Exhibit 4.8


Exhibit 4.8


AMENDMENT TO

STOCKHOLDERS’
AGREEMENT


     THIS
AMENDMENT TO STOCKHOLDERS’ AGREEMENT (this “Amendment”) by
and among NUVOX, INC. (formerly known as Gabriel Communications, Inc.), a
Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and the stockholders of the
Company who have executed this Amendment, is made as of August __, 2001. 


Background


     a.  
The Company and its stockholders have entered into an Amended and Restated
Stockholders’ Agreement dated as of March 31, 2000 (the “Stockholders’ Agreement”) providing for certain rights and
obligations of such stockholders. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein
shall have the meanings given them in the Securities Purchase Agreement. 


     b.  The parties desire to amend the Stockholders' Agreement in certain respects.


Agreement


     On the basis of the foregoing, the parties agree as follows:


     1.  Amendments to Agreement.  The Stockholders' Agreement is hereby amended as follows:


          (a)  The lead in statement of Section 1 (appearing before the definition of Affiliate therein) is
amended to read in its entirety as follows:



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"For all purposes of this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below
        (capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Series D
        Purchase Agreement for such terms):"







          (b)  The definitions of "Founder's Shares" and "Founding Stockholder" set forth in Section 1 of the
Stockholders' Agreement is deleted.


          (c)   The definition of "Institutional Stockholders" set forth in Section 1 of the Stockholders'
Agreement is amended to read in its entirety as follows:


        	 
	
Institutional Stockholders.  Institutional Stockholders shall mean, initially, the Stockholders listed on
        Exhibit A hereto, and thereafter any Person who becomes a party to this Agreement as an Institutional
        Stockholder by executing an Instrument of Accession in connection with the transfer to such Person from
        any Stockholder (provided that the transfer to such subsequent holder is permitted by this Agreement and
        the Securities Purchase Agreements) or acquisition by such Person of Stock from the Company which such
        Instrument of Accession states that the Person is an Institutional Stockholder; provided that a Person
        shall cease to be an Institutional Stockholder at such time as such Person ceases to own Stock.





          (d)   The definition of "Management Stockholders" set forth in Section 1 of the Stockholders' Agreement
is amended to read in its entirety as follows:


	 
	
        Management Stockholders.  Management Stockholder shall mean, initially, the Stockholders listed on
        Exhibit B hereto, and thereafter any Person who becomes a party to this Agreement as a Management
        Stockholder by executing an Instrument of Accession in connection with the transfer to such Person from
        any Stockholder (provided that the transfer to such subsequent holder is permitted by this Agreement and
        the Securities Purchase Agreements) or acquisition by such Person of Stock from the Company which such
        Instrument of Accession states that such Person is a Management Stockholder; provided that a Person shall
        cease to be a Management Stockholder at such time as such Person ceases to own Stock.





         (e)   The following definition shall be added to Section 1 of the Stockholders' Agreement immediately
following the definition of "Series B Purchase Agreement":



	 
	
Series D Purchase Agreement.  The term "Series D Purchase Agreement" shall mean the Securities Purchase
         Agreement dated as of August __, 2001 among the Company and the Purchasers named therein providing for
         the purchase by such Purchasers of certain Units, with each Unit consisting of one share of Series D
         Convertible Preferred Stock of the Company, one warrant to purchase one share of Series D Convertible
         Preferred Stock of the Company at $1.50 per share and additional warrants expiring March 31, 2002 to
         acquire shares of Series E Convertible Preferred Stock at $1.00 per share ($1.75 per share for holders
         of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock who subscribe for less than 125% of their pro rata portion of
         the offering based on their investment in Series B Preferred Stock).





          (f)   The definition of "Securities Purchase Agreements" set forth in Section 1 of the Stockholders'
Agreement is amended to read in its entirety as follows:



	 
	
Securities Purchase Agreements.  The term "Securities Purchase Agreements" shall mean the Series A
         Purchase Agreement, the Series A-1 Purchase Agreement, the Series B Purchase Agreement and the Series D
         Securities Purchase Agreement."






          (g)   The definition of "Stockholders" set forth in Section 1 of the Stockholders' Agreement is amended to
read in its entirety as follows:



	 
	
Stockholders.  Stockholders shall mean, initially, the Institutional Stockholders and the Management

         Stockholders of the Company, and thereafter any Person who becomes a party to this Agreement by
         executing an Instrument of Accession in connection with the transfer to or acquisition by such Person of
         any Stock from the Company or any Stockholder or any subsequent transferee of a Stockholder; provided
         that a Person shall cease to be a Stockholder hereunder at such time as such Person ceases to own
         Restricted Securities.





          (h)   Clause (iii) in the first sentence of Section 3.1 thereof is amended to replace the words "Option
Plan" with the words "Equity Incentive Plan."  The following words will be inserted following the words "the
Stockholders" in Section 3.1: "who are "accredited investors" as defined under Rule 501(a) under the Securities
Act".  The words "Each Stockholder" in the final sentence of Section 3.1 are deleted and amended to read
"Stockholders who are "accredited investors" as defined under Rule 501(a) under the Securities Act".


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          (i)   Section 4.2(b) thereof is amended to insert the words "six or" between the words "...if there are"
and the words "five Institutional Directors present..." appearing in the 5th and 6th lines of such section.


          (j)   Section 4.2(b)(vi) is amended to read in its entirety as follows:


	 
	

        "any increase in the number of shares available for grants under the Equity Incentive Plan and the
         determination of the prices of any Awards granted thereunder and the adoption of any other employee
         benefit plan authorizing the issuance of or the grant of Awards based on Stock;"





          (k)   The first sentence of Section 4.3 thereof is amended to replace the words "Section 4.5 of the
Series B Purchase Agreement" with the words "Section 4.5 of the Series D Purchase Agreement, except to the extent specifically contemplated by the Equity Incentive Plan in effect on the date of the Series D Purchase Agreement."


          (l)   Section 5(a) is deleted and replaced with the words "(a) [Intentionally omitted]".


          (m)   The words "In the event" in the first sentence of Section 5(b) are amended to read as follows:


	 
	
"Other than in the event that any Stockholder or group of Stockholders shall desire to sell more than
         fifty-one percent (51%) of the Stock then issued and outstanding and shall have received a bona fide
         written offer for the purchase thereof, in which event Section 5(c) applies, if"





          (n)   The following words are added at the beginning of the first sentence of Section 5(c):
"Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 5(b) above which shall not apply under the following circumstances,".
The phrase "in accordance with paragraph (b) of this Section 5" is deleted from the first sentence of
Section 5(c).



          (o)   The words "the Founding Stockholder," are deleted from the first sentence of Section 6.


          (p)   The words "and December 13, 1999" are inserted in Section 8 following the words "as amended as of
November 18, 1998".


          (q)   In Section 14(i), the Chief Executive Officer's FAX number is amended to read "(FAX:
636/757-0000)".  The addresses following "with copies to" are deleted and replaced with the following:



	 	"Bryan Cave LLP

One Metropolitan Square
211 North Broadway, Suite 3600
St. Louis, Missouri 63102
Attention:  Denis McCusker, Esq.
FAX:  314/259-2020"





          (r)  The references to "Gabriel Communications, Inc." on the cover page, page 1 and page 9 of the
Stockholders' Agreement are amended to read "NuVox, Inc."


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     2.  Effectiveness of Amendment.

          This Amendment shall become effective when executed by the Company and when the
Company shall have received counterparts of this Amendment signed by Stockholders owning at least 66-2/3% of the total number of shares of the
Company’s Stock in accordance with Section 6 of the Stockholders’ Agreement. 


     3.  Affirmation of Agreement.

          Except as amended hereby, the Stockholders’ Agreement shall remain in effect in accordance with its terms. 


          IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Amendment as of the
date indicated above. 


	 	NUVOX, INC.





		By:	 

David L. Solomon, Chief Executive Officer




[Signatures of stockholders]



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