SOUTHWESTERN BELL TELEPHONE CO
8-K, 1998-03-12
TELEPHONE COMMUNICATIONS (NO RADIOTELEPHONE)
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<PAGE>   1





                       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: MARCH 10, 1998
                      SOUTHWESTERN BELL TELEPHONE COMPANY
                             A MISSOURI CORPORATION
                           COMMISSION FILE NO. 1-2346
                   IRS EMPLOYER IDENTIFICATION NO. 43-0529710
                 175 E. HOUSTON, SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS 78205-2233
                        TELEPHONE NUMBER (210) 821-4105
<PAGE>   2
Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

Southwestern Bell Telephone Company is filing herewith the following exhibits:

         (c)     Exhibits.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXHIBIT
NUMBER                            DESCRIPTION
- ------                            -----------
<S>                <C>
1                  Underwriting Agreement, dated March 5, 1998, between Southwestern Bell Telephone Company and Merrill
                   Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, as representative of the several Underwriters named in
                   Schedule II thereto.

4-a                Southwestern Bell Telephone Company's Officers' Certificate for 6-7/8% Debentures due March 31, 2048,
                   dated March 5, 1998, pursuant to Section 2.02(a) of the Indenture.

4-b                Form of 6-7/8% Global Debenture due March 31, 2048.
</TABLE>
<PAGE>   3
                                   SIGNATURE

       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 thereunto duly authorized.


                                             Southwestern Bell Telephone Company


                                             /s/ Donald E. Kiernan           
                                             -----------------------------------
                                             Donald E. Kiernan
                                             Vice-President

March 10, 1998
<PAGE>   4

                                 EXHIBIT INDEX

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXHIBIT
NUMBER                            DESCRIPTION
- ------                            -----------
<S>                <C>
1                  Underwriting Agreement, dated March 5, 1998, between Southwestern Bell Telephone Company and Merrill
                   Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, as representative of the several Underwriters named in
                   Schedule II thereto.

4-a                Southwestern Bell Telephone Company's Officers' Certificate for 6-7/8% Debentures due March 31, 2048,
                   dated March 5, 1998, pursuant to Section 2.02(a) of the Indenture.

4-b                Form of 6-7/8% Global Debenture due March 31, 2048.
</TABLE>

<PAGE>   1

                                                                       EXHIBIT 1

                      SOUTHWESTERN BELL TELEPHONE COMPANY

                                DEBT SECURITIES

                             UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT


                                                                   March 5, 1998

To the Representative
   named in Schedule I
   hereto of the Underwriters
   named in Schedule II hereto

Dear Sirs:

         Southwestern Bell Telephone Company, a Missouri corporation (the
"Company"), may issue and sell from time to time series of its debt securities
registered under the registration statement referred to in Paragraph 1(a)
hereof ("Securities" and, individually, "Security"). The Securities will be
issued under an Indenture, dated as of February 1, 1985, as supplemented by the
First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of June 1, 1991 (together, the
"Indenture"), from the Company to The Bank of New York, as Trustee, in one or
more series, which series may vary as to interest rates, maturities, redemption
provisions and selling prices, with all such terms for any particular series
being determined at the time of sale. The Company proposes to sell to the
underwriters named in Schedule II hereto ("Underwriters") for whom you are
acting as representative ("Representative") a series of Securities, of the
designation, with the terms and in the aggregate principal amount specified in
Schedule I hereto ("Underwritten Securities" and, individually, "Underwritten
Security").

1.               The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the
       several Underwriters that:

              (a) A registration statement on Form S-3 with respect to the
       Securities has been prepared by the Company in conformity with the
       requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended ("Act" or
       "Securities Act"), and the rules and regulations ("Rules and
       Regulations") of the Securities and Exchange Commission ("Commission" or
       "SEC") thereunder and has become effective. As used in this Agreement,
       (i) "Registration Statement" means that registration statement (File No.
       333-37515), as amended or supplemented to the date hereof  (including
       all documents incorporated therein by reference); (ii) "Preliminary
       Prospectus" means each prospectus (including all documents incorporated
       therein by reference) included in that Registration Statement, or
       amendments thereto or supplements
<PAGE>   2
       thereof, before it became effective under the Act, including any
       prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(a) of the
       Rules and Regulations; (ii) "Basic Prospectus" means the prospectus
       (including all documents incorporated therein by reference) included in
       the Registration Statement; and (iv) "Prospectus" means the Basic
       Prospectus, together with any prospectus amendment or supplement
       (including in each case all documents incorporated therein by reference)
       specifically relating  to the Underwritten Securities, as filed with, or
       mailed for filing to, the Commission pursuant to paragraph (b) or (c) of
       Rule 424 of the Rules and Regulations.  The Commission has not issued
       any order preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus.

              (b)  The Registration Statement and each Prospectus contain, and
       (in the case of any amendment or supplement to any such document, or any
       material incorporated by reference in any such document, filed with the
       Commission after the date as of which this representation is being made)
       will contain at all times during the period specified in Paragraph 8(c)
       hereof, all statements which are required by the Act, the Securities
       Exchange Act of 1934, as amended ("Exchange Act"), the Trust Indenture
       Act of 1939, as amended  ("Trust Indenture Act"), and the rules and
       regulations of the Commission under such Acts; the Indenture, including
       any amendments and supplements thereto, pursuant to which the
       Underwritten Securities will be issued, will conform with the
       requirements of the Trust Indenture Act and the rules and regulations of
       the Commission thereunder, and the Registration Statement and the
       Prospectus do not, and (in the case of any amendment or supplement to
       any such document, or any material incorporated by reference in any such
       document, filed with the Commission after the date as of which this
       representation is being made) will not at any time during the period
       specified in Paragraph 8(c) hereof, contain any untrue statement of a
       material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated
       therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading;
       provided that the Company makes no representation or warranty as to
       information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement or
       the Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information
       furnished in writing to the Company through the Representative by or on
       behalf of any Underwriter specifically for use therein, or as to any
       statements in or omissions from the Statement of Eligibility of the
       Trustee under the Indenture.

              (c)  The Company is not in violation of its corporate charter or
       bylaws or in default under any agreement, indenture or instrument, the
       effect of which violation or default would be material to the Company,
       the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and any
       Delayed Delivery Contracts (as defined in Paragraph 3 hereof) and
       compliance by the Company with the provisions of the Underwritten
       Securities and the Indenture will not conflict with, result in the
       creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any of
       the assets of Company pursuant to the terms of, or constitute a default
       under, any agreement,





                                      -2-
<PAGE>   3
       indenture or instrument, or result in a violation of the corporate
       charter or bylaws of the Company or any order, rule or regulation of any
       court or governmental agency having jurisdiction over the Company; and
       except as required by the Act, the Trust Indenture Act and applicable
       state securities laws, no consent, authorization or order of, or filing
       or registration with, any court or governmental agency is required for
       the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the Delayed
       Delivery Contract, if any, and the Indenture.

              (d)  Except as described in or contemplated by the Registration
       Statement and the Prospectus, there shall have not occurred any changes
       or any development involving a prospective change, or affecting
       particularly the business or properties of the Company or its
       subsidiaries, which materially impairs the investment quality of the
       Underwritten Securities since the dates as of which information is given
       in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

              (e)  On the Delivery Date (as defined in Paragraph 7 hereof), (i)
       the Indenture will have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by
       the Company and will constitute the legally binding obligation of the
       Company, enforceable in accordance with its terms, (ii) the Underwritten
       Securities will have been duly authorized and, upon payment therefor as
       provided in this Agreement, will constitute legally binding obligations
       of the Company entitled to the benefits of the Indenture and (iii) the
       Underwritten Securities and the Indenture will conform to the
       descriptions thereof contained in the Prospectus.

              (f)  The Company has been duly incorporated, is validly existing
       as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of
       Missouri, with full corporate power and authority to own its properties
       and conduct its business as described in the Prospectus, and is duly
       qualified to do business as a foreign corporation and is in good
       standing under the laws of each jurisdiction which requires such
       qualification wherein it owns or leases properties or conducts business,
       except where the failure to so qualify would not have a material adverse
       effect on the Company.

              (g)  Except as described in the Prospectus, there is no material
       litigation or governmental proceeding pending or, to the knowledge of
       the Company, threatened against the Company which is reasonably expected
       to result in any material adverse change in the financial condition,
       results of operations, business or prospects of the Company or which is
       required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement.

              (h)  The financial statements filed as part of the Registration
       Statement or included in any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus
       present, or (in the case of any amendment or supplement to any such
       document, or any material incorporated by reference in any such
       document, filed with the Commission after the date as of





                                      -3-
<PAGE>   4
       which this representation is being made) will present at all times
       during the period specified in Paragraph 8(c) hereof, fairly, the
       financial condition and results of operations of the Company, at the
       dates and for the periods indicated, and have been, and (in the case of
       any amendment or supplement to any such document, or any material
       incorporated by reference in any such document, filed with the
       Commission after the date as of which this representation is being made)
       will be at all times during the period specified in Paragraph 8(c)
       hereof, prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting
       principles applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved
       (except as described in the notes thereto).

              (i)  The documents incorporated by reference into any Preliminary
       Prospectus or the Prospectus have been, and (in the case of any
       amendment or supplement to any such document, or any material
       incorporated by reference in any such document, filed with the
       Commission after the date as of which this representation is being made)
       will be, at all times during the period specified in Paragraph 8(c)
       hereof, prepared by the Company in conformity with the applicable
       requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations and the Exchange
       Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and such
       documents have been, or (in the case of any amendment or supplement to
       any such document, or any material incorporated by reference in any such
       document, filed with the Commission after the date as of which this
       representation is being made) will be at all times during the period
       specified in Paragraph 8(c) hereof, timely filed as required thereby.

              (j)  There are no contracts or other documents which are required
       to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement by the Act or by
       the Rules and Regulations, or which were required to be filed as
       exhibits to any document incorporated by reference in the Prospectus by
       the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission
       thereunder, which have not been filed as exhibits to the Registration
       Statement or to such document or incorporated therein by reference as
       permitted by the Rules and Regulations or the rules and regulations of
       the Commission under the Exchange Act as required.

              (k)  No order, consent, approval, authorization, registration or
       qualification of or with any governmental agency or body having
       jurisdiction over the Company or any of its properties is required for
       the issue and sale of the Underwritten Securities or the consummation by
       the Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the
       Indenture, except such as have been, or will have been prior to the
       Delivery Date, obtained under the Act and the Trust Indenture Act and
       such consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or
       qualifications as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky
       laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the
       Underwritten Securities by the Underwriters.





                                      -4-
<PAGE>   5
2.            Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon the
       representations and warranties herein set forth, the Company agrees to
       sell to each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, and each
       Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the
       Company, at the purchase price and on the other terms set forth in
       Schedule I hereto, the principal amount of the Underwritten Securities
       set forth opposite its name in Schedule II hereto.

3.            Any offer to purchase Underwritten Securities by institutional
       investors solicited by the Underwriters for delayed delivery shall be
       made pursuant to contracts substantially in the form of Exhibit A
       attached hereto, with such changes therein as the Company and the
       Representative may approve ("Delayed Delivery Contracts").  The Company
       shall have the right, in its sole discretion, to approve or disapprove
       each such institutional investor.  Underwritten Securities which are
       subject to Delayed Delivery Contracts are herein sometimes called
       "Delayed Delivery Underwritten Securities" and Underwritten Securities
       which are not subject to Delayed Delivery Contracts are herein sometimes
       called "Immediate Delivery Underwritten Securities."

       Contemporaneously with the purchase on the Delivery Date by the
Underwriters of the Immediate Delivery Underwritten Securities pursuant to this
Agreement, the Company will pay to the Representative, for the account of the
Underwriters, the compensation specified in Schedule I hereto for arranging the
sale of Delayed Delivery Underwritten Securities. The Underwriters shall have
no responsibility with respect to the validity or performance of any Delayed
Delivery Contracts.

       For the purpose of determining the principal amount of Immediate
Delivery Underwritten Securities to be purchased by each Underwriter, there
shall be deducted from the principal amount of Underwritten Securities to be
purchased by such Underwriter as set forth in Schedule II hereto that portion
of the aggregate principal amount of Delayed Delivery Underwritten Securities
that the principal amount of Underwritten Securities to be purchased by such
Underwriter as set forth in Schedule II hereto bears to the aggregate principal
amount of Underwritten Securities set forth therein to be purchased by all of
the Underwriters (in each case as adjusted by the Representative to avoid
fractions of the minimum principal amount in which the Underwritten Securities
may be issued), except to the extent that the Representative determines, in its
discretion, that such deduction shall be otherwise than in such proportion and
so advises the Company.

4.            [Reserved]

5.            The Company shall not be obligated to deliver any Underwritten
       Securities except upon payment for all Immediate Delivery Underwritten
       Securities to be purchased pursuant to this Agreement as hereinafter
       provided.





                                      -5-
<PAGE>   6
6.            If any Underwriter defaults in the performance of its obligations
       under this Agreement, the remaining non- defaulting Underwriters shall
       be obligated to purchase the Immediate Delivery Underwritten Securities
       which the defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed to purchase in the
       respective proportions which the principal amount of Underwritten
       Securities set forth in Schedule II hereto to be purchased by each
       remaining non-defaulting Underwriter set forth therein bears to the
       aggregate principal amount of Underwritten Securities set forth therein
       to be purchased by all the remaining non-defaulting Underwriters;
       provided that the remaining non- defaulting Underwriters shall not be
       obligated to purchase any Immediate Delivery Underwritten Securities if
       the aggregate principal amount of Immediate Delivery Underwritten
       Securities which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but
       failed to purchase exceeds 9.09% of the total principal amount of
       Underwritten Securities, and any remaining non-defaulting Underwriter
       shall not be obligated to purchase more than 110% of the principal
       amount of Underwritten Securities set forth in Schedule II hereto to be
       purchased by it. If the foregoing maximums are exceeded, the remaining
       non-defaulting Underwriters, or those other underwriters satisfactory to
       the Representative who so agree, shall have the right, but shall not be
       obligated, to purchase, in such proportion as may be agreed upon among
       them, all the Immediate Delivery Underwritten Securities. If the
       remaining Underwriters or other underwriters satisfactory to the
       Representative do not elect to purchase the Immediate Delivery
       Underwritten Securities which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters
       agreed but failed to purchase, this Agreement shall terminate without
       liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter, or the Company,
       except that the Company will continue to be liable for the payment of
       expenses as set forth in Paragraph 8(i) hereof.

       Nothing contained in this Paragraph 6 shall relieve a defaulting
Underwriter of any liability it may have to the Company for damages caused by
its default. If other Underwriters are obligated or agree to purchase the
Immediate Delivery Underwritten Securities of a defaulting or withdrawing
Underwriter, either the Representative or the Company may postpone the Delivery
Date for up to seven full business days in order to effect any changes that in
the opinion of the Company or the Representative may be necessary in the
Registration Statement, the Prospectus or in any  other document or
arrangement.

7.            Delivery of and payment for the Immediate Delivery Underwritten
       Securities shall be made at such address, date and time as specified in
       Schedule I hereto. This date and time are sometimes referred to as the
       "Delivery Date." On the Delivery Date, the Company shall deliver the
       Immediate Delivery Underwritten Securities to the Representative for the
       account of each Underwriter against payment to or upon the order of the
       Company of the purchase price by wire transfer of immediately available
       funds settled through the New York Clearing House or such other





                                      -6-
<PAGE>   7
       Clearing House as is named in Schedule I. Time shall be of the essence,
       and delivery at the time and place specified pursuant to this Agreement
       is a further condition of the obligation of each Underwriter hereunder.
       Upon delivery, the Immediate Delivery Underwritten Securities shall be
       in such form or forms and in such denominations as may be set forth in
       Schedule I. Immediate Delivery Underwritten Securities in registered
       form shall be in such authorized denominations and registered in such
       names as the Representative shall request in writing not less than two
       full business days prior to the Delivery Date. For the purpose of
       expediting the checking and packaging of the Immediate Delivery
       Underwritten Securities, the Company shall make the Immediate Delivery
       Underwritten Securities available for inspection by the Representative
       in New York, New York not later than 2:00 P.M., local time, on the
       business day prior to the Delivery Date.  For purposes of Rule 15c6-1
       under the Exchange Act, the Delivery Date (if later than the otherwise
       applicable settlement date) shall be the date for payment of funds and
       delivery of securities for all the Immediate Delivery Underwritten
       Securities sold pursuant to the offering, other than Delayed Delivery
       Underwritten Securities for which payment of funds and delivery of
       securities shall be as hereinafter provided.

8.            The Company agrees with the several Underwriters:

              (a)  The Company will furnish promptly to the Representative and
       to counsel for the Underwriters signed copies of the Registration
       Statement as originally filed and each amendment and supplement thereto
       filed prior to the date hereof and relating to or covering the
       Underwritten Securities, and a copy of the Prospectus filed with the
       Commission, including all documents incorporated therein by reference
       and all consents and exhibits filed therewith;

              (b)  The Company will deliver promptly to the Representative such
       reasonable number of the following documents as the Representative may
       request:  (i) conformed copies of the Registration Statement (excluding
       exhibits other than the computation of the ratio of earnings to fixed
       charges, the Indenture and this Agreement), (ii) the Prospectus and
       (iii) any documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus;

              (c)  During any period when a Prospectus relating to the
       Underwritten Securities is required by law to be delivered, the Company
       will not file any amendment of the Registration Statement nor will the
       Company file any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus (except for
       (i) an amendment or supplement consisting solely of the filing of a
       document under the Exchange Act or (ii) a supplement relating to an
       offering of securities other than the Underwritten Securities), unless
       the Company has furnished you a copy of such proposed amendment or
       supplement for your review prior to filing and will not file any such





                                      -7-
<PAGE>   8
       proposed amendment or supplement to which you reasonably object. Subject
       to the foregoing sentence, the Company will cause the Prospectus and any
       amendment or supplement thereto to be filed with the SEC as required
       pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act. The Company will promptly
       advise you (i) when the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement
       thereto shall have been filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424 under
       the Securities act, (ii) when any amendment of the Registration
       Statement shall have become effective, (iii) of any request  by the SEC
       for any amendment of the Registration Statement or amendment of or
       supplement to the Prospectus or for any additional information, (iv) of
       the issuance by the SEC of any stop order suspending the effectiveness
       of the Registration Statement or the institution or threatening of any
       proceeding for that purpose and (v) of the receipt by the Company of any
       notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the
       Underwritten Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation
       or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose. The Company will
       promptly (upon filing thereof) furnish you a copy of any amendment or
       supplement to the Prospectus or Registration Statement not furnished to
       the Representative for prior review pursuant to exception (i) or (ii) of
       the first sentence of this paragraph 8(c). The Company will use its best
       efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order and, if issued,
       to obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof;

              (d)  If, at any time when a prospectus relating to the
       Underwritten Securities is required to be delivered under the Securities
       Act, any event occurs as a result of which the Registration Statement,
       as then amended, or the Prospectus, as then supplemented, would include
       any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material
       fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the
       circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or if it shall
       be necessary to amend the Registration Statement or to supplement the
       Prospectus to comply with the Securities Act or the Exchange Act or the
       respective rules thereunder, the Company promptly will (i) notify you of
       the happening of such event, (ii) prepare and file with the SEC, subject
       to the first sentence of paragraph (c) of this Section 8, an amendment
       or supplement which will correct such statement or omission or an
       amendment or supplement which will effect such compliance and (iii) will
       supply any such amended or supplemented Prospectus to you in such
       quantities as the Representative may reasonably request;

              (e)  As soon as practicable, the Company will make generally
       available to its security holders and to the Representative an earnings
       statement or statements of the Company which will satisfy the provisions
       of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 under the Securities
       Act;

              (f)  During a period of five years after the date hereof, the
       Company will furnish to the Representative copies of all reports and
       financial statements furnished by the Company to each securities
       exchange on which securities issued by the





                                      -8-
<PAGE>   9
       Company may be listed pursuant to requirements of or agreements with
       such exchange or to the Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act or any
       rule or regulation of the Commission thereunder;

              (g)  The Company will endeavor to qualify the Underwritten
       Securities for sale under the laws of such jurisdiction as you may
       designate and will maintain such qualifications in effect so long as
       required for the distribution of the Underwritten Securities, provided
       that in connection therewith the Company shall not be required to
       qualify as a foreign corporation or take any action which would subject
       it to general or unlimited service of process in any jurisdiction where
       it is not now so subject;

              (h)  The Company will pay the costs incident to the
       authorization, issuance and delivery of the Underwritten Securities and
       any taxes payable in that connection; the costs incident to the
       preparation, printing and filing under the Act of the Registration
       Statement and any amendments, supplements and exhibits thereto; the
       costs of distributing the Registration Statement as originally filed and
       each amendment and post-effective amendment thereof (including
       exhibits), any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and any documents
       incorporated by reference in any of the foregoing documents; the costs
       of producing this Agreement, the Delayed Delivery Contracts, if any, and
       the Indenture; fees paid to rating agencies in connection with the
       rating of the Securities, including the Underwritten Securities; the
       fees and expenses of qualifying the Underwritten Securities under the
       securities laws of the several jurisdictions as provided in this
       Paragraph and of preparing and printing a Blue Sky Memorandum and a
       memorandum concerning the legality of the Securities, including the
       Underwritten Securities, as an investment; and all other costs and
       expenses incident to the performance of the Company's obligations under
       this Agreement; provided that, except as provided in this Paragraph and
       in Paragraph 12 hereof, the Underwriters shall pay their own costs and
       expenses, including the fees and expenses of their counsel, any transfer
       taxes on the Underwritten Securities which they may sell and the
       expenses of advertising any offering of the Underwritten Securities made
       by the Underwriters; and

              (i)  Until the termination of the offering of the Underwritten
       Securities, to timely file all documents, and any amendments to
       previously filed documents, required to be filed by the Company pursuant
       to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act.

9.            (a)  The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless each
       Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within
       the meaning of the Act from and against any loss, claim, damage or
       liability, joint or several, and any action in respect thereof, to which
       that Underwriter or controlling person may





                                      -9-
<PAGE>   10
       become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such loss, claim,
       damage, liability or action arises out of, or is based upon, any untrue
       statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in
       any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the
       Prospectus, or arises out of, or is based upon, the omission or alleged
       omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein
       or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and shall
       reimburse each Underwriter and such controlling person for any legal and
       other expenses reasonably incurred by that Underwriter or controlling
       person in investigating or defending or preparing to defend against any
       such loss, claim, damage, liability or action as such expenses are
       incurred (but no more frequently than annually); provided, however, that
       the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any
       such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises out of, or is based
       upon, any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or
       alleged omission made in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration
       Statement or the Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with
       written information furnished to the Company through the Representative
       by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for use therein. The
       foregoing indemnity agreement is in addition to any liability which the
       Company may otherwise have to any Underwriter or controlling person.

              (b)  Each Underwriter shall indemnify and hold harmless the
       Company, each of their directors, each of their officers who signed the
       Registration Statement and any person who controls the Company, within
       the meaning of the Act from and against any loss, claim, damage or
       liability, joint or several, and any action in respect thereof, to which
       the Company, or any such director, officer or controlling person may
       become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such loss, claim,
       damage, liability or action arises out of, or is based upon, any untrue
       statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in
       any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the
       Prospectus, or arises out of, or is based upon, the omission or alleged
       omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein
       or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but in each
       case only to the extent that the untrue statement or alleged untrue
       statement or omission or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and
       in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company
       through the Representative by or on behalf of that Underwriter
       specifically for use therein, and shall reimburse the Company for any
       legal and other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company or any such
       director, officer or controlling person in investigating or defending or
       preparing to defend against any such loss, claim, damage, liability or
       action as such expenses are incurred (but no more frequently that
       annually). The foregoing indemnity agreement is in addition to any
       liability which any Underwriter may otherwise have to the Company or any
       of its directors, officers or controlling persons.





                                      -10-
<PAGE>   11
              (c)  Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this
       Paragraph 9 of notice of any claim or the commencement of any action,
       the indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made
       against the indemnifying party under this Paragraph 9, notify the
       indemnifying party in writing of the claim or the commencement of that
       action, provided that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall
       not relieve it from any liability which it may have to an indemnified
       party otherwise than under Paragraph 9(a) or 9(b). If any such claim or
       action shall be brought against an indemnified party, and it shall
       notify the indemnifying party thereof, the indemnifying party shall be
       entitled to participate therein, and, to the extent that it wishes,
       jointly with any other similarly notified indemnifying party, to assume
       the defense thereof with counsel satisfactory to the indemnified party.
       After notice from the indemnifying party to the indemnified party of its
       election to assume the defense of such claim or action, the indemnifying
       party shall not be liable to the indemnified party under this Paragraph
       9 for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by the
       indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof other than
       reasonable costs of investigation. If the indemnifying party shall not
       elect to assume the defense of such action, such indemnifying party will
       reimburse such indemnified party for the reasonable fees and expenses of
       any counsel retained by them. In the event that the parties to any such
       action (including impleaded parties) include both the Company and one or
       more Underwriters and either (i) the indemnifying party or parties and
       indemnified party or parties mutually agree or (ii) representation of
       both the indemnifying party or parties and the indemnified party or
       parties by the same counsel is inappropriate under applicable standards
       of professional conduct or in the opinion of such counsel due to actual
       or potential differing interests between them, then the indemnifying
       party shall not have the right to assume the defense of such action on
       behalf of such indemnified party and will reimburse such indemnified
       party for the reasonable fees and expenses of any counsel retained by
       them and satisfactory to the indemnifying party, it being understood
       that the indemnifying party shall not, 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, be liable
       for the reasonable fees and expenses of more than one separate firm of
       attorneys for all such indemnified parties, which firm shall be
       designated in writing by the Representative in the case of an action in
       which one or more Underwriters or controlling persons are indemnified
       parties and by the Company in the case of an action in which the Company
       or any of its directors, officers or controlling persons are indemnified
       parties.  The indemnifying party or parties shall not be liable under
       this Agreement with respect to any settlement made by any indemnified
       party or parties without prior written consent by the indemnifying party
       or parties to such settlement.

              (d)  If the indemnification provided for in this Paragraph 9
       shall for any reason be unavailable to an indemnified party under
       Paragraph 9(a) or 9(b) hereof





                                      -11-
<PAGE>   12
       in respect of any loss, claim, damage, liability or any action in
       respect thereof, referred to therein, then each indemnifying party
       shall, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, contribute to the
       amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such
       loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, in such
       proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits by the
       Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, from
       the offering of the Underwritten Securities. If, however, this
       allocation is not permitted by applicable law, then each indemnifying
       party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified
       party as a result of such loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in
       respect thereof, in such proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect
       the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the
       Underwriters, on the other hand, from the offering of the Underwritten
       Securities and the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and
       the Underwriters, on the other hand, with respect to the statements or
       omissions which resulted in such loss, claim, damage or liability, or
       action in respect thereof, as well as any other relevant equitable
       considerations.  The relative benefits received by the Company, on the
       one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, with respect to such
       offering shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net
       proceeds from the offering of the Underwritten Securities (before
       deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total
       underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters with
       respect to such offering.  The relative fault shall be determined by
       reference to whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a
       material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact
       relates to information supplied by the Company or the Underwriters, the
       intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to
       information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or
       omission.  The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a
       result of the loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect
       thereof, referred to above in this Paragraph 9(d) shall be deemed to
       include, for purposes of this Paragraph 9(d), any legal or other
       expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection
       with investigating or defending any such action or claim.
       Notwithstanding the provisions of this Paragraph 9(d), no Underwriter
       shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by
       which the total price at which the Underwritten Securities underwritten
       by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds
       the amount of any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise paid or
       become liable to pay by reason of any untrue or alleged untrue statement
       or omission or alleged omission.  No person guilty of fraudulent
       misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall
       be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such
       fraudulent misrepresentation.  The Underwriters' obligations to
       contribute as provided in this Paragraph 9(d) are several in proportion
       to their respective underwriting obligations and not joint.





                                      -12-
<PAGE>   13
              (e)  The agreements contained in this Paragraph 9 and the
       representations, warranties and agreements of the Company in Paragraph 1
       and Paragraph 8 hereof shall survive the delivery of the Underwritten
       Securities and shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any
       termination or cancellation of this Agreement or any investigation made
       by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

10.           The obligations of the Underwriters under this Agreement may be
       terminated by the Representative, in its absolute discretion, by notice
       given to and received by the Company prior to the delivery of and
       payment for the Immediate Delivery Underwritten Securities, if, during
       the period beginning on the date hereof to and including the Delivery
       Date, (a) trading in securities generally on the New York Stock
       Exchange, Inc. is suspended or materially limited, or (b) a banking
       moratorium is declared by either Federal or New York State authorities,
       or (c) there shall have occurred any outbreak or material escalation of
       hostilities or other calamity or crisis or the declaration by the United
       States of war or a national emergency the effect of which on the
       financial markets of the United States is material and adverse and is
       such as to make it, in the reasonable judgment of the Representative,
       impracticable or inadvisable to market such Underwritten Securities on
       the terms and in the manner contemplated by the Prospectus, or (d) the
       Company shall have received notice that any rating of any of the
       Company's unsecured senior debt securities shall have been lowered by
       any nationally recognized statistical rating organization (as defined in
       Rule 15c3-1 under the Exchange Act) or any such organization has
       publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, with
       possible negative implications, the ratings of any of the Company's
       unsecured senior debt securities, or (e) there shall have occurred any
       change, or any development involving a prospective change, in or
       affecting particularly the business or properties of the Company or its
       subsidiaries which, in the Representative's reasonable judgment,
       materially impairs the investment quality of the Underwritten
       Securities.

11.           The respective obligations of the Underwriters under the
       Agreement with respect to the Underwritten Securities are subject to the
       accuracy, on the date hereof and on the Delivery Date, of the
       representations and warranties of the Company contained herein, to
       performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder, and to each of
       the following additional terms and conditions applicable to the
       Underwritten Securities:

              (a)  At or before the Delivery Date, no stop order suspending the
       effectiveness of the Registration Statement nor any order directed to
       any document incorporated by reference in the Prospectus shall have been
       issued and prior to that time no stop order proceeding shall have been
       initiated or threatened by the Commission and no challenge shall have
       been made by the Commission or its staff as to the accuracy or adequacy
       of any document incorporated by reference in the





                                      -13-
<PAGE>   14
       Prospectus; any request of the Commission for inclusion of additional
       information in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or otherwise
       shall have been complied with; and after the date hereof the Company
       shall not have filed with the Commission any amendment or supplement to
       the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (or any document
       incorporated by reference therein) that shall have been disapproved by
       the Representative.

              (b)  No Underwriter shall have discovered and disclosed to the
       Company on or prior to the Delivery Date that the Registration Statement
       or the Prospectus contains an untrue statement of a fact which is
       material or omits to state a fact which is material and is required to
       be stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein not
       misleading.

              (c)  All corporate proceedings and other legal matters incident
       to the authorization, form and validity of this Agreement, the
       Underwritten Securities and the Indenture and the form of the
       Registration Statement, the Prospectus (other than financial statements
       and other financial data) and all other legal matters relating to this
       Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be satisfactory
       in all respects to Sullivan & Cromwell, counsel for the Underwriters,
       and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel all documents and
       information that they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon
       such matters.

              (d)  The Vice President and Counsel to the Company shall have
       furnished to the Representative his opinion addressed to the
       Underwriters and dated the Delivery Date, as counsel, 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 Missouri, with full corporate power and authority
              to own its properties and conduct its business as described in
              the Prospectus, and is duly qualified to do business as a foreign
              corporation and is in good standing under the laws of each
              jurisdiction which requires such qualification wherein it owns or
              leases properties or conducts business, except where the failure
              to so qualify would not have a material adverse effect on the
              Company;

                        (ii)  the Indenture has been duly authorized, executed
              and delivered, has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture
              Act, and constitutes a legal, valid and binding instrument
              enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms
              (subject, as to enforcement of remedies, to applicable
              bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization,
              moratorium or other similar laws of general





                                      -14-
<PAGE>   15
              applicability relating to or affecting creditors' rights
              generally from time to time in effect and to general principles
              of equity);

                        (iii)  to the best knowledge of such counsel, there is
              no pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding before any
              court or governmental agency, authority, body or any arbitrator
              involving the Company of a character required to be disclosed in
              the Registration Statement which is not adequately disclosed in
              the Prospectus, and there is no franchise, contract or other
              document of a character required to be described in the
              Registration Statement or Prospectus, or to be filed as an
              exhibit, which is not described or filed as required; and the
              statements included or incorporated by reference in the
              Prospectus describing any legal proceedings or material contracts
              or agreements relating to the Company fairly summarize such
              matters; and the Underwritten Securities, the Indenture and any
              Delayed Delivery Contracts conform to the descriptions thereof
              contained under the following (or comparable) captions of the
              Prospectus:  "Description of Debt Securities" and "Plan of
              Distribution";

                        (iv)  the Immediate Delivery Underwritten Securities
              have been duly authorized, executed, authenticated, issued and
              delivered and are valid and legally binding obligations of the
              Company entitled to the benefits of the Indenture;

                        (v)  the Delayed Delivery Underwritten Securities, if
              any, have been duly authorized and, when executed, authenticated,
              issued and delivered to, and paid for by, the respective
              purchasers thereof in accordance with the Indenture and the
              related Delayed Delivery Contracts, will be valid and legally
              binding obligations of the Company entitled to the benefits of
              the Indenture;

                        (vi)  the Registration Statement and any amendments
              thereto have become effective under the Securities Act; to the
              best knowledge of such counsel, no stop order suspending the
              effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued, no
              proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or threatened,
              and the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and each amendment
              thereof or supplement thereto as of their respective effective or
              issue dates (other than the financial statements and other
              financial and statistical information contained therein as to
              which such counsel need express no opinion) complied as to form
              in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the
              Securities Act, the Exchange Act and the Trust Indenture Act and
              the respective rules and regulations thereunder; and such counsel
              has no





                                      -15-
<PAGE>   16
              reason to believe that the Registration Statement, or any
              amendment thereof, at the time it became effective or at the date
              of this Agreement or at the Delivery Date, contained any untrue
              statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material
              fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
              statements therein not misleading or that the Prospectus, at the
              date of this Agreement or at the Delivery Date, included any
              untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a
              material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the
              light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
              misleading;

                        (vii)  this Agreement and the Delayed Delivery
              Contracts, if any, have been duly authorized, executed and
              delivered by the Company;

                        (viii)  no order, consent, approval, authorization,
              registration or qualification of or with any governmental agency
              or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its
              properties is required for the issue and sale of the Underwritten
              Securities or the consummation by the Company of the transactions
              contemplated by this Agreement or the Indenture, except such as
              have been obtained under the Securities Act and the Trust
              Indenture Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations,
              registrations or qualifications as may be required under state
              securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the sale and
              distribution of the Underwritten Securities; and

                        (ix)   neither the execution and delivery of the
              Indenture, this Agreement or any Delayed Delivery Contracts, the
              issue and sale of the Underwritten Securities, nor the
              consummation of any other of the transactions herein or therein
              contemplated nor the fulfillment of the terms hereof or thereof
              will conflict with, result in a breach of, or constitute a
              default under, the charter or by-laws of the Company or the terms
              of any indenture or other agreement or instrument known to such
              counsel and to which the Company is a party or by which the
              Company or any of its assets is bound, or any order or regulation
              known to such counsel to be applicable to the Company of any
              court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body
              or arbitrator having jurisdiction over the Company.

In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely, as to the execution of the
Indenture by the Trustee, upon a certificate of the Trustee setting forth the
facts as to such execution.

In rendering such opinion, such counsel may also rely (A) as to matters
involving the application of laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of
Missouri upon the opinion





                                      -16-
<PAGE>   17
of other counsel of good standing believed to be reliable, provided that such
counsel states in such opinion that such counsel and the Representative are
justified in relying upon the opinion of such other counsel,  and (B) as to
matters of fact, to the extent deemed proper, on certificates of responsible
officers of the Company and public officials.

In rendering such opinion with respect to clause (viii) above, insofar as it
relates to regulatory authorities in the states in which the Company operates,
such counsel may rely on the opinions of local counsel satisfactory to such
counsel.

              (e)  The Representative shall have received from Sullivan &
       Cromwell, counsel for the Underwriters, such opinion or opinions, dated
       the date hereof, with respect to the issuance and sale of the
       Underwritten Securities, the Indenture, the Registration Statement, the
       Prospectus and other related matters as the Representative may
       reasonably require, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel
       such documents as they request for the purpose of enabling them to pass
       upon such matters.

              (f)  The Company shall have furnished to the Representative a
       certificate signed by its Chairman of the Board or its President or a
       Vice President and its Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer stating that
       after reasonable investigation and to the best of their knowledge:

                        (i)  the representations and warranties of the Company
              in this Agreement are true and correct in all material respects
              on and as of the Delivery Date with the same effect as if made on
              the Delivery Date; the Company has complied with all the
              agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be
              performed or satisfied as a condition to the obligation of the
              Underwriters to purchase the Underwritten Securities hereunder;
              and the conditions set forth in Paragraphs 11(a) and 11(h) have
              been fulfilled;

                        (ii)  as of the date of the Prospectus, the
              Registration Statement and the Prospectus did not include any
              untrue statement of a material fact and did not omit to state a
              material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
              the statements therein not misleading; and

                        (iii)  since the date of the most recent financial
              statements included or incorporated by reference in the
              Prospectus, there has been no material adverse change in the
              condition (financial or other), earnings, business or properties
              of the Company and its subsidiaries,





                                      -17-
<PAGE>   18
              whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course
              of business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the
              Prospectus.

              (g)  The Company shall have furnished to the Representative (i) a
       letter of Ernst & Young LLP, addressed to the Board of Directors of the
       Company and the Underwriters and dated the later of the effective date
       of the Registration Statement or the date of the filing of the Company's
       latest Annual Report on Form 10-K, of the type described in the American
       Institute of Certified Public Accountants' Statement on Auditing
       Standards No. 72 and covering such financial statement items as counsel
       for the Underwriters may reasonably have requested; (ii) a letter of
       Ernst & Young LLP, addressed to the Underwriters and dated the Delivery
       Date, stating, as of the date of such letter (or, with respect to
       matters involving changes or developments since the respective dates as
       of which specified financial information is given in the Prospectus, as
       of a date not more than five days prior to the date of such letter), the
       conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to the financial
       information and other matters covered by its letter referred to in
       subclause (i) above and confirming in all material respects the
       conclusions and findings set forth in such prior letter; and (iii) a
       letter, dated the Delivery Date, of any other accountants that have
       audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in
       the Registration Statement and Prospectus, addressed to the
       Underwriters, of the type described in SAS 72 and covering such
       financial statement items as the Underwriters may reasonably request.

              (h)  No order, consent, approval, authorization, registration or
       qualification of or with any governmental agency or body having
       jurisdiction over the Company or any of its properties is required for
       the issue and sale of the Underwritten Securities or the consummation by
       the Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the
       Indenture, except such as have been, or will have been prior to the
       Delivery Date, obtained under the Act and the Trust Indenture Act and
       such consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or
       qualifications as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky
       laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the
       Underwritten Securities by the Underwriters.

       All opinions, letters, evidence and certificates mentioned above or
elsewhere in this Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance with the
provisions hereof only if they are in form and substance satisfactory to the
Representative.

12.           If the Company shall fail to tender the Immediate Delivery
       Underwritten Securities for delivery to the Underwriters for any reason
       permitted under this Agreement, or if the Underwriters shall decline to
       purchase the Immediate Delivery Underwritten Securities for any reason
       permitted under this Agreement (other than pursuant to Paragraph 6 or
       Paragraphs 10(a) - (d) hereof), the Company shall reimburse the
       Underwriters for the reasonable fees and expenses of their counsel





                                      -18-
<PAGE>   19
       and for such other out-of-pocket expenses as shall have been incurred by
       them in connection with this Agreement and the proposed purchase of
       Immediate Delivery Underwritten Securities and the solicitation of any
       purchases of the Delayed Delivery Underwritten Securities, and upon
       demand the Company shall pay the full amount thereof to the
       Representative.  If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Paragraph 6
       hereof by reason of the default of one or more Underwriters or pursuant
       to Paragraphs 10(a) - (d) hereof, the Company shall not be obligated to
       reimburse any Underwriter on account of those expenses.

13.           The Company shall be entitled to act and rely upon any request,
       consent, notice or agreement by, or on behalf of, the Representative.
       Any notice by the Company to the Underwriters shall be sufficient if
       given in writing or by facsimile transmission confirmed promptly in
       writing addressed to the Representative at its address set forth in
       Schedule I hereto, and any notice by the Underwriters to the Company
       shall be sufficient if given in writing or by facsimile transmission
       confirmed promptly in writing addressed to the Company at 175 E. Houston
       St., 7th Floor, San Antonio, Texas 78205, Telecopy Number:  (210)
       351-3849, Attention of the Treasurer, with a copy to the Corporate/SEC
       Attorney, 175 E. Houston St., 7th Floor, San Antonio, Texas 78205,
       Telecopy Number: (210) 351-3467.

14.           This Agreement shall be binding upon the Underwriters, the
       Company and their respective successors.  This Agreement and the terms
       and provisions hereof are for the sole benefit of only those persons,
       except that (a) the representations, warranties, indemnities and
       agreements of the Company contained in this Agreement shall also be
       deemed to be for the benefit of the person or persons, if any, who
       control any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act and
       (b) the indemnity agreement of the Underwriters contained in Paragraph 9
       hereof shall be deemed to be for the benefit of directors of the
       Company, officers of the Company who have signed the Registration
       Statement and any person controlling the Company.  Nothing in this
       Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, other
       than the persons referred to in this Paragraph 14, any legal or
       equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement
       or any provision contained herein.

15.           For purposes of this Agreement, "business day" means any day on
       which the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. is open for trading.

16.           This Agreement may be executed by the parties hereto in any
       number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original,
       but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same
       instrument.

17.           THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE
       WITH THE LAW OF NEW YORK.





                                      -19-
<PAGE>   20
       If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our
agreement, please sign and return to us the enclosed duplicate hereof,
whereupon this Agreement shall represent a binding agreement between the
Company and the several Underwriters.

                                       Very truly yours,

                                       SOUTHWESTERN BELL TELEPHONE COMPANY


                                       By: /s/ Donald E. Kiernan
                                           -------------------------------------
                                               Donald E. Kiernan
                                               Vice President





                                      -20-
<PAGE>   21
                                       The foregoing Agreement is hereby
                                       confirmed and accepted as of the date
                                       first above written.



                                       Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
                                       Incorporated



                                       /s/ Patricia McGowan
                                       -----------------------------------------
                                       Name:  Patricia McGowan
                                       Title: Authorized Signature




                                       For itself and as Representative of the
                                       several Underwriters named in Schedule II
                                       to the foregoing Agreement.





                                      -21-
<PAGE>   22
                                   SCHEDULE I


Underwriting Agreement dated March 5, 1998

Registration Statement No. 333-37515

Representative and Address:

                        Merrill Lynch & Co.,
                        Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
                        250 Vesey Street
                        World Financial Center, North Tower
                        10th Floor
                        New York, New York 10281

Underwritten Securities:

       Indenture, dated as of February 1, 1985, as supplemented by the First
       Supplemental Indenture, dated as of June 1, 1991, from Southwestern Bell
       Telephone Company to The Bank of New York, as Trustee (together, the
       "Indenture")

       As used in this Underwriting Agreement, references to "Underwritten
       Securities" shall be deemed to be references to the 6 7/8% Debentures
       (as hereinafter defined), which constitute a series of Securities under
       the Indenture.


Designation:                      6 7/8% Debentures due March 31, 2048
                                  ("6 7/8% Debentures")

Principal Amount:                 $200,000,000

Date of Maturity:                 March 31, 2048 (subject to possible shortening
                                  of the maturity date, as set forth in the
                                  Prospectus Supplement)

Interest Rate:                    6 7/8% per annum, payable quarterly on each
                                  March 31, June 30, September 30 and December
                                  31, commencing June 30, 1998, to holders of
                                  record at the close of business on the
                                  preceding March 15, June 15, September 15 or
                                  December 15
<PAGE>   23
Purchase Price:                   96.85% of the aggregate principal amount for
                                  retail sales, and 98% of the aggregate
                                  principal amount for institutional sales,
                                  plus, in each case, accrued interest, if any,
                                  from March 10, 1998 to the date of delivery

Redemption Provisions:            The 6 7/8% Debentures are not redeemable prior
                                  to March 31, 2003, except as set forth below.
                                  On or after March 31, 2003 and prior to
                                  maturity, the Company, at its option, may
                                  redeem all or from time to time any part of
                                  the 6 7/8% Debentures upon not less than 30
                                  days but not more than 60 days' notice at a
                                  redemption price equal to 100% of the
                                  principal amount redeemed, plus accrued and
                                  unpaid interest to the date of redemption (the
                                  "Redemption Price"). Additionally, upon the
                                  occurrence of a Tax Event (as defined in the
                                  Prospectus Supplement), the Company may redeem
                                  the 6 7/8% Debentures in whole at the
                                  Redemption Price, as described in the
                                  Prospectus Supplement

Form and Authorized
 Denominations:                   The 6 7/8% Debentures will be issued only in
                                  registered, book-entry form in denominations
                                  of $25 and integral multiples thereof. The 6
                                  7/8% Debentures will be represented by a
                                  global security or securities deposited with,
                                  or on behalf of, The Depository Trust Company,
                                  and registered in the name of Cede & Co., as
                                  nominee for The Depository Trust Company

Delivery Date, Time
and Location:                     10:00 a.m. (New York time) on March 10, 1998,
                                  at the offices of Sullivan & Cromwell, 125
                                  Broad Street, New York, New York 10004

Specified Funds for
Payment of Purchase Price:        Immediately available funds

The Delayed Delivery
Contracts shall have
the following terms:              There are no Delayed Delivery Contracts




                                      -2-
<PAGE>   24
                                  SCHEDULE II


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
               Underwriter                                                   Principal Amount
               -----------                                                   ----------------
 <S>                                                                         <C>
 Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated  . . . . . . . . . .     $ 21,250,000

 Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       20,625,000

 A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       20,625,000

 Goldman, Sachs & Co.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       20,625,000

 Edward D. Jones & Co., L.P. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       20,625,000

 PaineWebber Incorporated  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       20,625,000

 Prudential Securities Incorporated  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       20,625,000

 Stephens Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        2,000,000

 Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        2,000,000

 CIBC Oppenheimer Corp.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        2,000,000

 Cowen & Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        2,000,000

 Dain Rauscher Incorporated  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        2,000,000

 Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corporation . . . . . . . . . .        2,000,000

 EVEREN Securities, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        2,000,000

 Legg Mason Wood Walker, Incorporated  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        2,000,000

 Piper Jaffray Inc.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        2,000,000

 Raymond James & Associates, Inc.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        2,000,000

 The Robinson-Humphrey Company, LLC  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        2,000,000

 Tucker Anthony Incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        2,000,000

 US Clearing Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        2,000,000

 Wheat First Securities, Inc.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        2,000,000

 Advest, Inc.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        1,000,000

 Blaylock & Partners, L.P. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        1,000,000

 J.C. Bradford & Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        1,000,000

 Craigie Incorporated  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        1,000,000

 Fahnestock & Co. Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        1,000,000

 Fidelity Securities & Investment Co. Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        1,000,000

 First Albany Corporation  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        1,000,000
</TABLE>
<PAGE>   25
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
               Underwriter                                                   Principal Amount
               -----------                                                   ----------------
 <S>                                                                         <C>
 First of Michigan Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        1,000,000

 Gibraltar Securities Co.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        1,000,000

 Gruntal & Co., L.L.C. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        1,000,000

 Interstate/Johnson Lane Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        1,000,000

 Janney Montgomery Scott Inc.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        1,000,000

 Josephthal & Co. Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        1,000,000

 Kennedy, Cabot & Co.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        1,000,000

 McDonald & Company Securities, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        1,000,000

 McGinn, Smith & Co., Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        1,000,000

 Mesirow Financial, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        1,000,000

 Morgan Keegan & Company, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        1,000,000

 The Ohio Company  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        1,000,000

 Olde & Co., Incorporated  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        1,000,000

 Pryor, McClendon, Counts & Co., Inc.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        1,000,000

 Roney & Co., LLC  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        1,000,000

 Scott & Stringfellow, Inc.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        1,000,000

 Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        1,000,000

 Stone & Youngberg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        1,000,000

 Trilon International Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        1,000,000

 Utendahl Capital Partners, L.P. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        1,000,000
                                                                             ------------
        Total  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     $200,000,000
                                                                             ============


</TABLE>



                                      -2-
<PAGE>   26
                                   EXHIBIT A

                      SOUTHWESTERN BELL TELEPHONE COMPANY

                           DELAYED DELIVERY CONTRACT


                                          , 199


Southwestern Bell Telephone Company
175 E. Houston
San Antonio, Texas 78205


Dear Sirs:

              The undersigned hereby agrees to purchase from Southwestern Bell
Telephone Company, a Missouri corporation (the "Company"), and the Company
hereby agrees to sell to the undersigned, $__________ principal amount of the
Company's above-captioned securities ("Securities"), offered by the Company's
prospectus dated                       , 199 , as supplemented by the
prospectus supplement dated                      , 199  (collectively, the
"Prospectus"), receipt of a copy of which is hereby acknowledged, at a purchase
price of     % of the principal amount thereof plus accrued interest from
, 199  to the Delivery Date (as defined in the next paragraph) and on the
further terms and conditions set forth in this Contract.

              Payment for and delivery of the Securities to be purchased by the
undersigned shall be made on         , 199  , herein called the "Delivery Date."

              At 10:00 A.M., New York time, on the Delivery Date, the
Securities to be purchased by the undersigned hereunder will be delivered by
the Company to the undersigned, and the undersigned will accept delivery of
such Securities and will make payment to the Company of the purchase price
therefor at the office of The Bank of New York.  Payment will be by certified
or official bank check payable in next-day funds settled through the New York
Clearing House, or such other Clearing House as the Company may designate, to
or upon the order of the Company.  The Securities will be delivered in such
authorized forms and denominations and registered in such names as the
undersigned may designate by written or telegraphic communication addressed to
the Company not less than two full business days prior to the Delivery Date or,
if the undersigned fails to make a timely designation in the foregoing manner,
in the form of one definitive fully registered certificate representing the
Securities in the above principal amount, registered in the name of the
undersigned.
<PAGE>   27
              If any of the Securities are to be delivered to the undersigned
in bearer form, (i) the undersigned hereby represents that it is not a U.S.
person (or if it is a U.S. person it is a qualified financial institution) and
agrees that it will not offer to sell such Securities, directly or indirectly,
to any U.S. person other than a qualified financial institution and (ii) if the
undersigned is a dealer, that the undersigned also (A) represents that it has
not offered or sold and agrees that it will not offer, sell, or deliver any
such Securities within the United States or, directly or indirectly, to any
U.S. person other than a qualified financial institution and is not purchasing
any of such Securities for the account of any such U.S. person and (B) will
deliver to all purchasers of such Securities from it a written confirmation,
containing a statement to the effect set forth in clauses (i) and (ii) above.
As used herein, "United States" means the United States of America (including
the States and the District of Columbia), its territories, its possessions and
all other areas subject to its jurisdiction; "U.S. person" means a citizen or
resident of the United States, a corporation, partnership or other entity
created or organized in or under the laws of the United States or a political
subdivision thereof, or an estate or trust the income of which is subject to
United States Federal income taxation regardless of its source; and "qualified
financial institution" means a financial institution (as defined in Section
1.165-12(c)(1)(v) of the Treasury Department regulations) that provides a
written statement that it will comply with Section 165(j)(3)(A), (B), or (C) of
the Code and the regulations thereunder.  Delivery of Securities in bearer form
shall be made only upon receipt of a certificate manually signed by the
undersigned, containing substantially the following:

              "This is to certify that as of the date hereof (the date of
       delivery of the Securities in bearer form), the above-captioned
       Securities which are to  be delivered to the undersigned in bearer form
       are not being acquired by or on behalf of a U.S. person, or for offer to
       resell or for resale to a U.S. person or, if any beneficial owner of the
       Securities is a U.S. person, such U.S. person is a financial institution
       (as defined in Treasury Department Regulations Section
       1.165-12(c)(1)(v)) or acquiring through a financial institution and that
       the Securities are held by a financial institution that has agreed to
       comply with the requirements of Section 165(j)(3)(A), (B), or (C) of the
       Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and the regulations thereunder.  If the
       undersigned is a clearing organization, the undersigned represents that
       the certificate is based on statements provided to it by its member
       organizations.  As used herein, "United States" means the United States
       of America (including the States and the District of Columbia), its
       territories, its possessions and all other areas subject to its
       jurisdiction; "U.S. person" means a citizen or resident of the United
       States, a corporation, partnership or other entity created or organized
       in or under the laws of the United States or a political subdivision
       thereof, or an estate or trust the income of which is subject to United
       States Federal income taxation regardless of its source; and a "clearing
       organization" means an entity which is in the business of holding
       obligations for member organizations and transferring obligations among
       such members by credit or





                                      -2-
<PAGE>   28
       debit to the account of a member without the necessity of physical
       delivery of the obligation.  If the undersigned is a dealer, the
       undersigned agrees to obtain a similar certificate from each person
       entitled to delivery of any of the above-captioned Securities in bearer
       form purchased from it.  However, if the undersigned has actual
       knowledge that the information contained in such certificate is false,
       the undersigned will not deliver a Security in temporary or definitive
       bearer form to the person who signed such certificate notwithstanding
       the delivery of such certificate to the undersigned.  The undersigned
       will be deemed to have actual knowledge that the beneficial owner is a
       U.S. person for this purpose if the undersigned has a U.S.  address for
       the beneficial owner of the Security."

              This Contract will terminate and be of no further force and
effect after                            , unless (i) on or before such date it
shall have been executed and delivered by both parties hereto and (ii) the
Company shall have sold to the Underwriters named in the Prospectus the
Immediate Delivery Underwritten Securities (as defined in the Underwriting
Agreement referred to in the Prospectus).  The Company will mail or deliver to
the undersigned at its address set forth below a notice to that effect, stating
the date of the occurrence thereof, accompanied by copies of the opinion of
counsel for the Company delivered to such Underwriters pursuant to Paragraph
11(d) of the Underwriting Agreement.

              The obligation of the undersigned to accept delivery of and make
payment for the Securities on the Delivery Date will be subject to the
condition that the Securities shall not, on the Delivery Date, be an investment
prohibited by the laws of the jurisdiction to which the undersigned is subject,
the undersigned hereby representing that such an investment is not so
prohibited on the date hereof.

              This Contract will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon
the parties hereto and their respective successors but will not be assignable
by either party hereto without the written consent of the other.

              This Contract may be executed by any of the parties hereto in any
number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but
all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument.

              It is understood that acceptance of any Delayed Delivery Contract
(as defined in said Underwriting Agreement) is in the Company's sole discretion
and, without limiting the foregoing, need not be on a first-come, first- served
basis.  If this Contract is acceptable to the Company, it is requested that the
Company sign the form of acceptance





                                      -3-
<PAGE>   29
below and mail or deliver one of the counterparts hereof to the undersigned at
its address set forth below.  This will become a binding contract between the
Company and the undersigned when such counterpart is so mailed or delivered.

                                       Very truly yours,


                                       By
                                          --------------------------------------

                                       
                                       -----------------------------------------
                                       Title

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

                                       
                                       -----------------------------------------
                                       Address


Accepted as of              , 199

SOUTHWESTERN BELL TELEPHONE COMPANY



By
   --------------------------------
   Title:




                                      -4-

<PAGE>   1
                                                                    EXHIBIT 4-a



                       SOUTHWESTERN BELL TELEPHONE COMPANY

                              OFFICERS' CERTIFICATE

                      6 7/8% Debentures due March 31, 2048

                       Pursuant to Section 2.02(a) of the
                           Indenture Identified Below

                  The undersigned, Donald E. Kiernan, Vice President of
Southwestern Bell Telephone Company (the "Telephone Company"), and Roger W.
Wohlert, Treasurer of the Telephone Company, acting pursuant to an authorization
contained in certain resolutions duly adopted by the Board of Directors of the
Telephone Company on October 2, 1997, do hereby determine and establish the
following terms for a series (the "Series") of the Telephone Company's debt
securities (the "Securities") to be issued under an Indenture, dated as of
February 1, 1985, as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture, dated as
of June 1, 1991 (together, the "Indenture"), from the Telephone Company to The
Bank of New York, as Trustee (terms defined in the Indenture shall have the
meanings as so defined when used herein, unless otherwise defined herein):

<TABLE>
<S>                                                <C>                       
(1)    Title of Securities                         6 7/8% Debentures due March 31,
       of the Series:                              2048


(2)    Limit, if any, upon the aggregate
       principal amount of Securities of the
       Series which may be authenticated
       and delivered under the Indenture
       (except for Securities authenticated
       and delivered upon registration of
       transfer of, or in exchange for, or in
       lieu of, other Securities of the Series
       pursuant 
</TABLE>



<PAGE>   2
<TABLE>
<S>                                                    <C>                
       to Sections 2.08, 2.09, 2.12, 3.06              $200,000,000
       or 9.05 of the Indenture):                      

(3)    Date or dates on which the principal            March 31, 2048 (subject to
       of Securities of the Series is due and          adjustment as set forth in Schedule
       payable:                                        A hereto) ("Maturity Date").

(4)    With respect to interest on Securities 
       of the Series:

       (a)     The rate or rates at which              6 7/8% per annum on non-overdue
               Securities of the Series shall          principal and (to the extent that the
               bear interest:                          payment of such interest shall be
                                                       legally enforceable) on any
                                                       overdue principal and any overdue
                                                       installment of interest.
       (b)     The method of calculating
               such rate or rates of interest:         Not applicable.

       (c)     The date from which such                March 10, 1998, or from the most
               interest shall accrue:                  recent March 31, June 30,
                                                       September 30 or December 31 to
                                                       which interest has been paid or
                                                       duly provided for, until the
                                                       principal thereof is paid or made
                                                       available for payment.

       (d)     The dates on which such                 March 31, June 30, September 30
               interest shall be payable               or December 31, commencing
               ("Interest Payment Dates"):             June 30, 1998.

       (e)     Record dates for interest               The close of business on March
               payable on any interest                 15, June 15, September 15 or 
               payment date:                           December 15 (even if a Legal
                                                       Holiday), as the case may
                                                       be, next preceding an
                                                       Interest Payment Date
                                                       shall be the "Regular
                                                       Record Date" for the
                                                       interest payable on such
                                                       Interest Payment Date; a
                                                       special record date shall
                                                       be fixed for the payment
                                                       of defaulted interest in
                                                       accordance with Section
                                                       2.14 of the Indenture.
</TABLE>



                                      -2-
<PAGE>   3
<TABLE>
<S>                                                    <C>                
(5)    Place or places where the principal             At the office or agency of the
       of and interest on Securities of the            Telephone Company maintained
       Series shall be payable:                        for such purpose in the Borough of
                                                       Manhattan, The City of
                                                       New York, State of New
                                                       York, which at the date
                                                       hereof is the principal
                                                       corporate trust office of
                                                       the Trustee, and at any
                                                       other office or agency
                                                       maintained by the
                                                       Telephone Company for
                                                       such purpose, provided,
                                                       however, that at the
                                                       option of the Telephone
                                                       Company it may pay
                                                       interest by check or
                                                       draft mailed to the
                                                       Holder's address as it
                                                       appears on the register
                                                       for Securities of the
                                                       Series.

(6)    With respect to redemption, in whole 
       or in part, of Securities of the Series 
       at the option of the Telephone Company:
</TABLE>

       The Securities of the Series are not redeemable prior to March 31, 2003
       except as set forth below. On or after March 31, 2003 and prior to the
       Maturity Date, the Telephone Company, at its option, may redeem all or
       from time to time any part of the Securities of the Series upon not less
       than 30 days but not more than 60 days notice at a redemption price equal
       to 100% of the principal amount redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid
       interest to the date of redemption (the "Redemption Price")

       If a Tax Event (as defined in Schedule A hereto) occurs and, in the
       opinion of nationally recognized independent tax counsel, there would,
       notwithstanding any shortening of the Maturity (as defined in Schedule A
       hereto) of the Securities, be more than an insubstantial risk that
       interest paid by the Telephone Company on the Securities is not, or will
       not be, deductible, in whole or in part, by the Telephone Company for
       United States federal income tax purposes, the Telephone Company will
       have the right, within 90 days following the occurrence of such Tax
       Event, to redeem the Securities in whole (but not in part) on not less
       than 30 nor more than 60 days' notice mailed to holders of the Securities
       at the Redemption Price.

<TABLE>
<S>                                                    <C>                
(7)    With respect to the mandatory                                                      
       redemption or purchase of 
       Securities of the Series:
</TABLE>




                                      -3-
<PAGE>   4

<TABLE>
<S>                                                    <C>                
       (a)     Any provisions for a sinking
               fund or analogous provisions
               or for mandatory redemption
               upon the happening of a
               specified event or for
               redemption or purchase at the
               option of a Holder:                     Not applicable.

       (b)     The period or periods within
               which such redemptions or
               purchases must be made:                 Not applicable.

       (c)     The applicable price or prices
               at which such redemptions or
               purchases must be made:                 Not applicable.

       (d)     The terms and conditions of
               such redemptions or                     
               purchases:                              Not applicable.

(8)    Denominations in which Securities
       of the Series are issuable:                     $25 and integral multiples thereof.

(9)    If other than the principal amount
       thereof, the portion of the principal
       amount of Securities of the Series
       payable on declaration of
       acceleration pursuant to Section
       6.02 of the Indenture:                          Not applicable.

(10)   (a) Whether Securities of the Series 
       are issuable as Registered Securities, 
       Unregistered Securities (with or without
       Interest coupons), or any combination 
       thereof:                                        Registered Securities only.

       (b)     Any restrictions applicable to
               the offering or sale of
               Unregistered Securities:                Not applicable.

       (c)     Whether, and the terms upon
               which, Unregistered
               Securities 
</TABLE>



                                      -4-
<PAGE>   5

<TABLE>
<S>                                                    <C>                
               of the Series may be 
               exchanged for Registered
               Securities of the Series
               and vice versa:                         Not applicable.

(11)   With respect to the payment of
       additional amounts on Securities of
       the Series held by a person who is
       not a U.S. person in respect of taxes
       or similar charges withheld or
       deducted:

       (a)     Whether and under what
               circumstances such payments
               will be made:                           Not applicable.

       (b)     If such additional amounts are
               to be paid, whether the
               Telephone Company will
               have the option to redeem
               such Securities of the Series
               rather than pay such                    
               additional amounts:                     Not applicable.

(12)   Whether the Securities of the Series            The Securities of the Series will be
       are issuable in whole or in part in             represented by a Global Security
       the form of one or more Global                  or Securities to be deposited with
       Securities, and in such case, the               The Depository Trust Company, as
       Depository for such Global                      Depository, in accordance with its
       Securities or Securities:                       "book-entry" procedures.

(13)   The currency or currencies in which 
       payment of the principal of and
       interest on the Securities of the
       Series shall be payable:                        U.S. Dollars.

(14)   Whether the amount or payments of
       principal of or interest on the 
       Securities of the Series may be 
       determined with reference to an 
       index and, in such case, the manner in
       which such amounts shall be
       determined:                                     Not applicable.
</TABLE>



                                      -5-
<PAGE>   6

<TABLE>
<S>                                                    <C>                
(15)   Any other covenants or terms of
       Securities of the Series, including 
       any additional restrictive covenants
       not described above or any terms required 
       by United States laws or regulations or 
       advisable in connection with the marketing 
       of Securities of the Series:                    None.

(16)   Initial public offering price of
       Securities of the Series:                       100% of their principal amount.

(17)   Underwriters' commission or discount as 
       a percentage of the principal amount of 
       Securities of the Series to be issued:          3.15% in the case of retail sales; 2%
                                                       in the case of institutional sales.

(18)   Agency fees as a percentage of the
       principal amount of Securities of the
       Series to be issued:                            Not applicable.

(19)   Attached to this Certificate as Exhibit A 
       is a specimen of the Securities of the 
       Series, which is hereby approved.

(20)   Attached to this Certificate as Exhibit B 
       is the form of the Underwriting Agreement 
       (including Schedules I and II thereto), which
       is hereby approved, relating to the offering 
       and sale of the Securities of the Series.
</TABLE>



                                       -6-



<PAGE>   7


               IN WITNESS WHEREOF, we have executed this Certificate on behalf
of the Telephone Company.

Dated:  March 5, 1998

                                                     /s/ Donald E. Kiernan
                                                     ---------------------------
                                                     Donald E. Kiernan
                                                     Vice President



                                                     /s/ Roger W. Wohlert
                                                     ---------------------------
                                                     Roger W. Wohlert
                                                     Treasurer



                                      -7-


<PAGE>   8


                                   Schedule A


               Upon the occurrence of a Tax Event, the Telephone Company will
have the right to change the Maturity Date of the Securities to an earlier date
("shorten the Maturity") to the minimum extent required, in the opinion of
nationally recognized independent tax counsel, such that, after the shortening
of the Maturity, interest paid on the Securities will be deductible for United
States federal income tax purposes or, if such counsel is unable to opine
definitively as to such a minimum period, the minimum extent so required as
determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Telephone Company,
after receipt of an opinion of such counsel regarding the applicable legal
standards. In the event that the Telephone Company elects to exercise its right
to shorten the Maturity of the Securities upon the occurrence of a Tax Event,
the Telephone Company will mail a notice of shortened maturity to each Holder of
the Securities by first-class mail not more than 60 days after the occurrence of
such Tax Event, stating the new Maturity Date of the Securities. Such notice
shall be effective immediately upon mailing.

               "Tax Event" means that the Telephone Company shall have received
an opinion of nationally recognized independent tax counsel to the effect that,
as a result of (a) any amendment to, clarification of, or change (including any
announced prospective amendment, clarification or change) in any law, or any
regulation thereunder, of the United States, (b) any judicial decision, official
administrative pronouncement, ruling, regulatory procedure, notice or
announcement, including any notice or announcement of intent to adopt or
promulgate any ruling, regulatory procedure or regulation (any of the foregoing,
an "Administrative or Judicial Action"), or (c) any amendment to, clarification
of, or change in any official position with respect to, or any interpretation
of, an Administrative or Judicial Action or a law or regulation of the United
States that differs from the theretofore generally accepted position or
interpretation, in each case, occurring on or after March 5, 1998, there is more
than an insubstantial increase in the risk that interest paid by the Telephone
Company on the Securities is not, or will not be, deductible, in whole or in
part, by the Telephone Company for United States federal income tax purposes.



                                      -8-




<PAGE>   1
                                                                     EXHIBIT 4-b



         Unless this certificate is presented by an authorized representative of
The Depository Trust Company, a New York corporation ("DTC"), to Southwestern
Bell Telephone Company or its agent for registration of transfer, exchange, or
payment, and any certificate issued is registered in the name of Cede & Co. or
in such other name as is requested by an authorized representative of DTC (and
any payment is made to Cede & Co. or to such other entity as is requested by an
authorized representative of DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE, OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR
VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL inasmuch as the registered
owner hereof, Cede & Co., has an interest herein.

         This Security is a Global Security within the meaning of the Indenture
hereinafter referred to and is registered in the name of a Depository or a
nominee of a Depository. Unless and until it is exchanged in whole or in part
for Securities in definitive form in accordance with the provisions of the
Indenture and the terms of the Securities, this Global Security may not be
transferred except as a whole by the Depository to a nominee of the Depository
or by a nominee of the Depository to the Depository or another nominee of the
Depository or by the Depository or any such nominee to a successor Depository or
a nominee of such successor Depository.


                       SOUTHWESTERN BELL TELEPHONE COMPANY

No. R-__                                                          CUSIP ________
                 8,000,000 6 7/8% Debentures due March 31, 2048
                      ($25 principal amount per Debenture)


SOUTHWESTERN BELL TELEPHONE COMPANY, a Missouri corporation (herein
referred to as the "Company"), for value received, hereby promises to pay to
Cede & Co., as nominee of The Depository Trust Company, or registered assigns,
the principal sum of $200,000,000 on March 31, 2048, except as otherwise
provided on the reverse hereof ("Maturity"), at the office or agency of the
Company maintained for such purpose in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New
York, State of New York, in such coin or currency of the United States of
America as at the time of payment shall be legal tender for the payment of
public and private debts, and to pay interest on the unpaid principal amount
hereof from March 10, 1998, or from the most recent date to which interest has
been paid or duly provided for, payable quarterly on March 31, June 30,
September 30 and December 31 in each year (each, an "Interest Payment Date"),
with the first interest payment commencing June 30, 1998, at the rate of 67/8%
per annum, until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment. The
interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for on each such
Interest Payment Date, will, as provided in the Indenture hereinafter referred
to, be paid to the person in whose name this Global Security is registered at
the close of business on March 15, June 15, September 15 and






<PAGE>   2



December 15 (whether or not a Legal Holiday), as the case may be, next preceding
the applicable Interest Payment Date (each, a "Record Date"). Any such payments
of interest not so punctually paid or duly provided for will forthwith cease to
be payable to the Holder as of such Record Date, and may either be paid to the
person in whose name this Global Security is registered at the close of business
on a special record date for the payment of such defaulted interest to be fixed
by the Trustee, notice whereof shall be given to Holders of Securities of this
Series not less than 15 days prior to such special record date, or be paid at
any time in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of
any securities exchange on which the Securities of this Series may be listed,
all as more fully provided in said Indenture.

REFERENCE IS HEREBY MADE TO THE FURTHER PROVISIONS OF THIS GLOBAL SECURITY SET
FORTH ON THE REVERSE HEREOF AND SUCH FURTHER PROVISIONS SHALL FOR ALL PURPOSES
HAVE THE SAME EFFECT AS THOUGH FULLY SET FORTH AT THIS PLACE.

         This Global Security shall not be valid or become obligatory for any
purpose until the appropriate certificate of authentication hereon shall have
been executed by or on behalf of the Trustee under the Indenture referred to on
the reverse hereof.



                                       -2-



<PAGE>   3



         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Southwestern Bell Telephone Company has caused this
Instrument to be signed by its duly authorized officers and has caused its
corporate seal to be affixed hereunto or imprinted hereon.

DATED:  March 10, 1998                 SOUTHWESTERN BELL TELEPHONE
                                        COMPANY


                                       By:
                                          --------------------------------------
                                          Donald E. Kiernan
                                          Vice President


                                       By:
                                          --------------------------------------
                                          Roger W. Wohlert
                                          Treasurer


Certificate of Authentication
This Global Security is one of the
Securities of the Series designated 
herein referred to in the 
within-mentioned Indenture.


THE BANK OF NEW YORK
as Trustee


By:
   -----------------------------
       Authorized Signatory



                                       -3-



<PAGE>   4



                           REVERSE OF GLOBAL SECURITY


         This Global Security is one of the duly authorized issue of debt
securities of the Company (herein referred to as the "Securities") to be issued
under and pursuant to an Indenture dated as of February 1, 1985, as supplemented
by the First Supplemental Indenture dated as of June 1, 1991 (herein referred to
together as the "Indenture"), duly executed and delivered by the Company to the
Bank of New York, as Trustee (herein referred to as the "Trustee"), to which
Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a
description of rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities
thereunder of the Trustee, the Company and the Holders of the Securities.

         The Securities may be issued in one or more series, which series may be
issued in various aggregate principal amounts, may mature at different times,
may bear interest, if any, at different rates, may be subject to additional
covenants and Events of Default and may otherwise vary as provided in the
Indenture. This Global Security is one of the series designated on the face
hereof and such series is limited in aggregate principal amount to $200,000,000.
References herein to "Securities" shall mean the Securities of said series.

         In case an Event of Default, as defined in the Indenture, shall have
occurred and be continuing, the principal hereof may be declared, and upon such
declaration shall become, due and payable, in the manner, with the effect and
subject to the conditions provided in the Indenture.

         The Indenture contains provisions permitting the Company and the
Trustee with the written consent of the Holders of a majority in principal
amount of the outstanding Securities of each Series affected by a supplemental
indenture (with each series voting as a class), to enter into a supplemental
indenture to add any provisions to or to change or eliminate any provisions of
the Indenture or of any supplemental indenture or to modify, in each case in any
manner not covered by provisions in the Indenture relating to amendments and
waivers without the consent of Holders, the rights of the Security holders of
each such series. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the
outstanding Securities of each series affected by such waiver (with each series
voting as a class), by notice to the Trustee, may waive compliance by the
Company with any provisions of the Indenture, any supplemental indenture or the
Securities of any such series except a default in the payment of the principal
of or interest on any Security. Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of this
Global Security shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all
future Holders of this Global Security and of any Security issued upon the
registration of transfer hereof or in exchange herefor or in lieu hereof,
whether or not a notation of such waiver is made upon this Global Security.




<PAGE>   5



         No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Global
Security or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the
Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of and
interest on this Global Security at the times, place and rate, and in the coin
or currency, herein prescribed. The Securities are issuable only in registered
form without coupons in denominations of $25 and any integral multiple thereof.

         The Securities are not redeemable prior to March 31, 2003, except as
set forth below. On or after March 31, 2003, and prior to maturity, the Company,
at its option, may redeem all or from time to time any part of the Securities
upon not less than 30 days but not more than 60 days notice at a redemption
price equal to 100% of the principal amount redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid
interest to the date of redemption (the "Redemption Price").

         If a Tax Event occurs and, in the opinion of nationally recognized
independent tax counsel, there would, notwithstanding any shortening of the
maturity of the Securities, be more than an insubstantial risk that interest
paid by the Company on the Securities is not, or will not be, deductible, in
whole or in part, by the Company for United States federal income tax purposes,
the Company will have the right, within 90 days following the occurrence of such
Tax Event, to redeem the Securities in whole (but not in part) on not less than
30 nor more than 60 days' notice mailed to Holders of the Securities at the
Redemption Price.

         Upon the occurrence of a Tax Event (as defined below), the Company will
have the right to shorten the maturity of the Securities to the minimum extent
required, in the opinion of nationally recognized independent tax counsel, such
that, after the shortening of the maturity, interest paid on the Securities will
be deductible for United States federal income tax purposes or, if such counsel
is unable to opine definitively as to such a minimum period, the minimum extent
so required as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the
Company, after receipt of an opinion of such counsel regarding the applicable
legal standards. In the event that the Company elects to exercise its right to
shorten the maturity of the Securities upon the occurrence of a Tax Event, the
Company will mail a notice of shortened maturity to each Holder of the
Securities by first-class mail not more than 60 days after the occurrence of
such Tax Event, stating the new maturity date of the Securities. Such notice
shall be effective immediately upon mailing.

         "Tax Event" means that the Company shall have received an opinion of
nationally recognized independent tax counsel to the effect that, as a result of
(a) any amendment to, clarification of, or change (including any announced
prospective amendment, clarification or change) in any law, or any regulation
thereunder, of the United States, (b) any judicial decision, official
administrative pronouncement, ruling,


                                       -2-



<PAGE>   6


regulatory procedure, notice or announcement, including any notice or
announcement of intent to adopt or promulgate any ruling, regulatory procedure
or regulation (any of the foregoing, an "Administrative or Judicial Action"), or
(c) any amendment to, clarification of, or change in any official position with
respect to, or any interpretation of, an Administrative or Judicial Action or a
law or regulation of the United States that differs from the theretofore
generally accepted position or interpretation, in each case, occurring on or
after March 5, 1998, there is more than an insubstantial increase in the risk
that interest paid by the Company on the Securities is not, or will not be,
deductible, in whole or in part, by the Company for United States federal income
tax purposes.

         Ownership of this Global Security shall be proved by the register for
the Securities kept by the Registrar. The Company, the Trustee and any agent of
the Company may treat the person in whose name this Global Security is
registered as the absolute owner thereof but for all purposes.

         No director, officer, employee or stockholder, as such, of the Company
shall have any liability for any obligations of the Company under this Global
Security or the Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of or by reason
of such obligations or their creation. Each Holder by accepting this Global
Security waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part
of the consideration for the issue of this Global Security.

         All terms used in the Global Security which are defined in the
Indenture shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.

         THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK SHALL GOVERN THE INDENTURE AND THIS
GLOBAL SECURITY.




                                       -3-



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