages and expenses of the nature  contem plated by said
indemnity  agreement incurred by the Company and one or more of the Underwriters
in  respect  of such  offering,  as  incurred,  in such  proportions  that  such
Underwriters are responsible for that portion represented by the percentage that
the  underwriting  discount  appearing  on the cover page of the  Prospectus  in
respect of such offering  bears to the initial public  offering price  appearing
thereon and the Company is responsible for the balance; provided,  however, that
no person guilty of fraudulent  misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section
11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was
not guilty of such fraudulent misrepre sentation.  For purposes of this Section,
each person,  if any, who controls an Underwriter  within the meaning of Section
15 of the  1933  Act  shall  have  the  same  rights  to  contribution  as  such
Underwriter,  and each director of the Company,  each officer of the Company who
signed the  Registration  Statement,  and each person,  if any, who controls the
Company  within  the  meaning  of Section 15 of the 1933 Act shall have the same
rights to contri bution as the Company.

SECTION 8.                 Representations, Warranties and Agreements to
                           Survive Delivery.

                  All  representations,  warranties and agreements con tained in
this Agreement or any Terms Agreement,  or contained in certificates of officers
of the Company  submitted  pursuant here to, shall remain  operative and in full
force and effect,  regard less of any investigation  made by or on behalf of any
Underwriter or controlling person, or by or on behalf of the Company,  and shall
survive each delivery of and payment for any of the Offered Securities.

SECTION 9.                 Termination of Agreement.

                  The   Representative   may  terminate  the  applicable   Terms
Agreement,  immediately  upon notice to the Company,  at any time at or prior to
the applicable  Closing Time (i) if there has been, since the date of such Terms
Agreement or since the respective dates as of which  information is given in the
Registration  State ment and the Prospectus,  any material adverse change in the
condition,  financial or  otherwise,  or in the  earnings,  business  affairs or
business  prospects  of the  Company  and  its  subsidiaries  considered  as one
enterprise,  whether or not arising in the ordi nary course of business, or (ii)
if there  shall have  occurred  any  material  adverse  change in the  financial
markets in the United  States or any outbreak or escalation  of  hostilities  or
other national or international calamity or crisis, the effect of which shall be
such  as  to  make  it,  in  the  reasonable  judgment  of  the  Representative,
impracticable to market the Offered Securities or enforce contracts for the sale
of the Offered Securities,  or (iii) if trading in any securities of the Company
shall have been suspended by the Commission or a national  securities  exchange,
or if trading  generally on either the American  Stock  Exchange or the New York
Stock  Exchange  shall have been  suspended,  or  minimum or maximum  prices for
trading shall have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices for securities shall
have been required, by either of said exchanges or by order of the Commission or
any other  governmental  authority,  or if a banking  moratorium shall have been
declared  by  either  Federal  or New York  authorities,  or (iv) if the  rating
assigned by any  nationally  recognized  securi  ties rating  agency to any debt
securities of the Company as of the date of any applicable Terms Agreement shall
have been lowered since that date of such Terms  Agreement or if any such rating
agency shall have publicly  announced that it has placed any debt  securities of
the Company on what is commonly termed a "watch list" for possible  downgrading,
or (v) if there shall have come to the Representative's attention any facts that
would cause the Representative reasonably to believe that the Prospectus, at the
time it was  required  to be  delivered  to a purchaser  of Offered  Securities,
included an untrue  statement of a material  fact or omitted to state a material
fact  necessary  in  order  to make  the  statements  therein,  in  light of the
circumstances  existing at the time of such  delivery,  not  misleading.  In the
event of any such  termination,  (x) the  covenants  set forth in Section 3 with
respect to any offering of Offered  Securities shall remain in effect so long as
any  Underwriter  owns any such Offered  Securities  purchased  from the Company
pursuant to the  applicable  Terms  Agreement  and (y) the covenant set forth in
Section 3(f) hereof,  the  provisions  of Section 4 hereof,  the  indemnity  and
contribution agreements set forth in Sections 6 and 7 hereof, and the provisions
of Sections 8, 12 and 13 hereof shall remain in effect.

SECTION 10.                Default by One or More of the Underwriters.

                  If  one  or  more  of  the  Underwriters  participating  in an
offering of Offered  Securities  shall fail at the  applicable  Closing  Time to
purchase  the  Offered  Securities  which it or they are  obligated  to purchase
hereunder and under the applicable Terms Agreement (the "Defaulted Securities"),
then the Represen  tative shall have the right,  within the first 24 hours there
after, to make arrangements for one or more of the non-defaulting  Underwriters,
or any other underwriters, to purchase all, but not





                                                        24

<PAGE>



less than all, of the Defaulted Securities in such amounts as may be agreed upon
and upon the terms herein set forth;  if, within such first 24 hour period,  the
Representative  is unable to make  arrangements  for the  purchase of all of the
Defaulted Securities,  then the Company shall have the right, within the next 24
hours thereafter,  to make arrangements for any other underwriter(s)  reasonably
satisfactory  to the  non-defaulting  Underwriters to purchase all, but not less
than all, of the Defaulted  Securities in such amounts as may be agreed upon and
upon the terms herein set forth;  if,  however,  after such 48 hours neither the
Representative  nor the Company shall have  completed such arrange ments for the
purchase of all of the Defaulted Securities, then:

                  (a) if the aggregate principal amount of Defaulted  Securities
         does not  exceed  10% of the  aggregate  principal  amount  of  Offered
         Securities  to be  purchased  pursuant  to such  Terms  Agreement,  the
         non-defaulting  Underwriters  named in such  Terms  Agreement  shall be
         obligated to purchase the full amount thereof in the  proportions  that
         their  respective  underwriting  obligations  bear to the  underwriting
         obliga tions of all non-defaulting Underwriters, or

                  (b) if the aggregate principal amount of Defaulted  Securities
         exceeds 10% of the aggregate  principal amount of Offered Securities to
         be purchased  pursuant to such Terms  Agreement,  the applicable  Terms
         Agreement  shall  terminate  without  liability  on  the  part  of  any
         non-defaulting Underwriter.

                  No action taken  pursuant to this Section 10 shall relieve any
defaulting  Underwriter  from  liability  in respect of its  default  under this
Agreement and the applicable Terms Agreement.

                  In the  event  of any  such  default  by  any  Underwriter  or
Underwriters  as set forth in this Section 10, either the Repre sentative or the
Company  shall have the right to  postpone  the  applicable  Closing  Time for a
period not exceeding  seven days in order to effect any required  changes in the
Registration State ment or Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements.

SECTION 11.                Notices.

                  All notices  and other  communications  hereunder  shall be in
writing  and shall be deemed to have been duly  given if  mailed,  delivered  by
courier  service  or  transmitted  by any  standard  form of  telecommunication.
Notices  to  the   Underwriters   shall  be  directed  to  the  address  of  the
Representative  set forth in the applicable Terms Agreement;  and notices to the
Company shall be





                                                        25

<PAGE>



directed to it at 1801 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington,
D.C. 20006, Attention:  General Counsel.

SECTION 12.                Parties.

                  This  Agreement  and any Terms  Agreement  shall  inure to the
benefit of and be binding  upon the Company  and any Under  writer who becomes a
party to a Terms Agreement, and their re spective successors.  Nothing expressed
or  mentioned in this  Agreement or any Terms  Agreement is intended or shall be
con strued to give any  person,  firm or  corporation,  other  than the  parties
hereto and their respective successors and the control ling persons and officers
and  directors  referred  to in  Sections  6 and 7 and  their  heirs  and  legal
representatives,  any legal or  equitable  right,  remedy  or claim  under or in
respect of this  Agreement  or any Terms  Agreement or any  provision  herein or
therein contained. This Agreement and any Terms Agreement and all conditions and
provisions  hereof and  thereof are  intended  to be for the sole and  exclusive
benefit of the parties  hereto and thereto and their  respective  successors and
said  controlling  persons and officer and  directors  and their heirs and legal
representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation. No
purchaser of Offered  Securities  from any  Underwriter  shall be deemed to be a
successor by reason merely of such purchase.

SECTION 13.                Governing Law.

                  This  Agreement and any Terms  Agreement  shall be governed by
and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to
agreements made and to be per formed in such state.

SECTION 14.                Counterparts.

                  The  Terms   Agreement   may  be   executed  in  one  or  more
counterparts,  and if  executed  in  more  than  one  counterpart  the  executed
counterparts shall constitute a single instrument.






                                                        26

<PAGE>



                

                                          MCI COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION

                                            [Title of Debt Securities]

                                                  TERMS AGREEMENT


                

MCI Communications Corporation
1801 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C.  20006

Dear Sirs:

                  We (the  "Representative")  understand that MCI Communications
Corporation  (the  "Company")  proposes to issue and sell  $_________  aggregate
principal amount of its [Title of Debt  Securities] (the "Offered  Securities").
Subject  to the  terms  and  conditions  set forth  herein  or  incorporated  by
reference herein,  the underwriters  named below (the  "Underwriters")  agree to
purchase,  severally and not jointly, the principal amount of Offered Securities
set forth opposite their respective names.

                                                            Principal Amount of
Underwriter                                                   Offered Securities





                           Total..........                      $


                  The Offered Securities shall have the following terms:

Title of Debt Securities:
Senior/Subordinated:
Interest rate:
Interest payable:
Date of maturity:
Public offering price:             %, plus accrued interest or
                                      amortized original issue
                                      discount, if any, from
                                       ___________, 19__.






                                                         1

<PAGE>


Purchase                                                      price:   %,   plus
                                                              accrued   interest
                                                              or       amortized
                                                              original     issue
                                                              discount,  if any,
                                                              from  ___________,
                                                              19__  (payable  in
                                                              next day funds).


Closing time and location:
Additional Co-Managers, if any:
Redemption or repayment provisions:
Sinking fund requirements:
Number of Option Securities,
  if any, that may be purchased
  by the Underwriters:


Other terms:


                  All of the  provisions  in the document  attached as Exhibit A
hereto entitled "MCI Communications  Corporation--Debt  Securities--Underwriting
Agreement  Basic  Provisions"  are hereby  incorporated  by  reference  in their
entirety  and shall be deemed to be a part of this Terms  Agreement  to the same
extent as if set forth in full herein.


                                [Representative]

                                        By ____________________________
                                           Acting on behalf of themselves and
                                                 the other named Underwriters


Accepted:

MCI COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION

By:___________________________







                                                         2



                                                [FORM OF DEBENTURE]



UNLESS AND UNTIL IT IS EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR ONE OR MORE  DEBENTURES
IN CERTIFICATED FORM, THIS DEBENTURE MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY
THE  DEPOSITORY  TRUST  COMPANY,  55 WATER  STREET,  NEW  YORK,  NEW  YORK  (THE
"DEPOSITARY"),  TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY
TO THE  DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER  NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR
ANY SUCH  NOMINEE  TO A  SUCCESSOR  DEPOSITARY  OR A NOMINEE  OF SUCH  SUCCESSOR
DEPOSITARY.  UNLESS THIS DEBENTURE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED  REPRESENTATIVE
OF THE  DEPOSITARY  TO THE  ISSUER OR ITS AGENT FOR  REGISTRATION  OF  TRANSFER,
EXCHANGE  OR PAYMENT,  AND UNLESS ANY  DEBENTURE  ISSUED  UPON SUCH  TRANSFER OR
EXCHANGE IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR SUCH OTHER NAME AS REQUESTED
BY AN AUTHORIZED  REPRESENTATIVE  OF THE DEPOSITARY AND ANY SUCH PAYMENT IS MADE
TO CEDE & CO., ANY  TRANSFER,  PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE
BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL SINCE THE REGISTERED  OWNER HEREOF,  CEDE & CO.,
HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.


REGISTERED                                                 REGISTERED


                                               CUSIP NO. 552673AU9

NO.                                                                       U.S. $



                                          MCI COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION

                                        7 1/8% DEBENTURE DUE JUNE 15, 2027


                  MCI COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation
(the "Company"), for value received promises to pay to

                                                    CEDE & CO.
                                         c/o THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY
                                                  55 WATER STREET
                                             NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10041

, or registered assigns, the principal sum of

                                           ____ HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS

on June 15,  2027 (the  "Maturity  Date"),  unless  redeemed  prior  thereto  in
accordance  with the  provisions  hereof,  and to pay  interest  thereon  at the
interest  rate  per  annum of 7 1/8%,  semiannually  in  arrears  on June 15 and
December 15 of each year,  commencing  December  15, 1996  (each,  an  "Interest
Payment Date"),

                                                      -1-



<PAGE>



to the  Holder of this  Debenture  as of the close of  business  on the  Regular
Record Date, as defined below, with respect to such Interest Payment Date, until
the principal hereof is paid or duly made available for payment.

                  Interest  payments for this  Debenture will be computed on the
basis of a 360-day  year of  twelve  30-day  months.  Interest  payable  on this
Debenture on any Interest  Payment Date will include  interest  accrued from and
including the immediately  preceding  Interest  Payment Date in respect of which
interest has been paid or duly provided for (or from and including June 24, 1996
if no  interest  has  been  paid or  duly  provided  for  with  respect  to this
Debenture) to but excluding such Interest  Payment Date. If any Interest Payment
Date or the Maturity Date or the Redemption Date (as defined after the Trustee's
Certificate  of  Authentication)  falls on a day that is not a Business  Day, as
defined below, the required payment of principal and/or interest with respect to
such Interest  Payment Date,  Maturity Date or Redemption  Date, as the case may
be,  will be paid on the next  succeeding  Business  Day with the same force and
effect as if it were  paid on the date such  payment  was due,  and no  interest
shall  accrue on the  amount  so  payable  for the  period  from and after  such
Interest  Payment Date,  Maturity  Date or Redemption  Date, as the case may be.
"Business Day" means any day, other than a Saturday or Sunday, on which banks in
The City of New York are not required or authorized by law or by executive order
to close.

                  The interest so payable,  and punctually paid or duly provided
for, on any Interest  Payment Date will be paid to the person in whose name this
Debenture is registered in the Security  Register of the Company as of the close
of business on the "Regular Record Date" for such interest payment,  which shall
be the June 1 (whether  or not a Business  Day)  preceding  the June 15 Interest
Payment Date or the  December 1 (whether or not a Business  Day)  preceding  the
December 15 Interest Payment Date, as the case may be.

                  The principal of this  Debenture  payable on the Maturity Date
or the Redemption  Date will be paid against  presentation  of this Debenture at
the office or agency of the Company  maintained  for that purpose in the Borough
of  Manhattan,  The City of New York,  in such coin or  currency  of the  United
States of America as at the time of payment is legal  tender for the  payment of
public and private debts.

                  All  payments  of  principal  and  interest in respect of this
Debenture will be made by the Company in immediately available funds.

                  Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of
this  Debenture set forth after the  Trustee's  Certificate  of  Authentication,
which further  provisions  shall for all purposes have the same effect as if set
forth at this place.

                  Unless  the  Certificate  of  Authentication  hereon  has been
executed by the Trustee under the Senior Indenture, as each such term is defined
below,  directly or through an Authenticating  Agent, by the manual signature of
one of its authorized  signatories,  this Debenture shall not be entitled to any
benefit under the Senior Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.


                  IN WITNESS WHEREOF,  the Company has caused this instrument to
be duly  executed,  manually or in  facsimile,  and a facsimile of its corporate
seal to be imprinted hereon.

Dated:  June 24, 1996

                                              MCI COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION


                                      By:




[SEAL]                                            Vice President and Treasurer

                                     Attest:



                                              Secretary or Assistant Secretary


TRUSTEE'S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

This  is  one  of  the  Securities  issued  under  the  within-mentioned  Senior
Indenture.

CITIBANK, N.A., as Trustee

By:
         Authorized Signatory

                                                      -2-



<PAGE>



                                          MCI COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION

                                        7 1/8% DEBENTURE DUE JUNE 15, 2027


                  This Debenture is one of the duly authorized senior securities
(collectively,  the "Securities") of the Company to be issued under an Indenture
between the Company and Citibank, N.A., as trustee (herein called the "Trustee",
which term includes any successor  trustee  under such  indenture),  dated as of
February 17,  1995,  as amended by the Trust  Indenture  Reform Act of 1990 (the
"Senior Indenture"),  to which Senior Indenture and all indentures  supplemental
thereto  reference  is hereby made for a  statement  of the  respective  rights,
limitations of rights,  duties,  obligations  and  immunities  thereunder of the
Company,  the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and the terms upon which
the Securities are, and are to be,  authenticated and delivered.  This Debenture
is one of the  duly  authorized  series  of  Securities  designated  as "7  1/8%
Debentures  due  June  15,  2027"  (collectively,  the  "Debentures"),  and  the
aggregate  principal  amount of  Debentures  to be issued  under such  series is
limited to $500,000,000 (except for Debentures  authenticated and delivered upon
transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of other Debentures). All terms used
but not defined or specified in this Debenture shall have the meanings  assigned
to such terms in the Senior Indenture.

                  This Debenture will not be subject to redemption at the option
of the Company prior to the Maturity Date.

                  This  Debenture will be subject to redemption at the option of
the Holder on June 15, 2003 (the  "Redemption  Date"),  in whole or in part,  in
increments of $1,000  (provided that any remaining  principal hereof shall be at
least $1,000) at a redemption  price equal to 100% of the principal amount to be
redeemed. Interest payable on the Redemption Date shall be payable to the person
in whose name this  Debenture  is  registered  in the  Security  Register of the
Company as of the close of  business  on the  Regular  Record  Date  immediately
preceding the Redemption  Date. For this Debenture to be redeemed in whole or in
part at the option of the Holder  hereof,  this  Debenture  must be  received no
earlier  than  April  16,  2003 and no later  than May 15,  2003,  with the form
entitled "Option to Elect Redemption" below duly executed and completed,  by the
Trustee  at its  Corporate  Trust  Office,  or such  other  address of which the
Trustee  shall from time to time notify the Holders of  Debentures.  Exercise of
such redemption option by the Holder hereof shall be irrevocable.

                  In the event that this  Debenture  shall be  redeemed in part,
this Debenture shall be surrendered to the Trustee in
exchange for one or more new Debentures of authorized denominations in principal
amount equal to the  unredeemed  portion of this  Debenture  and having the same
terms and conditions.

                  If an Event of Default  with respect to the  Debentures  shall
occur and be  continuing,  the  Trustee  or the  Holders of not less than 25% in
principal  amount of the Debentures at the time  Outstanding,  as defined in the
Senior Indenture, may declare the principal of all Debentures due and payable in
the manner and with the effect provided in the Senior Indenture.

                  The Senior Indenture permits,  with certain exceptions therein
provided,  the  amendment  thereof  and  the  modification  of  the  rights  and
obligations  of the Company and the rights of the Holders of the  Securities  of
each series to be affected under the Senior Indenture at any time by the Company
and the  Trustee  with the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in
aggregate  principal amount of the Securities of each series affected thereby at
the time Outstanding.  The Senior Indenture also contains provisions  permitting
the  Holders of  specified  percentages  in  aggregate  principal  amount of the
Securities of each series at the time  Outstanding,  on behalf of the Holders of
all  Securities  of each such series,  to waive  compliance  by the Company with
certain  provisions of the Senior  Indenture and certain past defaults under the
Senior  Indenture  and their  consequences.  Any such  consent  or waiver by the
Holder of this  Debenture  shall be conclusive  and binding upon such Holder and
upon all future Holders of this  Debenture and of any Debenture  issued upon the
registration  of  transfer  hereof or in  exchange  herefor  or in lieu  hereof,
whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Debenture.

                  No reference  herein to the Senior  Indenture and no provision
of  this  Debenture  or of the  Senior  Indenture  shall  alter  or  impair  the
obligation  of the  Company,  which is absolute  and  unconditional,  to pay the
principal of and interest on this Debenture at the time,  place and rate, and in
the coin or currency, herein prescribed.

                  As  provided in the Senior  Indenture,  and subject to certain
limitations  herein and therein set forth, the transfer of this Debenture may be
registered  in the  Security  Register of the  Company  upon  surrender  of this
Debenture for registration of transfer at the office or agency of the Company in
the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, duly endorsed by, or accompanied
by this Debenture and a written  instrument of transfer in form  satisfactory to
the  Company  duly  executed  by,  the  Holder  hereof or by his  attorney  duly
authorized in writing and thereupon  one or more new  Debentures,  in authorized
denominations,  having the same terms and  conditions and for the same aggregate
principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.
                  As  provided in the Senior  Indenture,  and subject to certain
limitations  herein and therein set forth,  this Debenture is exchangeable for a
like  aggregate  principal  amount  of  Debentures  having  the same  terms  and
conditions, in authorized denominations, as requested by the Holder surrendering
the same.

                  No  service  charge  will be  made  for  any  registration  of
transfer or exchange of Debentures, but the Company may require payment of a sum
sufficient to cover any tax or other  governmental  charge payable in connection
therewith.

                  The  Debentures  are issuable  only in fully  registered  form
without coupons in denominations  of $1,000 and any integral  multiple in excess
thereof.

                  Prior to due presentment of this Debenture for registration of
transfer,  the Company,  the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee
may treat the Person in whose name this  Debenture  is  registered  as the owner
hereof for all purposes,  whether or not this Debenture be overdue,  and neither
the  Company,  the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the
contrary.

                  The  Debentures  are  subject to  defeasance  as  provided  in
Article XV of the Senior Indenture.

                  The Senior  Indenture and the Debentures  shall be governed by
and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to
agreements made and to be performed entirely in such State.



                                                      -3-



<PAGE>



                                                   ABBREVIATIONS


                  The following  abbreviations,  when used in the inscription on
the first  page of this  instrument,  shall be  construed  as  though  they were
written out in full according to applicable laws or regulations.


         UNIF GIFT MIN ACT --
                                                                  (Cust)

                            Custodian
                                                                 (Minor)

                                      Under Uniform Gifts to Minors Act



                                                               (State)

         TEN COM -- as tenants in common
         TEN ENT -- as tenants by the entireties
         JT TEN  -- as joint tenants with right of survivorship
                            and not as tenants in common

                  Additional  abbreviations  may also be used  though not in the
above list.












                                                      -4-



<PAGE>



                                                    ASSIGNMENT


                  FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned hereby sell(s),
assign(s) and transfer(s) unto




Please Insert Social Security Number or Other Identifying Number
of Assignee:






PLEASE PRINT OR TYPEWRITE NAME AND ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE,
OF ASSIGNEE:












the within Debenture and all rights thereunder, hereby
irrevocably constituting and appointing





attorney to transfer said Debenture on the books of the Company, with full power
of substitution in the premises.


Dated:
                                                          NOTICE:  The signature
                                                          to   this   assignment
                                                          must  correspond  with
                                                          the  name  as  written
                                                          upon  the fact of this
                                                          Debenture   in   every
                                                          particular,    without
                                                          alteration          or
                                                          enlargement   or   any
                                                          change whatsoever.

                                                          SIGNATURE GUARANTEE

                                                -------------------------------



                                                      -5-



<PAGE>




                                            OPTION TO ELECT REDEMPTION

         The  undersigned  hereby  irrevocably  request(s) and  instruct(s)  the
Company to redeem this Debenture (or portion hereof specified below) on June 15,
2003 and  otherwise  pursuant  to its  terms at a price  equal to the  principal
amount hereof to

         ----------------------------------
         (Please print or typewrite name and address of the
undersigned)

         For this Debenture to be redeemed, the Trustee must receive at 111 Wall
Street, New York, New York,  Corporate Trust Office, 5th Floor, or at such other
place or places of which the Trustee  shall from time to time notify the Holders
of the Debentures, no earlier than April 16, 2003 and no later than May 15, 2003
(or,  if either such day is not a Business  Day,  the next  succeeding  Business
Day), this Debenture with this "Option to Elect Redemption" form duly completed.

         If less than the entire  principal  amount of this  Debenture  is to be
redeemed,  specify the portion  hereof  (which  shall be an increment of $1,000)
which  the  Holder  elects  to  have  redeemed:  $__________,  and  specify  the
denomination or  denominations  (which shall be $1,000 or any integral  multiple
thereof)  of the  Debentures  to be issued to the Holder for the portion of this
Debenture not being redeemed (in the absence of any such specification, one such
Debenture will be issued for the portion not being redeemed): $_____________.

Dated:__________, 2003
                                                  ----------------------------
                                                 NOTICE: The signature on   this
                                                         Option to Elect
                                                         Redemption must
                                                         correspond with  the
                                                         name as written upon
                                                         the face of this
                                                         Debenture in  every
                                                         particular, without
                                                         alteration or
                                                         enlargement or any
                                                         change whatever.


                                                      -6-



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