MICROSOFT CORP
SC 13D/A, 2000-10-04
PREPACKAGED SOFTWARE
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              WASHINGTON, DC 20549

                                 SCHEDULE 13D/A
                                 (Rule 13d-101)

                 INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN STATEMENTS FILED
                PURSUANT TO RULE 13d-1(a) AND AMENDMENTS THERETO
                         FILED PURSUANT TO RULE 13d-2(a)
                                (Amendment No.3)

                           Telewest Communications plc                          
                                (Name of Issuer)

                  Ordinary Shares, par value 10 pence per share                 
                         (Title of Class of Securities)

                                   G8742C 10 2*                                 
                                 (CUSIP Number)

               Limited Voting Shares, par value 10 pence per share              
                         (Title of Class of Securities)

                                 Not applicable                                 
                                 (CUSIP Number)

                               Robert A. Eshelman
                                General Counsel,
                             Finance and Operations
                                One Microsoft Way
                         Redmond, Washington 98052-6399
                                 (425) 882-8080                                 
            (Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person Authorized
                     to Receive Notices and Communications)

                                 September 21, 2000                             
             (Date of Event which Requires Filing of this Statement)

If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report
the acquisition that is the subject of this Schedule 13D, and is filing this
schedule because of Rule 13d-1(e), 13d-1(f) or 13d-1(g), check the following box
[ ].

The information required on the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed
to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but
shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes).

               
*    The CUSIP number for the American Depository Shares, each representing 10
     of the Ordinary Shares, par value 10 pence per share, of Telewest
     Communications plc, is 87956P 10 5.



________________________

 CUSIP NO.  G8742C 10 2                                        Page 2 of 5 Pages
________________________

Item 1.  Security and Issuer

         This constitutes Amendment No. 3 (the "Amendment") to the Statement on
         Schedule 13D, dated July 17, 2000, as amended by Amendment No. 1, dated
         July 18, 2000, and Amendment No. 2, dated August 9, 2000 (the
         "Statement"), relating to the ordinary shares, par value 10 pence per
         share (the "Ordinary Shares"), and the Limited Voting Shares, par value
         10 pence per share (the "Limited Voting Shares"), of Telewest
         Communications plc, a public limited company incorporated under the
         laws of England and Wales ("Telewest").

Item 2.  Identity and Background.

         This statement is filed on behalf of Microsoft Corporation, a
         Washington corporation ("Microsoft"), Microsoft U.K. Cable, Inc., a
         Colorado corporation ("UK Cable"), and Microsoft Cable Partnership
         Holdings, Inc., a Colorado corporation ("Cable Partnership"). UK Cable
         and Cable Partnership are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Microsoft. UK
         Cable owns 540,648,982 Ordinary Shares and 57,312,938 Limited Voting
         Shares and Cable Partnership owns 40,385,202 Ordinary Shares. Microsoft
         continues to own directly 55,021,840 Ordinary Shares and 3,009,716
         Limited Voting Shares.

Item 4.  Purpose of the Transaction.

         On September 21, 2000, Microsoft, on behalf of itself and its
         subsidiaries, entered into a deed poll (the "Second Deed Poll")
         relating to its rights under the Revised New Relationship Agreement,
         dated March 3, 2000 (the "Revised New Relationship Agreement"), a copy
         of which is filed as Exhibit (2) to the Statement. A copy of the Second
         Deed Poll is attached as Exhibit (9).

         The Second Deed Poll provides that Microsoft and the Microsoft Group
         (as defined in the Revised New Relationship Agreement) will not
         exercise their right under the Revised New Relationship Agreement to
         withhold their consent (i) to any immaterial acquisition or disposal
         (with an acquisition or disposal being treated as immaterial if the
         fair value of the assets acquired or disposed represents 20 percent or
         less of the fair value





________________________

 CUSIP NO.  G8742C 10 2                                        Page 3 of 5 Pages
________________________


         of the total assets of the Telewest group immediately prior to such
         acquisition or disposal, as calculated by Microsoft), and (ii) to the
         incurrence of any borrowings or indebtedness or grant of any security
         interest by Telewest, in each case where Microsoft's consent is
         required under the Revised New Relationship Agreement. The Second Deed
         Poll will terminate immediately if Microsoft determines that the
         exercise of the rights covered by the Second Deed Poll would not
         require the equity method of accounting to be applied in relation to
         Microsoft's interest in Telewest under US GAAP and Microsoft notifies
         Telewest of this determination.

         All references to the documents described in this Item 4 are summaries
         thereof and do not purport to be complete and are qualified in their
         entirety by the full text of the respective documents, which have been
         attached hereto or to the Statement as exhibits and which are
         incorporated herein by reference.

Item 7.  Material to be Filed as Exhibits.

         Exhibit 9 --  Deed Poll by Microsoft Corporation,
                       dated September 21, 2000.





________________________

 CUSIP NO.  G8742C 10 2                                        Page 4 of 5 Pages
________________________



                                    SIGNATURE

         After reasonable inquiry and to the best knowledge and belief of the
undersigned, the undersigned certifies that the information set forth in this
statement is true, complete and correct.

Date:  October 4, 2000

                                         MICROSOFT CORPORATION


                                         By:  /s/ Robert A. Eshelman         
                                             Name:  Robert A. Eshelman
                                             Title: General Counsel,
                                                    Finance and Operations;
                                                    Assistant Secretary


                                         MICROSOFT UK CABLE, INC.


                                         By:  /s/ Robert A. Eshelman         
                                             Name:  Robert A. Eshelman
                                             Title: Secretary


                                         MICROSOFT CABLE PARTNERSHIP HOLDINGS,
                                         INC.


                                         By:  /s/ Robert A. Eshelman         
                                             Name:  Robert A. Eshelman
                                             Title: Secretary




________________________

 CUSIP NO.  G8742C 10 2                                        Page 5 of 5 Pages
________________________



                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit 9 --  Deed Poll by Microsoft Corporation, dated September 21, 2000.



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