Document:

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                                                                    Exhibit 10.1

                             PARADYNE NETWORKS, INC.

                           2000 BROAD-BASED STOCK PLAN

                            ADOPTED NOVEMBER 1, 2000

1.       PURPOSES.

         a. The purpose of the Plan is to provide a means by which selected
Employees and Directors of and Consultants to the Company and its Affiliates may
be given an opportunity to benefit from increases in value of the common stock
of the Company ("Common Stock") through the granting of (i) Nonstatutory Stock
Options, (ii) stock bonuses and (iii) rights to purchase restricted stock.

         b. The Company, by means of the Plan, seeks to retain the services of
persons who are now Employees, Directors or Consultants, to secure and retain
the services of new Employees, Directors and Consultants, and to provide
incentives for such persons to exert maximum efforts for the success of the
Company and its Affiliates. The Plan is intended to be a broad-based plan for
purposes of Rule 4460(i) of the NASD Manual. No more that 40% of the total
shares subject to Stock Awards granted under the Plan shall be granted to
Officers and Directors.

         c. The Company intends that the Stock Awards issued under the Plan
shall, in the discretion of the Board or any Committee to which responsibility
for administration of the Plan has been delegated pursuant to subsection 3(c),
be either (i) Nonstatutory Stock Options, or (ii) stock bonuses or rights to
purchase restricted stock granted pursuant to Section 7 hereof. A separate
certificate or certificates will be issued for shares purchased on exercise of
an Option.

2.       DEFINITIONS.

         a. "AFFILIATE" means any parent corporation or subsidiary corporation,
whether now or hereafter existing, as those terms are defined in Sections 424(e)
and (f) respectively, of the Code.

         b. "BOARD" means the Board of Directors of the Company.

         c. "CODE" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

         d. "COMMITTEE" means a Committee appointed by the Board in accordance
with subsection 3(c) of the Plan.

         e. "COMPANY" means Paradyne Networks, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

         f. "CONSULTANT" means any person, including an advisor, engaged by the
Company or an Affiliate to render consulting services and who is compensated for
such services. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term "Consultant" shall not
include (i) Directors who are paid only a director's fee by the Company or who
are not compensated by the Company for their services as Directors, or (ii) any
person with respect to whom Form S-8 under the Securities Act is not available
to register the offer and sale of the Company's securities.

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         g. "CONTINUOUS STATUS AS AN EMPLOYEE, DIRECTOR OR CONSULTANT" means the
employment or relationship as a Director or Consultant is not interrupted or
terminated. The Board, in its sole discretion, may determine whether Continuous
Status as an Employee, Director or Consultant shall be considered interrupted in
the case of: (i) any leave of absence approved by the Board, including sick
leave, military leave, or any other personal leave; or (ii) transfers between
locations of the Company or between the Company, Affiliates or their successors.

         h. "DIRECTOR" means a member of the Board.

         i. "DISABILITY" means the permanent and total disability of a person
within the meaning of Section 22(e)(3) of the Code.

         j. "EMPLOYEE" means any person, including Officers and Directors,
employed by the Company or any Affiliate of the Company. Neither service as a
Director nor payment of a director's fee by the Company shall be sufficient to
constitute "employment" by the Company.

         k. "EXCHANGE ACT" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.

         l. "FAIR MARKET VALUE" means, as of any date, the value of the Common
Stock of the Company determined as follows:

                  i. If the Common Stock is listed on any established stock
exchange, or traded on the Nasdaq National Market or the Nasdaq SmallCap Market,
the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock shall be the closing sales
price for such stock (or the closing bid, if no sales were reported) as quoted
on such exchange or market (or the exchange or market with the greatest volume
of trading in Common Stock) on the last market trading day prior to the day for
which Fair Market Value is being determined, as reported in the Wall Street
Journal or such other source as the Board deems reliable;

                  ii. In the absence of such markets for the Common Stock, the
Fair Market Value shall be determined in good faith by the Board.

         m. "NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTOR" means a Director who either is not a current
Employee or Officer of the Company or its parent or subsidiary, does not receive
compensation (directly or indirectly) from the Company or its parent or
subsidiary for services rendered as a consultant or in any capacity other than
as a Director (except for an amount as to which disclosure would not be required
under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K promulgated pursuant to the Securities Act
("Regulation S-K"), does not possess an interest in any other transaction as to
which disclosure would be required under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K, and is
not engaged in a business relationship as to which disclosure would be required
under Item 404(b) of Regulation S-K; or (ii) is otherwise considered a
"non-employee director" for purposes of Rule 16b-3.

         n. "NONSTATUTORY STOCK OPTION" means an Option not intended to qualify
as an incentive stock option within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code and
the regulations thereunder.

         o. "OFFICER" means a person who is an officer of the Company within the
meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations
promulgated thereunder.

         p. "OPTION" means a stock option granted pursuant to the Plan.

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         q. "OPTION AGREEMENT" means a written agreement between the Company and
an Optionee evidencing the terms and conditions of an individual Option grant.
Each Option Agreement shall be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.

         r. "OPTIONEE" means a person to whom an Option is granted pursuant to
the Plan.

         s. "PLAN" means this 2000 Broad-Based Stock Plan.

         t. "RULE 16b-3" means Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act or any successor
to Rule 16b-3, as in effect when discretion is being exercised with respect to
the Plan.

         u. "SECURITIES ACT" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

         v. "STOCK AWARD" means any right granted under the Plan, including any
Option, any stock bonus, and any right to purchase restricted stock.

         w. "STOCK AWARD AGREEMENT" means a written agreement between the
Company and a holder of a Stock Award evidencing the terms and conditions of an
individual Stock Award grant. Each Stock Award Agreement shall be subject to the
terms and conditions of the Plan.

3.       ADMINISTRATION.

         a. The Plan shall be administered by the Board unless and until the
Board delegates administration to a Committee, as provided in subsection 3(c).

         b. The Board shall have the power, subject to, and within the
limitations of, the express provisions of the Plan:

                  i. To determine from time to time which of the persons
eligible under the Plan shall be granted Stock Awards; when and how each Stock
Award shall be granted; whether a Stock Award will be a Nonstatutory Stock
Option, a stock bonus, a right to purchase restricted stock, or a combination of
the foregoing; the provisions of each Stock Award granted (which need not be
identical), including the time or times when a person shall be permitted to
receive stock pursuant to a Stock Award and the number of shares with respect to
which a Stock Award shall be granted to each such person.

                  ii. To construe and interpret the Plan and Stock Awards
granted under it, and to establish, amend and revoke rules and regulations for
its administration. The Board, in the exercise of this power, may correct any
defect, omission or inconsistency in the Plan or in any Stock Award Agreement,
in a manner and to the extent it shall deem necessary or expedient to make the
Plan fully effective.

                  iii. To amend the Plan or a Stock Award as provided in
Section 12.

                  iv. Generally, to exercise such powers and to perform such
acts as the Board deems necessary or expedient to promote the best interests of
the Company which are not in conflict with the provisions of the Plan.

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         c. The Board may delegate administration of the Plan to a committee or
committees ("Committee") of one or more members of the Board. If administration
is delegated to a Committee, the Committee shall have, in connection with the
administration of the Plan, the powers theretofore possessed by the Board (and
references in this Plan to the Board shall thereafter be to the Committee),
subject, however, to such resolutions, not inconsistent with the provisions of
the Plan, as may be adopted from time to time by the Board. The Board may
abolish the Committee at any time and revest in the Board the administration of
the Plan. The Board may delegate to a committee of one or more members of the
Board who are not Non-Employee Directors the authority to grant Stock Awards to
eligible persons who are not then subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act.

4.       SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN.

         a. Subject to the provisions of Section 11 relating to adjustments upon
changes in stock, the stock that may be issued pursuant to Stock Awards shall
not exceed in the aggregate four million (4,000,000) shares of Common Stock. If
any Stock Award shall for any reason expire or otherwise terminate, in whole or
in part, without having been exercised in full (or vested in the case of
restricted stock), the stock not acquired under such Stock Award shall revert to
and again become available for issuance under the Plan.

         b. The stock subject to the Plan may be unissued shares or reacquired
shares, bought on the market or otherwise.

5.       ELIGIBILITY.

         Stock Awards may be granted to Employees or Consultants, but not more
than 40% of the total shares subject to Stock Awards under the Plan shall be
granted to Officers or Directors.

6.       OPTION PROVISIONS.

         Each Option shall be in such form and shall contain such terms and
conditions as the Board shall deem appropriate. The provisions of separate
Options need not be identical, but each Option shall include (through
incorporation of provisions hereof by reference in the Option or otherwise) the
substance of each of the following provisions:

         a. TERM. No Option shall be exercisable after the expiration of ten
(10) years from the date it was granted.

         b. PRICE. The exercise price of each Option shall be determined by the
Board or the Committee.

         c. CONSIDERATION. The purchase price of stock acquired pursuant to an
Option shall be paid, to the extent permitted by applicable statutes and
regulations, either (i) in cash at the time the Option is exercised, or (ii) at
the discretion of the Board or the Committee, at the time of the grant of the
Option, (1) by delivery to the Company of other Common Stock of the Company;
provided that such shares have been held by the participant for at least six
months prior to such delivery to the Company, (2) according to a deferred
payment or other arrangement (which may include, without limiting the generality
of the foregoing, the use of other Common Stock of the Company that has been
held by such person for at least six months prior to such delivery to the
Company) with the

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person to whom the Option is granted or to whom the Option is transferred
pursuant to subsection 6(d), or (3) in any other form of legal consideration
that may be acceptable to the Board.

         In the case of any deferred payment arrangement, interest shall be
payable at least annually and shall be charged at the minimum rate of interest
necessary to avoid the treatment as interest, under any applicable provisions of
the Code, of any amounts other than amounts stated to be interest under the
deferred payment arrangement. In addition, where required by applicable law,
deferred payment may not be made of the par value of the Company's Common Stock.

         d. TRANSFERABILITY. An Option may be transferred to the extent provided
in the Option Agreement; provided that if the Option Agreement does not
expressly permit the transfer of the Option, the Option shall not be
transferable except by will, by the laws of descent and distribution or pursuant
to a domestic relations order satisfying the requirements of Rule 16b-3, and
shall be exercisable during the lifetime of the person to whom the Option is
granted only by such person or any transferee pursuant to a domestic relations
order. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the person to whom the Option is granted
may, by delivering written notice to the Company, in a form satisfactory to the
Company, designate a third party who, in the event of the death of the Optionee,
shall thereafter be entitled to exercise the Option.

         e. VESTING. The total number of shares of stock subject to an Option
may, but need not, be allotted in periodic installments (which may, but need
not, be equal). The Option Agreement may provide that from time to time during
each of such installment periods, the Option may become exercisable ("vest")
with respect to some or all of the shares allotted to that period, and may be
exercised with respect to some or all of the shares allotted to such period
and/or any prior period as to which the Option became vested but was not fully
exercised. The Option may be subject to such other terms and conditions on the
time or times when it may be exercised (which may be based on performance or
other criteria) as the Board may deem appropriate, including provisions which
call for the forfeiture of the Option in the event Optionee engages in conduct
in competition with the Company's business or leading to termination for cause.
The provisions of this subsection 6(e) are subject to any Option provisions
governing the minimum number of shares as to which an Option may be exercised.

         f. TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT OR RELATIONSHIP AS A DIRECTOR OR
CONSULTANT. In the event an Optionee's Continuous Status as an Employee,
Director or Consultant terminates (other than upon the Optionee's death or
Disability), the Optionee may exercise his or her Option (to the extent that the
Optionee was entitled to exercise it at the date of termination) but only within
such period of time ending on the earlier of (i) the date sixty (60) days after
the termination of the Optionee's Continuous Status as an Employee, Director or
Consultant (or such longer or shorter period specified in the Option Agreement),
or (ii) the expiration of the term of the Option as set forth in the Option
Agreement. If, at the date of termination of employment, the Optionee was not
entitled to exercise his or her entire Option, the shares covered by the
unexercisable portion of the Option shall revert to and again become available
for issuance under the Plan. If, after termination, the Optionee does not
exercise his or her Option within the time specified in the Option Agreement,
the Option shall terminate, and the shares covered by such Option shall revert
to and again become available for issuance under the Plan.

         An Optionee's Option Agreement may also provide that if the exercise of
the Option following the termination of the Optionee's Continuous Status as an
Employee, Director or Consultant (other than upon the Optionee's death or
Disability) would be prohibited at any time

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solely because the issuance of shares would violate the registration
requirements under the Act, then the Option shall terminate on the earlier of
(i) the expiration of the term of the Option set forth in the preceding
paragraph, or (ii) the expiration of a period of sixty (60) days after the
termination of the Optionee's Continuous Status as an Employee, Director or
Consultant during which the exercise of the Option would not be in violation of
such registration requirements.

         g. DISABILITY OF OPTIONEE. In the event an Optionee's Continuous Status
as an Employee, Director or Consultant terminates as a result of the Optionee's
Disability, the Optionee may exercise his or her Option (to the extent that the
Optionee was entitled to exercise it at the date of termination), but only
within such period of time ending on the earlier of (i) the date twelve (12)
months following such termination (or such longer or shorter period specified in
the Option Agreement), or (ii) the expiration of the term of the Option as set
forth in the Option Agreement. If, at the date of termination, the Optionee is
not entitled to exercise his or her entire Option, the shares covered by the
unexercisable portion of the Option shall revert to and again become available
for issuance under the Plan. If, after termination, the Optionee does not
exercise his or her Option within the time specified herein, the Option shall
terminate, and the shares covered by such Option shall revert to and again
become available for issuance under the Plan.

         h. DEATH OF OPTIONEE. In the event of the death of an Optionee during,
or within a period specified in the Option after the termination of, the
Optionee's Continuous Status as an Employee, Director or Consultant, the Option
may be exercised (to the extent the Optionee was entitled to exercise the Option
at the date of death) by the Optionee's estate, by a person who acquired the
right to exercise the Option by bequest or inheritance or by a person designated
to exercise the option upon the Optionee's death pursuant to subsection 6(d),
but only within the period ending on the earlier of (i) the date twelve (12)
months following the date of death (or such longer or shorter period specified
in the Option Agreement), or (ii) the expiration of the term of such Option as
set forth in the Option Agreement. If, at the time of death, the Optionee was
not entitled to exercise his or her entire Option, the shares covered by the
unexercisable portion of the Option shall revert to and again become available
for issuance under the Plan. If, after death, the Option is not exercised within
the time specified herein, the Option shall terminate, and the shares covered by
such Option shall revert to and again become available for issuance under the
Plan.

         i. EARLY EXERCISE. The Option may, but need not, include a provision
whereby the Optionee may elect at any time while an Employee, Director or
Consultant to exercise the Option as to any part or all of the shares subject to
the Option prior to the full vesting of the Option. Any unvested shares so
purchased may be subject to a repurchase right in favor of the Company or to any
other restriction the Board determines to be appropriate.

         j. RE-LOAD OPTIONS. Without in any way limiting the authority of the
Board or Committee to make or not to make grants of Options hereunder, the Board
or Committee shall have the authority (but not an obligation) to include as part
of any Option Agreement a provision entitling the Optionee to a further Option
(a "Re-Load Option") in the event the Optionee exercises the Option evidenced by
the Option agreement, in whole or in part, by surrendering other shares of
Common Stock in accordance with this Plan and the terms and conditions of the
Option Agreement. Any such Re-Load Option (i) shall be for a number of shares
equal to the number of shares surrendered as part or all of the exercise price
of such Option; (ii) shall have an expiration date which is the same as the
expiration date of the Option the exercise of which gave rise to such Re-Load
Option; and (iii) shall have an exercise price which is equal to one hundred
percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock subject to the
Re-Load Option on the date of exercise of the original Option.

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         Any such Re-Load Option shall be a Nonstatutory Stock Option. There
shall be no Re-Load Options on a Re-Load Option. Any such Re-Load Option shall
be subject to the availability of sufficient shares under subsection 4(a) and
shall be subject to such other terms and conditions as the Board or Committee
may determine which are not inconsistent with the express provisions of the Plan
regarding the terms of Options.

7.       TERMS OF STOCK BONUSES AND PURCHASES OF RESTRICTED STOCK.

         Each stock bonus or restricted stock purchase agreement shall be in
such form and shall contain such terms and conditions as the Board or the
Committee shall deem appropriate. The terms and conditions of stock bonus or
restricted stock purchase agreements may change from time to time, and the terms
and conditions of separate agreements need not be identical, but each stock
bonus or restricted stock purchase agreement shall include (through
incorporation of provisions hereof by reference in the agreement or otherwise)
the substance of each of the following provisions as appropriate:

         a. PURCHASE PRICE. The purchase price under each restricted stock
purchase agreement shall be such amount as the Board or Committee shall
determine and designate in such agreement. The Board or the Committee to which
administration of the Plan has been delegated may award stock pursuant to a
stock bonus agreement in consideration for services actually rendered to the
Company or for its benefit.

         b. TRANSFERABILITY. No rights under a stock bonus or restricted stock
purchase agreement shall be transferable except by will or the laws of descent
and distribution or, if the agreement so provides, pursuant to a domestic
relations order satisfying the requirements of Rule 16b-3, so long as stock
awarded under such agreement remains subject to the terms of the agreement.

         c. CONSIDERATION. The purchase price of stock acquired pursuant to a
stock purchase agreement shall be paid either: (i) in cash at the time of
purchase; (ii) at the discretion of the Board or the Committee, according to a
deferred payment or other arrangement with the person to whom the stock is sold;
or (iii) in any other form of legal consideration that may be acceptable to the
Board or the Committee in its discretion. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the
Board or the Committee to which administration of the Plan has been delegated
may award stock pursuant to a stock bonus agreement in consideration for
services actually rendered to the Company or for its benefit.

         d. VESTING. Shares of stock sold or awarded under the Plan may, but
need not, be subject to a repurchase option in favor of the Company in
accordance with a vesting schedule to be determined by the Board or the
Committee.

         e. TERMINATION OF CONTINUOUS STATUS AS AN EMPLOYEE, DIRECTOR OR
CONSULTANT. In the event a Participant's Continuous Status as an Employee,
Director or Consultant terminates, the Company may repurchase or otherwise
reacquire any or all of the shares of stock held by that person which have not
vested as of the date of termination under the terms of the stock bonus or
restricted stock purchase agreement between the Company and such person.

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8.       COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY.

         a. During the terms of the Stock Awards, the Company shall keep
available at all times the number of shares of stock required to satisfy such
Stock Awards.

         b. The Company shall seek to obtain from each regulatory commission or
agency having jurisdiction over the Plan such authority as may be required to
issue and sell shares under Stock Awards; provided, however, that this
undertaking shall not require the Company to register under the Securities Act
either the Plan, any Stock Award or any stock issued or issuable pursuant to any
such Stock Award. If, after reasonable efforts, the Company is unable to obtain
from any such regulatory commission or agency the authority which counsel for
the Company deems necessary for the lawful issuance and sale of stock under the
Plan, the Company shall be relieved from any liability for failure to issue and
sell stock upon exercise of such Stock Awards unless and until such authority is
obtained.

9.       USE OF PROCEEDS FROM STOCK.

         Proceeds from the sale of stock pursuant to Stock Awards shall
constitute general funds of the Company.

10.      MISCELLANEOUS.

         a. The Board shall have the power to accelerate the time at which a
Stock Award may first be exercised or the time during which a Stock Award or any
part thereof will vest, notwithstanding the provisions in the Stock Award
stating the time at which it may first be exercised or the time during which it
will vest.

         b. Neither an Employee, Director nor a Consultant nor any person to
whom a Stock Award is transferred in accordance with the Plan shall be deemed to
be the holder of, or to have any of the rights of a holder with respect to, any
shares subject to such Stock Award unless and until such person has satisfied
all requirements for exercise of the Stock Award pursuant to its terms.

         c. Nothing in the Plan or any instrument executed or Stock Award
granted pursuant thereto shall confer upon any holder of Stock Awards any right
to continue in the employ of the Company or any Affiliate, or to continue
serving as a Consultant or Director, or shall affect the right of the Company or
any Affiliate to terminate the employment of any Employee with or without notice
and with or without cause, or the right to terminate the relationship of any
Consultant pursuant to the terms of such Consultant's agreement with the Company
or Affiliate or service as a Director pursuant to the Company's By-Laws.

         d. The Company may require any person to whom a Stock Award is granted,
or any person to whom a Stock Award is transferred in accordance with the Plan,
as a condition of exercising or acquiring stock under any Stock Award, (i) to
give written assurances satisfactory to the Company as to such person's
knowledge and experience in financial and business matters and/or to employ a
purchaser representative reasonably satisfactory to the Company who is
knowledgeable and experienced in financial and business matters, and that he or
she is capable of evaluating, alone or together with the purchaser
representative, the merits and risks of exercising the Stock Award; and (ii) to
give written assurances satisfactory to the Company stating that such person is
acquiring the stock subject to the Stock Award for such person's own account and
not with any present intention of

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selling or otherwise distributing the stock. The foregoing requirements, and any
assurances given pursuant to such requirements, shall be inoperative if (1) the
issuance of the shares upon the exercise or acquisition of stock under the Stock
Award has been registered under a then currently effective registration
statement under the Securities Act, or (2) as to any particular requirement, a
determination is made by counsel for the Company that such requirement need not
be met in the circumstances under the then applicable securities laws. The
Company may, upon advice of counsel to the Company, place legends on stock
certificates issued under the Plan as such counsel deems necessary or
appropriate in order to comply with applicable securities laws, including, but
not limited to, legends restricting the transfer of the stock.

         e. To the extent provided by the terms of a Stock Award Agreement, the
person to whom a Stock Award is granted may satisfy any federal, state or local
tax withholding obligation relating to the exercise or acquisition of stock
under a Stock Award by any of the following means or by a combination of such
means: (i) tendering a cash payment; (ii) authorizing the Company to withhold
shares from the shares of the Common Stock otherwise issuable to the participant
as a result of the exercise or acquisition of stock under the Stock Award;
provided, however, that not more than the minimum statutorily required federal,
state or local tax withholding obligation may be satisfied by this method; or
(iii) delivering to the Company owned and unencumbered shares of the Common
Stock of the Company; provided that such shares have been held by the
participant for at least six months prior to such delivery to the Company.

11.      ADJUSTMENTS UPON CHANGES IN STOCK.

         a. If any change is made in the stock subject to the Plan, or subject
to any Stock Award, without the receipt of consideration by the Company (through
merger, consolidation, reorganization, recapitalization, reincorporation, stock
dividend, dividend in property other than cash, stock split, liquidating
dividend, combination of shares, exchange of shares, change in corporate
structure or other transaction not involving the receipt of consideration by the
Company), the Plan will be appropriately adjusted in the class(es) and maximum
number of shares subject to the Plan pursuant to subsection 4(a), and the
outstanding Stock Awards will be appropriately adjusted in the class(es) and
number of shares and price per share of stock subject to such outstanding Stock
Awards. Such adjustments shall be made by the Board or the Committee, the
determination of which shall be final, binding and conclusive. (The conversion
of any convertible securities of the Company shall not be treated as a
"transaction not involving the receipt of consideration by the Company.")

         b. In the event of: (i) a dissolution, liquidation or sale of
substantially all of the assets of the Company; (ii) a merger or consolidation
in which the Company is not the surviving corporation; or (iii) a reverse merger
in which the Company is the surviving corporation but the shares of the Common
Stock outstanding immediately preceding the merger are converted by virtue of
the merger into other property, whether in the form of securities, cash or
otherwise (in any such case, a "Corporate Transaction"), then to the extent
permitted by applicable law: any surviving corporation or an Affiliate of such
surviving corporation shall assume any Stock Awards outstanding under the Plan
or shall substitute similar Stock Awards for those outstanding under the Plan.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event any surviving corporation and its
Affiliates do not assume such Stock Awards or substitute similar Stock Awards
for those outstanding under the Plan, then the vesting of all outstanding Stock
Awards shall be accelerated in full as of a date designated by the Board or the
Committee administering the Plan, the holders of such Stock Awards shall be
given reasonable opportunity to exercise such Stock Awards prior to such
Corporate Transaction, and such Stock Awards shall be terminated if not
exercised during such designated time to exercise.

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12.      AMENDMENT OF THE PLAN AND STOCK AWARDS.

         a. The Board at any time, and from time to time, may amend the Plan.
However, except as provided in Section 11(a) relating to adjustments upon
changes in stock, no amendment shall be effective unless approved by the
stockholders of the Company where stockholder approval is necessary for the Plan
to satisfy the requirements of any Nasdaq or securities exchange listing
requirements.

         b. The Board may in its sole discretion submit any other amendment to
the Plan for stockholder approval.

         c. Rights and obligations under any Stock Award granted before
amendment of the Plan shall not be impaired by any amendment of the Plan unless
(i) the Company requests the consent of the person to whom the Stock Award was
granted and (ii) such person consents in writing.

         d. The Board at any time, and from time to time, may amend the terms of
any one or more Stock Awards; provided, however, that the rights and obligations
under any Stock Award shall not be impaired by any such amendment unless (i) the
Company requests the consent of the person to whom the Stock Award was granted
and (ii) such person consents in writing.

13.      TERMINATION OR SUSPENSION OF THE PLAN.

         a. The Board may suspend or terminate the Plan at any time. Unless
sooner terminated, the Plan shall terminate ten (10) years from the latest date
on which the Plan or an amendment and restatement of the Plan is adopted by the
Board. No Stock Awards may be granted under the Plan while the Plan is suspended
or after it is terminated.

         b. Rights and obligations under any Stock Award granted while the Plan
is in effect shall not be impaired by suspension or termination of the Plan,
except with the consent of the person to whom the Stock Award was granted.

14.      EFFECTIVE DATE OF PLAN.

         This Plan shall become effective as determined by the Board.

                        ********************************

         The foregoing is hereby acknowledged as being the Paradyne Networks,
Inc. 2000 Broad-Based Stock Plan as adopted by the Board of Directors of the
Company on November 1, 2000.

                                                     --------------------------
                                                     Corporate Secretary

                                       10<PAGE>   1
                                                                    EXHIBIT 10.2

================================================================================

                                CREDIT AGREEMENT

                                   dated as of

                                  June 13, 2000

                                      among

                           CONNECTSOUTH HOLDINGS, INC.

                       CONNECTSOUTH COMMUNICATIONS, INC.

                            THE LENDERS PARTY HERETO

                           FIRST UNION INVESTORS, INC.
                              as Syndication Agent

                              BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
                             as Documentation Agent

                                       and

                      MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
                             as Administrative Agent

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

                      MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
                                   as Arranger

================================================================================

<PAGE>   2

                                    ARTICLE 1
                                   DEFINITIONS

<TABLE>
<S>                                                                       <C>
SECTION 1.01.  Defined Terms ............................................  1
SECTION 1.02.  Classification of Loans and Borrowings ................... 29
SECTION 1.03.  Terms Generally .......................................... 29
SECTION 1.04.  Accounting Terms; Changes in GAAP ........................ 30

                                    ARTICLE 2
                                   THE CREDITS

SECTION 2.01.  Commitments .............................................. 30
SECTION 2.02.  Loans .................................................... 31
SECTION 2.03.  Requests to Borrow ....................................... 32
SECTION 2.04.  Funding .................................................. 33
SECTION 2.05.  Interest Elections ....................................... 34
SECTION 2.06.  Termination and Reduction of Commitments ................. 35
SECTION 2.07.  Repayment of Loans at Maturity; Evidence of Debt ......... 36
SECTION 2.08.  Scheduled Amortization  .................................. 37
SECTION 2.09.  Optional and Mandatory Prepayments ....................... 38
SECTION 2.10.  Fees ..................................................... 41
SECTION 2.11.  Interest ................................................. 41
SECTION 2.12.  Alternate Rate of Interest ............................... 42
SECTION 2.13.  Increased Costs .......................................... 43
SECTION 2.14.  Break Funding Payments ................................... 44
SECTION 2.15.  Taxes .................................................... 44
SECTION 2.16.  Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-
               offs ..................................................... 45
SECTION 2.17.  Lender's Obligation to Mitigate; Replacement of Lenders .. 47

                                    ARTICLE 3
                         REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

SECTION 3.01.  Organization; Powers ..................................... 48
SECTION 3.02.  Authorization; Enforceability ............................ 48
SECTION 3.03.  Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts ..................... 49
SECTION 3.04.  Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change .......... 49
SECTION 3.05.  Properties ............................................... 50
SECTION 3.06.  Litigation and Environmental Matters ..................... 50
SECTION 3.07.  Compliance with Laws and Agreements ...................... 52
SECTION 3.08.  Investment and Holding Company Status .................... 52
SECTION 3.09.  Taxes .................................................... 52
</TABLE>

<PAGE>   3

<TABLE>
<S>                                                                       <C>
SECTION 3.10.  ERISA .................................................... 52
SECTION 3.11.  Disclosure ............................................... 53
SECTION 3.12.  Subsidiaries ............................................. 53
SECTION 3.13.  Insurance ................................................ 53
SECTION 3.14.  Labor Matters ............................................ 53
SECTION 3.15.  Solvency ................................................. 54
SECTION 3.16.  Communications Regulatory Matters ........................ 54

                                    ARTICLE 4
                                   CONDITIONS

SECTION 4.01.  Effective Date ........................................... 55
SECTION 4.02.  Each Extension of Credit ................................. 57

                                    ARTICLE 5
                              AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

SECTION 5.01.  Financial Statements and Other Information ............... 58
SECTION 5.02.  Notices of Material Events ............................... 60
SECTION 5.03.  Information Regarding Collateral ......................... 61
SECTION 5.04.  Existence; Conduct of Business ........................... 61
SECTION 5.05.  Performance and Payment of Obligations ................... 61
SECTION 5.06.  Maintenance of Properties ................................ 62
SECTION 5.07.  Insurance ................................................ 62
SECTION 5.08.  Casualty and Condemnation ................................ 64
SECTION 5.09.  Books and Records; Inspection and Audit Rights ........... 64
SECTION 5.10.  Compliance with Laws and Licences ........................ 64
SECTION 5.11.  Use of Proceeds .......................................... 65
SECTION 5.12.  Additional Subsidiaries .................................. 65
SECTION 5.13.  Further Assurances ....................................... 65
SECTION 5.14.  Interest Rate Protection ................................. 66

                                    ARTICLE 6
                               NEGATIVE COVENANTS

SECTION 6.01.  Debt; Certain Equity Issuances; Lease Obligations ........ 67
SECTION 6.02.  Liens .................................................... 69
SECTION 6.03.  Fundamental Changes ...................................... 70
SECTION 6.04.  Investments, Loans, Advances, Guarantees and
               Acquisitions ............................................. 71
SECTION 6.05.  Asset Sales .............................................. 72
SECTION 6.06.  Sale and Leaseback Transactions .......................... 72
SECTION 6.07.  Hedging Agreements ....................................... 73
</TABLE>

                                       ii

<PAGE>   4

<TABLE>
<S>                                                                       <C>
SECTION 6.08.  Restricted Payments; Certain Payments of Debt ............ 73
SECTION 6.09.  Transactions with Affiliates ............................. 74
SECTION 6.10.  Restrictive Agreements ................................... 74
SECTION 6.11.  Amendment of Material Documents .......................... 75
SECTION 6.12.  Capital Expenditures ..................................... 75
SECTION 6.13.  Stage One Covenants ...................................... 77
SECTION 6.14.  Stage Two Covenants ...................................... 79
SECTION 6.15.  Periods of Less Than Four Fiscal Quarters ................ 80

                                    ARTICLE 7
                                EVENTS OF DEFAULT

                                    ARTICLE 8
                                   THE AGENTS

SECTION 8.01.  Appointment and Authorization ............................ 85
SECTION 8.02.  Rights and Powers as a Lender ............................ 85
SECTION 8.03.  Limited Duties and Responsibilities  ..................... 85
SECTION 8.04.  Authority to Rely on Certain Writings, Statements and
               Advice ................................................... 86
SECTION 8.05.  Sub-Agents and Related Parties ........................... 86
SECTION 8.06.  Resignation; Successor Agents ............................ 86
SECTION 8.07.  Credit Decisions by Lenders .............................. 87
SECTION 8.08.  Limited Duties and Responsibilities of Certain Lenders ... 87

                                    ARTICLE 9
                                  MISCELLANEOUS

SECTION 9.01.  Notices .................................................. 87
SECTION 9.02.  Waivers; Amendments ...................................... 88
SECTION 9.03.  Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver ....................... 90
SECTION 9.04.  Successors and Assigns ................................... 91
SECTION 9.05.  Survival ................................................. 94
SECTION 9.06.  Counterparts; Effectiveness .............................. 94
SECTION 9.07.  Severability ............................................. 94
SECTION 9.08.  Right of Setoff .......................................... 94
SECTION 9.09.  Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of
               Process .................................................. 95
SECTION 9.10.  WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL ..................................... 96
SECTION 9.11.  Headings ................................................. 96
SECTION 9.12.  Confidentiality .......................................... 96
</TABLE>

                                       iii

<PAGE>   5

SCHEDULES:

Schedule 2.01 -- Commitments
Schedule 3.05 -- Existing Real Properties
Schedule 3.06 -- Disclosed Matters
Schedule 3.11 -- Material Agreements
Schedule 3.16 -- Communications Regulatory Matters
Schedule 6.01 -- Existing Indebtedness
Schedule 6.02 -- Existing Liens
Schedule 6.04 -- Existing Investments
Schedule 6.10 -- Existing Restrictions

EXHIBITS:

Exhibit A -- Form of Assignment
Exhibit B-1 -- Form of Opinion of Borrower's Counsel
Exhibit B-2 -- Form of Opinion of Borrower's Special Regulatory Counsel
Exhibit B-3 -- Form of Opinion of Borrower's Local Counsel
Exhibit C -- Form of Guarantee and Security Agreement
Exhibit D -- Form of Borrowing Base Certificate
Exhibit E -- LLC Agreement
Exhibit F -- Form of Note
Exhibit G -- Business Plan

                                       iv

<PAGE>   6

         CREDIT AGREEMENT dated as of June 13, 2000 among CONNECTSOUTH HOLDINGS,
INC., CONNECTSOUTH COMMUNICATIONS, INC., the LENDERS party hereto, FIRST UNION
INVESTORS, INC., as Syndication Agent, BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Documentation
Agent and MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., as Administrative Agent.

         WHEREAS, the Borrower (such term and other capitalized terms used
herein are defined below) desires to borrow funds under this Agreement for the
purposes set forth herein;

         WHEREAS, the Borrower is willing to secure its obligations under (i)
this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and (ii) any Hedging Agreements
between the Borrower and any Lender (or any Affiliate of such Lender) by
granting Liens on substantially all of its assets to the Collateral Agent as
provided in the Security Documents;

         WHEREAS, Holdings is willing to guarantee the foregoing obligations of
the Borrower and to secure its guarantee thereof by granting Liens on
substantially all of its assets to the Collateral Agent as provided in the
Security Documents;

         WHEREAS, the Borrower is willing to cause each of its Subsidiaries to
guarantee the foregoing obligations of the Borrower and to secure its guarantee
thereof by granting Liens on substantially all of its assets to the Collateral
Agent as provided in the Security Documents; and

         WHEREAS, the Lenders are not willing to make loans hereunder unless (i)
the foregoing obligations of the Borrower are secured and guaranteed as
described above and (ii) each guarantee thereof is secured by Liens on
substantially all of the assets of the relevant Guarantor as provided in the
Security Documents.

         NOW, THEREFORE, the parties hereto agree as follows:

                                    ARTICLE 1
                                   DEFINITIONS

         SECTION 1.01. Defined Terms. As used in this Agreement, the following
terms have the meanings specified below:

<PAGE>   7

         "ADDITIONAL EQUITY FINANCING" means aggregate capital contributions of
up to $135,000,000 made to LLC and contributed by LLC to Holdings and Holdings
to the Borrower (or if the Contribution Date has not occurred, contributed by
LLC to Borrower) to be used as contemplated by Section 6.12(b)(ii).

         "ADJUSTED LIBO RATE" means, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing
for any Interest Period, an interest rate per annum (rounded upwards, if
necessary, to the next 1/16 of 1%) equal to (a) the LIBO Rate for such Interest
Period multiplied by (b) the Statutory Reserve Adjustment.

         "ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT" means Morgan Stanley Senior Funding, Inc., in
its capacity as administrative agent for the Lenders under the Loan Documents.

         "ADMINISTRATIVE QUESTIONNAIRE" means an Administrative Questionnaire in
a form supplied by the Administrative Agent.

         "AFFILIATE" means, with respect to a specified Person, another Person
that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is
Controlled by or is under common Control with such specified Person.

         "AGENT" means the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent, as the
context may require, and "AGENTS" means both of them.

         "ALTERNATE BASE RATE" means, for any day, a rate per annum equal to the
greater of (a) the Prime Rate in effect on such day and (b) the Federal Funds
Effective Rate in effect on such day plus 1/2 of 1%. Any change in the Alternate
Base Rate due to a change in the Prime Rate or the Federal Funds Effective Rate
will be effective from and including the effective date of such change in the
Prime Rate or the Federal Funds Effective Rate, respectively.

         "APPLICABLE LENDING OFFICE" means, with respect to any Lender, (i) in
the case of its Base Rate Loans, its Domestic Lending Office and (ii) in the
case of its Euro-Dollar Loans, its Euro-Dollar Lending Office.

         "APPLICABLE RATE" means for any day:

         (a) with respect to any Tranche A Loan, (i) during the period
commencing on the Effective Date and ending on but not including the first
anniversary of the Effective Date, (A) 3.25% per annum, in the case of a Base
Rate Loan or (B) 4.5% per annum in the case of a Eurodollar Loan, and (ii)
thereafter, the applicable rate per annum set forth below (A) under the caption
"Base Rate Spread" in the case of a Base Rate Loan or (B) under the caption

                                        2
<PAGE>   8

"Eurodollar Spread" in the case of a Eurodollar Loan, in either case based upon
the Leverage Ratio as of the most recent determination date.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                  LEVERAGE                 BASE RATE           EURODOLLAR
                                   RATIO                     SPREAD              SPREAD
                           ---------------------           ---------           ----------
<S>                        <C>                             <C>                 <C>
Category 1                 greater than or equal              2.75%               4.0%
                           to 8:1 and less than
                           10:1

Category 2                 greater than or equal              2.25%               3.5%
                           to 6:1 and less than
                           8:1

Category 3                 greater than or equal             1.625%             2.875%
                           to 4:1 and less than
                           6:1

Category 4                 less than 4:1                      1.00%              2.25%
</TABLE>

         For purposes of this definition, (x) the Leverage Ratio shall be
determined as of the end of each Fiscal Quarter based upon the Borrower's
consolidated financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or
5.01(b) and (y) each change in an Applicable Rate resulting from a change in the
Leverage Ratio shall be effective during the period from and including the day
when the Administrative Agent receives the consolidated financial statements
indicating such change to but excluding the effective date of the next such
change; provided that the Leverage Ratio shall be deemed to be in Category 1 (A)
at any time when an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and (B) at
the option of the Administrative Agent (or at the request of the Required
Lenders) if the Borrower fails to deliver consolidated financial statements to
the Administrative Agent as and when required by Section 5.01(a) or 5.01(b),
during the period from the expiration of the time specified for such delivery
until such consolidated financial statements are so delivered;

         (b) with respect to any Tranche B Loan, (i) 3.75% per annum in the case
of a Base Rate Loan or (ii) 5% per annum in the case of a Eurodollar Loan; and

         (c) with respect to commitment fees payable hereunder, 1.5% per annum.

         "ASSIGNMENT" means an assignment and assumption agreement entered into
by a Lender and an assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is
required by Section 9.04), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in the form
of Exhibit A or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.

                                        3
<PAGE>   9

         "BASE RATE", when used with respect to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to
whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are bearing interest
at a rate determined by reference to the Alternate Base Rate.

         "BORROWER" means ConnectSouth Communications, Inc., a Delaware
corporation.

         "BORROWING" means Loans of the same Class and Interest Type made,
converted or continued on the same day and, in the case of Eurodollar Loans, as
to which the same Interest Period is in effect.

         "BORROWING BASE" means at any time, an amount equal to the cost of
Telecommunications Assets of the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor determined
by reference to the most recent Borrowing Base Certificate theretofore delivered
to the Administrative Agent, absent any manifest error in such Borrowing Base
Certificate, as such amount may be decreased (but not increased) pursuant to
Section 5.09(b).

         "BORROWING BASE CERTIFICATE" means a certificate in the form of Exhibit
D or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent, together with all
attachments contemplated thereby.

         "BORROWING REQUEST" means a request by the Borrower for a Borrowing in
accordance with Section 2.03.

         "BUSINESS DAY" means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other
day on which commercial banks in New York City are authorized or required by law
to remain closed; provided that, when used in connection with a Eurodollar Loan,
the term "Business Day" shall also exclude any day on which banks are not open
for dealings in dollar deposits in the London interbank market.

         "BUSINESS PLAN" means the business plan attached as Exhibit G and
delivered by the Borrower to the Lenders prior to the Effective Date.

         "CAPEX EQUITY PROCEEDS" has the meaning set forth in Section 6.12(a).

         "CAPITAL EXPENDITURES" means, for any period, (a) the additions to
property, plant and equipment and other capital expenditures of the Borrower and
its Subsidiaries that are (or would be) set forth in a consolidated statement of
cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such period prepared in
accordance with GAAP and (b) any Capital Lease Obligations incurred by the
Borrower and its Subsidiaries during such period.

                                        4

<PAGE>   10

         "CAPITAL LEASE OBLIGATIONS" of any Person means obligations of such
Person to pay rent or other amounts under any lease of (or other arrangement
conveying the right to use) real or personal property, or a combination thereof,
which obligations are required under GAAP to be classified and accounted for as
capital leases on a balance sheet of such Person. The amount of such obligations
will be the capitalized amount thereof determined in accordance with GAAP.

         "CERCLA" means the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation
and Liability Act of 1980, as amended from time to time, and regulations
promulgated thereunder.

         "CHANGE IN CONTROL" means (a) prior to the consummation of an IPO, the
failure by (x) MSDWCP and MSDWVP (together with their respective Affiliates) to
beneficially own, directly or indirectly, aggregate Equity Interests in LLC (or,
after the dissolution thereof, Holdings) representing at least 51% or (y) the
members of the Investor Group to beneficially own, directly or indirectly,
aggregate Equity Interests in LLC (or, after the dissolution thereof, Holdings)
representing at least 60%, in each case of each of the aggregate ordinary voting
power and the aggregate equity value represented by the issued and outstanding
Equity Interests in LLC (or, after the dissolution thereof, Holdings), or (b) on
and after the consummation of an IPO, the acquisition of ownership, directly or
indirectly, beneficially or of record, by any Person or group (within the
meaning of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules of the SEC
thereunder as in effect on the date hereof) other than any member of the
Investor Group, of Equity Interests in Holdings representing more than 25% of
either the aggregate ordinary voting power or the aggregate equity value
represented by the issued and outstanding Equity Interests in Holdings, or (c)
at any time prior to the consummation of an IPO, failure by LLC or the Investor
Group to beneficially own, directly or indirectly, aggregate Equity Interests in
Holdings representing at least 90% of each of the aggregate ordinary voting
power and aggregate equity value represented by all of the issued and
outstanding Equity Interests in Holdings, or (d) occupation of a majority of the
seats (other than vacant seats) on the board of directors of LLC or Holdings by
Persons who were neither (i) nominated by the board of directors of LLC or
Holdings, respectively or (ii) appointed by directors so nominated or (e) the
acquisition of ownership, directly or indirectly, beneficially or of record, by
any Person (except Holdings or, prior to the Contribution Date, LLC) of any
Equity Interest in the Borrower.

         A "CHANGE IN KEY MANAGEMENT" shall have occurred on the first date on
which any three of the following offices are held by Persons who did not hold
such office as of the Effective Date (or, in the case of the chief financial
officer, the date on which a person is first appointed or elected to such
office): chief executive officer, chief financial officer, chief information
officer, senior vice

                                        5

<PAGE>   11

president of sales and marketing and senior vice president of operations and
engineering.

         "CHANGE IN LAW" means (a) the adoption of any law, rule or regulation
after the date of this Agreement, (b) any change in any law, rule or regulation
or in the interpretation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority
after such date or (c) compliance by any Lender (or, for purposes of Section
2.13(b), by any lending office of such Lender or by such Lender's holding
company, if any) with any request, guideline or directive (whether or not having
the force of law) of any Governmental Authority made or issued after such date.

         "CLASS" (a) when used with respect to Lenders, refers to whether such
Lenders are Tranche A Lenders or Tranche B Lenders, (b) when used with respect
to Commitments, refers to whether such Commitments are Tranche A Commitments or
Tranche B Commitments and (c) when used with respect to Loans or a Borrowing,
refers to whether such Loans, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are
Tranche A Loans or Tranche B Loans.

         "COLLATERAL" means any and all "Collateral" as defined in the Security
Agreement.

         "COLLATERAL ACCOUNT" has the meaning specified in Section 1 of the
Security Agreement.

         "COLLATERAL AGENT" has the meaning specified in Section 1 of the
Security Agreement.

         "COLLATERAL AND GUARANTEE REQUIREMENT" means the requirement that:

                  (i) the Collateral Agent shall have received from each Credit
         Party either (i) a counterpart of the Security Agreement duly executed
         and delivered on behalf of such Credit Party or (ii) in the case of any
         Person that becomes a Credit Party after the Effective Date, a Security
         Agreement Supplement, duly executed and delivered on behalf of such
         Credit Party;

                  (ii) all outstanding Equity Interests in any other Person
         owned by or on behalf of any Credit Party shall have been pledged
         pursuant to the Security Agreement (except that the Credit Parties
         shall not be required to pledge more than 66% of the outstanding voting
         Equity Interests in any Foreign Subsidiary that is not a Credit Party)
         and the Collateral Agent shall have received all certificates or other
         instruments representing such Equity Interests, together with stock
         powers or other instruments of transfer with respect thereto endorsed
         in blank;

                                        6

<PAGE>   12

                  (iii) all documents and instruments, including Uniform
         Commercial Code financing statements and Mortgages, required by law or
         reasonably requested by the Collateral Agent or the Required Lenders to
         be filed, registered or recorded to create the Liens intended to be
         created by the Security Documents and perfect or record such Liens to
         the extent, and with the priority, required by the Security Agreement,
         shall have been filed, registered or recorded or delivered to the
         Collateral Agent for filing, registration or recording;

                  (iv) the Collateral Agent shall have received, with respect to
         real property owned by any Credit Party and with respect to any lease
         entered into by any Credit Party with respect to real property at which
         any material Telecommunications Assets are to be located, to the extent
         required pursuant to Section 5.13(b) or (c), (i) counterparts of a
         Mortgage with respect to each Mortgaged Property duly executed and
         delivered by the Credit Party which is the record owner of such
         Mortgaged Property or the lessee with respect thereto, as the case may
         be, (ii) if so requested by the Administrative Agent, a policy or
         policies of title insurance issued by a nationally recognized title
         insurance company insuring the Lien of each such Mortgage as a valid
         first Lien on the Mortgaged Property described therein, free of any
         other Liens except as expressly permitted by Section 6.02, together
         with such endorsements, coinsurance and reinsurance as the Collateral
         Agent or the Required Lenders may reasonably request, (iii) landlord
         waivers or consents, in form and substance satisfactory to the
         Collateral Agent, if such waivers or consents can be obtained after
         exercise by such Credit Party of its reasonable best efforts, (iv)
         appropriate Uniform Commercial Code fixture financing statements,
         satisfactory to the Collateral Agent, and (v) such surveys, abstracts,
         appraisals, mortgagee estoppel letters, legal opinions and other
         documents as the Collateral Agent or the Required Lenders may
         reasonably request with respect to any such Mortgage or Mortgaged
         Property;

                  (v) with respect to any Interconnection Agreement, each Credit
         Party shall have used its best efforts to cause to be executed and
         delivered to the Collateral Agent a consent agreement by each party
         thereto in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Collateral
         Agent and each additional document, instrument or other item of
         information reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent;

                  (vi) each Credit Party shall have obtained all consents and
         approvals required to be obtained by it in connection with the
         execution and delivery of all Security Documents to which it is a
         party, the

                                        7

<PAGE>   13

        performance of its obligations thereunder and the granting of the Liens
        granted by it thereunder; and

              (vii) each Credit Party shall have taken all other action required
        under the Security Documents to perfect, register and/or record the
        Liens granted by it thereunder.

         "COMMITMENT" means a Tranche A Commitment or Tranche B Commitment, or
any combination thereof (as the context requires).

         "COMMUNICATIONS LAW" means the Communications Act of 1934, as amended,
and all rules and regulations thereunder, or any successor statute or statutes
thereto (including, without limitation, the Telecommunications Act of 1996) and
all rules and regulations thereunder, and all rules and regulations of the FCC,
any applicable PUC or any other applicable Governmental Authority related to the
provision of telecommunication or broadcast services, each as amended or
supplemented from time to time.

         "COMMUNICATIONS LICENSE" means any license for the provision of
telephony service, and any other license, permit, consent, certificate of
compliance, franchise, approval, waiver or authorization granted or issued by
FCC or other applicable Governmental Authority, including, without limitation,
any PUC Authorization and any of the foregoing authorizing or permitting the
acquisition, construction or operation of Network Facilities or any other system
for the provision of telephony service.

         "CONNECTSOUTH COMPANIES" means the Borrower, Holdings and the
Subsidiaries.

         "CONSOLIDATED CASH INTEREST EXPENSE" means, for any period, the amount
by which:

         (a) the sum of (i) the interest expense (including imputed interest
expense in respect of Capital Lease Obligations and the net amount of payment
obligations pursuant to Hedging Agreements) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries
for such period, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP,
(ii) any interest accrued during such period, in respect of Debt of the Borrower
or any Subsidiary, that is required under GAAP to be capitalized rather than
included in consolidated interest expense for such period, and (iii) any cash
payments made during such period in respect of amortization of debt discount or
accrued interest payable in kind that were amortized or accrued in a previous
period, exceeds

                                        8

<PAGE>   14

         (b) to the extent included in such consolidated interest expense for
such period, any non-cash amounts.

         "CONSOLIDATED EBITDA" means, for any period, Consolidated Net Income
for such period plus (a) without duplication and to the extent deducted in
determining such Consolidated Net Income, the sum of (i) consolidated interest
expense for such period, (ii) consolidated income tax expense for such period,
(iii) any extraordinary charges for such period and (iv) all amounts
attributable to depreciation and amortization and all other non-cash charges or
losses for such period and minus (b) without duplication and to the extent
included in determining such Consolidated Net Income, (i) any extraordinary
gains for such period and (ii) all other non-cash gains or profits for such
period, all determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.

         "CONSOLIDATED FIXED CHARGES" means, for any period, the sum of (a)
Consolidated Cash Interest Expense for such period, (b) the aggregate amount of
scheduled principal payments made or to be made during such period in respect of
Long-Term Debt of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (except payments made by the
Borrower or any Subsidiary to the Borrower or any Subsidiary), (c) the aggregate
amount of principal payments (except scheduled principal payments) made during
such period in respect of Long-Term Debt of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries,
in each case to the extent that such payment reduced any scheduled principal
payments that would have become due within such period, (d) Capital Expenditures
for such period and (e) the aggregate amount of Taxes paid in cash by the
Borrower and its Subsidiaries during such period.

         "CONSOLIDATED NET INCOME" means, for any period, the net income or loss
of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such period determined on a
consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP (adjusted to reflect any charge, tax
or expense incurred or accrued by Holdings for such period as though such
charge, tax or expense had been incurred by the Borrower, to the extent that the
Borrower has made or would be entitled under the Loan Documents to make any
payment to or for the account of Holdings in respect thereof, but eliminating
intercompany charges and expenses); provided that there shall be excluded (a)
the income of any Person (except the Borrower) in which any other Person (except
the Borrower, a Subsidiary or a director holding qualifying shares in compliance
with applicable law) owns an Equity Interest, except to the extent that
dividends or other distributions were actually paid by such Person to the
Borrower or any Subsidiary during such period, and (b) the income or loss of any
Person accrued before (i) the date it becomes a Subsidiary, (ii) the date it is
merged into or consolidated with the Borrower or any Subsidiary or (iii) the
date its assets are acquired by the Borrower or any Subsidiary.

                                        9

<PAGE>   15

         "CONTRIBUTION AGREEMENT" means the contribution agreement dated on or
around the date hereof between LLC, the Borrower and Holdings.

         "CONTRIBUTION DATE" means the date on which the contribution by LLC of
common stock of Borrower to Holdings is consummated pursuant to the Contribution
Agreement.

         "CONTROL" means possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to
direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether
through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise.
"Controlling" and "Controlled" have meanings correlative thereto.

         "CREDIT PARTIES" means the Borrower and the Guarantors.

         "DEBT" of any Person means, without duplication, (a) all obligations of
such Person for borrowed money, (b) all obligations of such Person evidenced by
bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments, (c) all obligations of such
Person on which interest charges are customarily paid, (d) all payment
obligations of such Person incurred pursuant to Hedging Agreements, (e) all
obligations of such Person under conditional sale or other title retention
agreements relating to property acquired by such Person, (f) all obligations of
such Person in respect of the deferred purchase price of property or services
(excluding current accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course of business,
it being understood that accounts payable with respect to Telecommunications
Assets incurred in the ordinary course of business on customary business terms
and having payment terms of up to 90 days after acceptance shall be so
excluded), (g) all Debt of others secured by (or for which the holder of such
Debt has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any Lien
on property owned or acquired by such Person, whether or not the Debt secured
thereby has been assumed, (h) all Guarantees by such Person of Debt of others,
(i) all Capital Lease Obligations of such Person, (j) all obligations,
contingent or otherwise, of such Person as an account party in respect of
letters of credit and letters of guaranty and (k) all obligations, contingent or
otherwise, of such Person in respect of bankers' acceptances. The Debt of any
Person shall include the Debt of any other entity (including any partnership in
which such Person is a general partner) to the extent that such Person is liable
therefor as a result of such Person's ownership interest in or other
relationship with such entity, except to the extent that contractual provisions
binding on the holder of such Debt provide that such Person is not liable
therefor.

         "DEFAULT" means any event or condition which constitutes an Event of
Default or which upon notice, lapse of time or both would, unless cured or
waived, become an Event of Default.

                                       10
<PAGE>   16

         "DISCLOSED MATTERS" means the actions, suits, proceedings and
environmental matters disclosed in Schedule 3.06.

         "DOMESTIC LENDING OFFICE" means, as to each Lender, its office located
at its address set forth in its Administrative Questionnaire (or identified in
its Administrative Questionnaire as its Domestic Lending Office) or such other
office as such Lender may hereafter designate as its Domestic Lending Office by
notice to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

         "DOLLARS" or "$" refers to lawful money of the United States.

         "EFFECTIVE DATE" means the date on which each of the conditions
specified in Section 4.01 is satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section
9.02).

         "ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS" means all laws, rules, regulations, codes,
ordinances, orders, decrees, judgments, injunctions, notices or binding
agreements issued, promulgated or entered into by any Governmental Authority,
relating in any way to the environment, the preservation or reclamation of
natural resources, the management, release or threatened release of any
Hazardous Substances or health and safety matters.

         "ENVIRONMENTAL LIABILITIES" means all liabilities in connection with or
relating to the business, assets presently owned, leased or operated property,
activities (including, without limitation, off-site disposal) or operations of
the Borrower and each Subsidiary, whether vested or unvested, contingent or
fixed, actual or potential, known or unknown, which arise under or relate to
matters covered by Environmental Laws.

         "EQUITY FINANCING" means (i) the capital contributions made or to be
made by the members of LLC to LLC pursuant to the LLC Agreement as in effect on
the date hereof and (ii) the capital contributions made or to be made by LLC to
the Borrower or, after the Contribution Date, Holdings with all of the cash
proceeds of the capital contributions described in clause (i).

         "EQUITY INTERESTS" means shares of capital stock, partnership
interests, membership interests in a limited liability company, beneficial
interests in a trust or other equity ownership interests in a Person.

         "ERISA" means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as
amended from time to time.

         "ERISA AFFILIATE" means any trade or business (whether or not
incorporated) that, together with the Borrower or any Subsidiary, is treated as
a

                                       11
<PAGE>   17

single employer under Section 414(b) or (c) of the Internal Revenue Code or,
solely for purposes of Section 302 of ERISA and Section 412 of the Internal
Revenue Code, is treated as a single employer under Section 414 of the Internal
Revenue Code.

         "ERISA EVENT" means (a) any "reportable event", as defined in Section
4043 of ERISA or the regulations issued thereunder with respect to a Plan
(except an event for which the 30-day notice period is waived); (b) the
existence with respect to any Plan of an "accumulated funding deficiency" (as
defined in Section 412 of the Internal Revenue Code or Section 302 of ERISA),
whether or not waived; (c) the filing pursuant to Section 412(d) of the Internal
Revenue Code or Section 303(d) of ERISA of an application for a waiver of the
minimum funding standard with respect to any Plan; (d) the incurrence by the
Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any liability under Title IV of ERISA with
respect to the termination of any Plan; (e) the receipt by the Borrower or any
ERISA Affiliate from the PBGC or a plan administrator of any notice relating to
an intention to terminate any Plan or Plans or to appoint a trustee to
administer any Plan; (f) the incurrence by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate
of any liability with respect to withdrawal or partial withdrawal from any Plan
or Multiemployer Plan; or (g) the receipt by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate
of any notice, or the receipt by any Multiemployer Plan from the Borrower or any
ERISA Affiliate of any notice, concerning the imposition of Withdrawal Liability
or a determination that a Multiemployer Plan is, or is expected to be, insolvent
or in reorganization, within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA.

         "EURODOLLAR", when used with respect to any Loan or Borrowing, refers
to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are bearing
interest at a rate determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate.

         "EURO-DOLLAR LENDING OFFICE" means, as to each Lender, its office
branch or Affiliate located at its address set forth in its Administrative
Questionnaire (or identified in its Administrative Questionnaire as its
Euro-Dollar Lending Office) or such other office, branch or Affiliate of such
Lender as it may hereafter designate as its Euro-Dollar Lending Office by notice
to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

         "EVENTS OF DEFAULT" has the meaning specified in Article 7.

         "EXCESS CASH FLOW" means, for any Fiscal Year, the sum (without
duplication) of:

                                       12
<PAGE>   18

         (a) the consolidated net income (or loss) of the Borrower and its
Subsidiaries for such Fiscal Year, adjusted to exclude any gains or losses
attributable to Prepayment Events; plus

         (b) depreciation, amortization and other non-cash charges or losses
deducted in determining such consolidated net income (or loss) for such Fiscal
Year; plus

         (c) the amount, if any, by which Net Working Capital decreased during
such Fiscal Year; minus

         (d) the sum of (i) any non-cash gains included in determining such
consolidated net income (or loss) for such Fiscal Year, and (ii) the amount, if
any, by which Net Working Capital increased during such Fiscal Year; minus

         (e) Capital Expenditures for such Fiscal Year (except to the extent
attributable to the incurrence of Capital Lease Obligations or otherwise
financed by incurring Long-Term Debt); minus

         (f) cash consideration paid during such Fiscal Year to make
acquisitions or other capital investments (except to the extent financed by
incurring Long-Term Debt); minus

         (g) the aggregate principal amount of Long-Term Debt repaid by the
Borrower and its Subsidiaries during such Fiscal Year, excluding (i) mandatory
prepayments of Loans (other than prepayments pursuant to Section 2.09(f)), and
(ii) repayments of Long-Term Debt financed by incurring other Long-Term Debt.

         "EXCLUDED TAXES" means, with respect to any Lender Party or other
recipient of a payment made by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower
hereunder:

         (a) income or franchise taxes imposed on (or measured by) its net
income by the United States, or by the jurisdiction under the laws of which such
recipient is organized or in which its principal office is located or, in the
case of any Lender, in which its applicable lending office is located;

         (b) any branch profits taxes imposed by the United States or any
similar tax imposed by any other jurisdiction described in clause (a) above; and

         (c) in the case of a Foreign Lender, any withholding tax that (i) is in
effect and would apply to amounts payable to such Foreign Lender at the time
such Foreign Lender becomes a party to this Agreement or designates a new

                                       13

<PAGE>   19

lending office or (ii) is attributable to such Foreign Lender's failure to
comply with Section 2.15(e).

Notwithstanding the foregoing, a withholding tax will not be an "Excluded Tax"
to the extent that (A) it is imposed on amounts payable to a Foreign Lender by
reason of an assignment made to such Foreign Lender at the Borrower's request
pursuant to Section 2.17(b), (B) it is imposed on amounts payable to a Foreign
Lender by reason of any other assignment and does not exceed the amount for
which the assignor would have been indemnified pursuant to Section 2.15 or (C)
in the case of designation of a new lending office, it does not exceed the
amount for which such Foreign Lender would have been indemnified if it had not
designated a new lending office.

         "FCC" means the Federal Communications Commission or any successor
Governmental Authority.

         "FEDERAL FUNDS EFFECTIVE RATE" means, for any day, the weighted average
(rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) of the rates on
overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System
arranged by Federal funds brokers, as published on the next succeeding Business
Day by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or, if such rate is not so
published on such Business Day, the average (rounded upwards, if necessary, to
the next 1/100 of 1%) of the quotations for such day for such transactions
received by the Administrative Agent from three Federal funds brokers of
recognized standing selected by it.

         "FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD" means the Board of Governors of the Federal
Reserve System of the United States.

         "FINANCIAL OFFICER" means the chief financial officer, principal
accounting officer, treasurer or controller of the Borrower (or at any time that
Borrower does not have an officer with any such title or designation, an officer
of the Borrower whom the Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent has been
designated to perform such function for the purpose of this Agreement).

         "FINANCING TRANSACTIONS" means (a) the execution, delivery and
performance by each Credit Party of the Loan Documents to which it is to be a
party, the borrowing of Loans, the use of the proceeds thereof and (b) the
Equity Financing.

         "FISCAL QUARTER" means a fiscal quarter of the Borrower.

         "FISCAL YEAR" means a fiscal year of the Borrower.

                                       14

<PAGE>   20

         "FOREIGN LENDER" means any Lender that is organized under the laws of a
jurisdiction outside the United States.

         "FOREIGN SUBSIDIARY" means a Subsidiary (which may be a corporation,
limited liability company, partnership or other legal entity) organized under
the laws of a jurisdiction outside the United States, and conducting
substantially all of its operations outside the United States, other than any
such entity that is (whether as a matter of law, pursuant to an election by such
entity or otherwise) treated as a partnership in which any Credit Party is a
partner or as a branch of any Credit Party for United States income tax
purposes.

         "GAAP" means generally accepted accounting principles as in effect from
time to time in the United States, applied on a basis consistent (except for
changes concurred in by the Borrower's independent public accountants) with the
most recent audited consolidated financial statements of the Borrower and its
consolidated Subsidiaries delivered to the Lenders.

         "GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITY" means the government of the United States, any
other nation or any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and
any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or
other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or
administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government.

         "GUARANTEE" of or by any Person (the "guarantor") means any obligation,
contingent or otherwise, of the guarantor guaranteeing or having the economic
effect of guaranteeing any Debt or other obligation of any other Person (the
"primary obligor") in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including
any obligation of the guarantor, direct or indirect, (a) to purchase or pay (or
advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Debt or other
obligation or to purchase (or advance or supply funds for the purchase of) any
security for the payment thereof, (b) to purchase or lease property, securities
or services for the purpose of assuring the owner of such Debt or other
obligation of the payment thereof, (c) to maintain working capital, equity
capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity of the primary
obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Debt or other obligation
or (d) as an account party in respect of any letter of credit or letter of
guaranty issued to support such Debt or other obligation; provided that the term
"Guarantee" shall not include endorsements for collection or deposit in the
ordinary course of business.

         "GUARANTORS" means Holdings, the Subsidiary Guarantors and, prior to
the Contribution Date, LLC.

                                       15

<PAGE>   21
         "HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES" means all explosive or radioactive substances
or wastes and all hazardous or toxic substances, wastes or other pollutants,
including petroleum or petroleum distillates, asbestos or asbestos-containing
materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, radon gas, infectious or medical wastes
and all other substances or wastes of any nature regulated pursuant to any
Environmental Law.

         "HEDGING AGREEMENT" means any interest rate protection agreement,
foreign currency exchange agreement, commodity price protection agreement or
other interest rate, currency exchange rate or commodity price hedging
arrangement.

         "HOLDINGS" means ConnectSouth Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

         "INDEMNIFIED TAXES" means all Taxes except Excluded Taxes.

         "INTERCONNECTION AGREEMENT" means any interconnection agreement
entered into by any Credit Party, and any other agreement entered into by any
Credit Party with respect to collocation of Telecommunications Assets, in each
case with another telecommunications provider, as the same, subject to Section
6.11, may be modified from time to time.

         "INTEREST ELECTION" means an election by the Borrower to change or
continue the Interest Type of a Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.05.

         "INTEREST PAYMENT DATE" means (a) with respect to any Base Rate Loan,
the last day of each March, June, September and December and (b) with respect
to any Eurodollar Loan, the last day of the Interest Period applicable to the
Borrowing of which such Loan is a part and, if such Interest Period is longer
than three months, each day during such Interest Period that occurs at
intervals of three months' duration after the first day of such Interest
Period.

         "INTEREST PERIOD" means, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing, the
period beginning on the date of such Borrowing and ending on the numerically
corresponding day in the calendar month that is one, two, three or six months
thereafter, as the Borrower may elect; provided that (a) if any Interest Period
would end on a day other than a Business Day, such Interest Period shall be
extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such next succeeding
Business Day would fall in the next calendar month, in which case such Interest
Period shall end on the preceding Business Day and (b) any Interest Period that
commences on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which
there is no numerically corresponding day in the last calendar month of such
Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the last calendar month
of

                                      16
<PAGE>   22

such Interest Period. For purposes hereof, the date of a Borrowing initially
shall be the date on which such Borrowing is made and thereafter shall be
deemed to be the effective date of the most recent conversion or continuation
of such Borrowing.

         "INTEREST RATE PROTECTION AGREEMENT" has the meaning specified in
Section 5.14.

         "INTEREST TYPE", when used with respect to any Loan or Borrowing,
refers to whether the rate of interest on such Loan, or on the Loans comprising
such Borrowing, is determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the
Alternate Base Rate.

         "INTERNAL REVENUE CODE" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended from time to time.

         "INVESTOR GROUP" means, collectively, MSDWCP, MSDWVP, Chisolm Partners
IV, L.P., Kennedy Partners II, L.L.C., Fleet Ventures Resources, Inc., Fleet
Equity Partners VI, L.P., Waller-Sutton Media Partners, L.P. and the Management
Members (as defined in the Transaction Agreement as in effect on the date
hereof) and their respective Affiliates.

         "IPO" means an initial public offering of Equity Interests of Holdings
for gross cash proceeds of not less than $75,000,000.

         "LENDER PARTIES" means the Lenders and the Administrative Agent.

         "LENDERS" means the Persons listed on Schedule 2.01 and any other
Person that shall have become a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment, other
than any such Person that ceases to be a party hereto pursuant to an
Assignment.

         "LEVERAGE RATIO" means, on any day, the ratio of (a) Total Debt as of
such day (other than (i) any Debt described in clause (d) of the definition of
"Debt", (ii) any Debt described in clause (g) of such definition and
constituting Debt of others described in clause (d) of such definition and
(iii) any Debt described in clause (h) of such definition and constituting a
Guarantee of Debt described in clause (d) of such definition) to (b)
Consolidated EBITDA for the period of two consecutive Fiscal Quarters (subject
to Section 6.15) ended on such day (or, if such day is not the last day of a
Fiscal Quarter, ended on the last day of the Fiscal Quarter most recently ended
before such day) multiplied by two.

         "LIBO RATE" means, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any
Interest Period, the rate appearing on Page 3750 of the Dow Jones Market
Service

                                      17
<PAGE>   23

(or on any successor or substitute page of such Service, or any successor to or
substitute for such Service, providing rate quotations comparable to those
currently provided on such page of such Service, as determined by the
Administrative Agent from time to time for purposes of providing quotations of
interest rates applicable to dollar deposits in the London interbank market) at
approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days before the beginning
of such Interest Period, as the rate for dollar deposits with a maturity
comparable to such Interest Period. If such rate is not available at such time
for any reason, then the "LIBO Rate" with respect to such Eurodollar Borrowing
for such Interest Period shall be the rate at which dollar deposits of
$5,000,000 and for a maturity comparable to such Interest Period are offered by
the principal London office of the Administrative Agent in immediately
available funds in the London interbank market at approximately 11:00 a.m.,
London time, two Business Days before the beginning of such Interest Period.

         "LIEN" means, with respect to any asset, (a) any mortgage, deed of
trust, lien, pledge, hypothecation, encumbrance, charge or security interest
in, on or of such asset, (b) the interest of a vendor or a lessor under any
conditional sale agreement, capital lease or title retention agreement (or any
financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the
foregoing) relating to such asset and (c) in the case of securities, any
purchase option, call or similar right of a third party with respect to such
securities.

         "LLC" means iConnect, L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company,
and its successors.

         "LLC AGREEMENT" means the Limited Liability Company Agreement dated as
of September 29, 1999 among the members of LLC party thereto attached as
Exhibit E, as amended from time to time.

         "LLC LETTER AGREEMENT" means the letter agreement dated on or before
the Effective Date between LLC, the Borrower, Holdings and the Lenders party
thereto.

         "LOAN DOCUMENTS" means this Agreement, the Notes, the LLC Letter
Agreement, the Contribution Agreement and the Security Documents.

         "LOANS" means loans made by the Lenders to the Borrower pursuant to
this Agreement.

         "LONG-TERM DEBT" means any Debt that, in accordance with GAAP,
constitutes (or, when incurred, constituted) a long-term liability.

                                      18
<PAGE>   24

         "MATERIAL ADVERSE EFFECT" means a material adverse effect on (a) the
business, assets, operations, prospects or condition, financial or otherwise,
of the ConnectSouth Companies taken as a whole, (b) the ability of any Credit
Party to perform any of its obligations under any Loan Document or (c) the
rights of or benefits available to the Lenders or the Administrative Agent
under any Loan Document.

         "MATERIAL AGREEMENTS" means the Interconnection Agreements and the
other agreements listed under the headings "Master Purchase Agreements" and
"Software Purchase and License Agreements" on Schedule 3.11, as the same,
subject to Section 6.11, may be modified from time to time.

         "MATERIAL DEBT" means Debt (other than obligations in respect of the
Loans), or obligations in respect of one or more Hedging Agreements, of any one
or more ConnectSouth Companies in an aggregate principal amount exceeding
$1,000,000. For purposes of determining Material Debt, the "principal amount"
of the obligations of any ConnectSouth Company in respect of any Hedging
Agreement at any time will be the maximum aggregate amount (after giving effect
to any netting agreements) that such ConnectSouth Company would be required to
pay if such Hedging Agreement were terminated at such time.

         "MOODY'S" means Moody's Investors Service, Inc.

         "MORTGAGE" means a mortgage, deed of trust, assignment of leases and
rents, leasehold mortgage or other security document granting a Lien on any
Mortgaged Property to secure the Secured Obligations. Each Mortgage must be
satisfactory in form and substance to the Administrative Agent.

         "MORTGAGED PROPERTY" means (i) each parcel of real property and the
improvements thereto owned or leased by a Credit Party and identified as a
Mortgaged Property on Schedule 3.05, and (ii) each parcel of real property and
improvements thereto with respect to which a Mortgage is granted after the
Effective Date pursuant to Section 5.12 or 5.13.

         "MSDWCP" means, collectively, Morgan Stanley Dean Witter Capital
Partners IV, L.P., Morgan Stanley Dean Witter Capital Investors IV, L.P. and
MSDW IV 892 Investors, L.P.

         "MSDWVP" means Morgan Stanley Dean Witter Venture Partners IV, L.P.

         "MULTIEMPLOYER PLAN" means a multiemployer plan as defined in Section
4001(a)(3) of ERISA.

                                      19
<PAGE>   25

         "NETWORK FACILITY" means the switches and network of digital and
analog facilities owned or leased by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries
for use in the provision of telecommunications, internet and related services.

         "NET PROCEEDS" means, with respect to any event, (a) the cash proceeds
received in respect of such event including (i) any cash received in respect of
any non-cash proceeds, but only as and when received, (ii) in the case of a
casualty, insurance proceeds, and (iii) in the case of a condemnation or
similar event, condemnation awards and similar payments, in each case net of
(b) the sum of (i) all reasonable fees and out-of-pocket expenses paid by the
ConnectSouth Companies to third parties (other than Affiliates, except Morgan
Stanley Senior Funding, Inc. and its Affiliates, to the extent that such fees
and expenses are paid in respect of investment banking, financial advice,
underwriting and related services, and the amount of such fees and
out-of-pocket expenses are not greater than that which would be charged on an
arms-length basis by unrelated third parties) in connection with such event,
(ii) in the case of a sale, transfer or other disposition of an asset
(including pursuant to a sale and leaseback transaction, a casualty or a
condemnation or similar proceeding), the amount of all payments required to be
made by the ConnectSouth Companies as a result of such event to repay Debt
(other than Loans) secured by such asset or otherwise subject to mandatory
prepayment as a result of such event, and (iii) the amount of all taxes paid
(or reasonably estimated to be payable) by the ConnectSouth Companies, and the
amount of any reserves established by the ConnectSouth Companies to fund
contingent liabilities reasonably estimated to be payable, in each case during
the year that such event occurred or the next succeeding year and that are
directly attributable to such event (as determined reasonably and in good faith
by the Financial Officer).

         "NET WORKING CAPITAL" means, at any date, (a) the consolidated current
assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of such date (excluding cash and
Permitted Investments) minus (b) the consolidated current liabilities of the
Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of such date (excluding current liabilities in
respect to Debt and excluding accounts payable with respect to
Telecommunications Assets incurred in the ordinary course of business having
terms of up to 90 days, which accounts payable the Borrower has undertaken in
writing to the Administrative Agent to pay with the proceeds of Long-Term Debt
to be borrowed or issued under this Agreement or another committed or
underwritten facility). Net Working Capital at any date may be a positive or
negative number. Net Working Capital increases when it becomes more positive or
less negative and decreases when it becomes less positive or more negative.

         "NOTE" means any promissory note of the Borrower substantially in the
form of Exhibit F issued pursuant to Section 2.07(e).

                                      20
<PAGE>   26

         "OTHER TAXES" means any and all present or future recording, stamp,
documentary, excise, transfer, sales, property or similar taxes, charges or
levies arising from any payment made under any Loan Document or from the
execution, delivery or enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, any Loan
Document.

         "PARTICIPANTS" has the meaning specified in Section 9.04(e).

         "PBGC" means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation referred to and
defined in ERISA and any successor entity performing similar functions.

         "PERFECTION CERTIFICATE" means a certificate in the form of Exhibit B
to the Security Agreement or any other form approved by the Administrative
Agent.

         "PERMITTED INVESTMENTS" means investments in:

         (a)      direct obligations of, or obligations the principal of and
interest on which are unconditionally guaranteed by, the United States (or by
any agency thereof to the extent such obligations are backed by the full faith
and credit of the United States), in each case maturing within one year from
the date of acquisition thereof;

         (b)      commercial paper maturing within 270 days from the date of
acquisition thereof and having, at such date of acquisition, the highest credit
rating obtainable from S&P or from Moody's;

         (c)      certificates of deposit, banker's acceptances and time
deposits maturing within 180 days from the date of acquisition thereof issued
or guaranteed by or placed with, and money market deposit accounts issued or
offered by, any domestic office of any commercial bank organized under the laws
of the United States or any State thereof which has a combined capital and
surplus and undivided profits of at least $500,000,000; and

         (d)      fully collateralized repurchase agreements with a term of not
more than 30 days for securities described in clause (a) above and entered into
with a financial institution satisfying the criteria described in clause (c)
above.

         "PERMITTED LIENS" means:

         (a)      Liens imposed by law for taxes that are not yet due or are
being contested in compliance with Section 5.05;

         (b)      carriers', warehousemen's, mechanics', materialmen's,
repairmen's and other like Liens imposed by law, arising in the ordinary course
of business

                                      21
<PAGE>   27

and securing obligations that are not overdue by more than 60 days or are being
contested in compliance with Section 5.05;

         (c)      pledges and deposits made in the ordinary course of business
in compliance with workers' compensation, unemployment insurance and other
social security laws or regulations;

         (d)      deposits to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts,
leases, statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, performance bonds and
other obligations of a like nature, in each case in the ordinary course of
business;

         (e)      judgment liens in respect of judgments that do not constitute
an Event of Default under clause (k) of Article 7; and

         (f)      easements, zoning restrictions, survey exceptions,
rights-of-way and similar encumbrances on real property imposed by law or
arising in the ordinary course of business that do not secure any monetary
obligation and do not materially detract from the value of the affected
property or interfere with the ordinary conduct of business of the Borrower or
any Subsidiary;

provided that the term "Permitted Liens" shall not include any Lien that
secures Debt.

         "PERSON" means any natural person, corporation, limited liability
company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental
Authority or other entity.

         "PLAN" means any employee pension benefit plan (except a Multiemployer
Plan) subject to the provisions of Title IV of ERISA or Section 412 of the
Internal Revenue Code or Section 302 of ERISA, and in respect of which the
Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate is (or, if such plan were terminated, would
under Section 4069 of ERISA be deemed to be) a "contributing sponsor" as
defined in Section 4001(a)(13) of ERISA.

         "PREPAYMENT EVENT" means:

         (a)      any sale, transfer or other disposition (including pursuant to
a sale and leaseback transaction) of any property of the Borrower or any
Subsidiary to any Person, except (i) dispositions described in Section 6.05(a),
(ii) dispositions to the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor and (iii) other
dispositions resulting in aggregate Net Proceeds not exceeding $1,000,000
during any Fiscal Year;

         (b)      any casualty or other insured damage to any property of the
Borrower or any Subsidiary, or any taking of any such property under power of

                                      22
<PAGE>   28

eminent domain or by condemnation or similar proceeding, or any transfer of any
such property in lieu of a condemnation or similar taking thereof;

         (c)      any receipt of Tax refunds, proceeds from the termination of a
Plan, indemnity payments and other similar cash receipts not generated in the
ordinary course of business;

         (d)      the issuance by any ConnectSouth Company of any Equity
Interest, or the receipt by any ConnectSouth Company of any capital
contribution, other than (i) any such issuance of an Equity Interest to, or
receipt of any such capital contribution from, a ConnectSouth Company, (ii) the
Equity Financing, (iii) the Additional Equity Financing, (iv) any such issuance
or capital contribution so long as the Net Proceeds therefrom are Capex Equity
Proceeds and (v) any other such issuance or capital contribution so long as the
Net Proceeds therefrom, together with the Net Proceeds from all other such
issuances or capital contributions that have been consummated since the
Effective Date, do not exceed $500,000.

         (e)      the incurrence by any ConnectSouth Company of any Debt, other
than Debt described in clauses (i) through (vii), inclusive, of Section 6.01(a)
and in clauses (i) and (ii) of Section 6.01(b).

         "PRIME RATE" means the rate of interest per annum publicly announced
from time to time by First Union National Bank as its prime rate in effect at
its principal office in Charlotte, North Carolina. Each change in the Prime
Rate will be effective for purposes hereof from and including the date such
change is publicly announced as being effective.

         "PUC" means any state, provincial or other local regulatory agency or
body that exercises jurisdiction over the rates or services or the ownership,
construction or operation of any Network Facility or telephony system or over
Persons who own, construct or operate a Network Facility or any such system, in
each case by reason of the nature or type of the business subject to regulation
and not pursuant to laws and regulations of general applicability to Persons
conducting business in any such jurisdiction.

         "PUC AUTHORIZATIONS" means all applications, filings, reports,
documents, recordings and registrations with, and all validations, exemptions,
franchises, waivers, approvals, orders or authorizations, consents, licenses,
certificates and permits from, any PUC.

         "REGISTER" has the meaning specified in Section 9.04(c).

                                      23
<PAGE>   29

         "REGULATED ACTIVITY" means any generation, treatment, storage,
recycling, transportation or disposal of any Hazardous Substance.

         "RELATED FUND" means, with respect to any Lender (or proposed assignee
which becomes a Lender pursuant to Section 9.04(b)) that is a fund that invests
in bank loans, any other fund that invests in bank loans and is advised or
managed by the same investment advisor as such Lender, or by any Affiliate of
such Lender or investment advisor, and which has aggregate contributed capital
of not less than 10 times its aggregate Commitments at the time it becomes a
Lender.

         "RELATED PARTIES" means, with respect to any specified Person, such
Person's Affiliates and the respective directors, officers, employees, agents
and advisors of such Person and its Affiliates.

         "RELEASE" means any discharge, emission or release, including a
Release as defined in CERCLA at 42 U.S.C. Section 9601(22). The term "RELEASED"
has a corresponding meaning.

         "REQUIRED LENDERS" means, at any time, Lenders having Loans and unused
Commitments representing more than 66 2/3% of the sum of all outstanding Loans
and unused Commitments at such time.

         "RESTRICTED PAYMENT" means any dividend or other distribution (whether
in cash, securities or other property) with respect to any Equity Interest in
any ConnectSouth Company, or any payment (whether in cash, securities or other
property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the
purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination of
(i) any Equity Interest in any ConnectSouth Company or (ii) any option, warrant
or other right to acquire any such Equity Interest (including, for this
purpose, any payment in respect of any Equity Interest under a Synthetic
Purchase Agreement).

         "S&P" means Standard & Poor's.

         "SEC" means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

         "SECURED OBLIGATIONS" has the meaning specified in Section 1 of the
Security Agreement.

         "SECURED PARTIES" has the meaning specified in Section 1 of the
Security Agreement.

                                      24
<PAGE>   30

         "SECURITY AGREEMENT" means the Guarantee and Security Agreement among
the Credit Parties and the Administrative Agent, substantially in the form of
Exhibit C.

         "SECURITY AGREEMENT SUPPLEMENT" has the meaning set forth in the
Security Agreement.

         "SECURITY DOCUMENTS" means the Security Agreement, the Mortgages and
each other security agreement, instrument or document executed and delivered in
compliance with the Collateral and Guaranty Requirement or pursuant to Section
5.12 or 5.13 to secure any of the Secured Obligations, each as may be amended,
restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

         "STAGE ONE COVENANT PERIOD" means the period commencing on the
Effective Date and ending on the day immediately prior to the first day of the
Stage Two Covenant Period.

         "STAGE TWO COVENANT PERIOD" means the period commencing on the last
day of the first Fiscal Quarter ending after the earlier of:

         (a)      the date on which (i) the Borrower has delivered financial
information pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or (b) and the accompanying certificate
of a Financial Officer in each case evidencing that Consolidated EBITDA in each
of the immediately preceding two Fiscal Quarters was a positive number and (ii)
the Leverage Ratio on the last day of the Fiscal Quarter most recently ended is
less than or equal to 10.0:1, and

         (b)      June 30, 2003.

         "STATUTORY RESERVE ADJUSTMENT" means a fraction (expressed as a
decimal), the numerator of which is the number one and the denominator of which
is the number one minus the aggregate of the maximum reserve percentages
(including any marginal, special, emergency or supplemental reserves) expressed
as a decimal established by the Federal Reserve Board to which the
Administrative Agent is subject with respect to eurocurrency funding (currently
referred to as "Eurocurrency Liabilities" in Regulation D of the Federal
Reserve Board). Such reserve percentages will include those imposed pursuant to
such Regulation D. Eurodollar Loans will be deemed to constitute eurocurrency
funding and to be subject to such reserve requirements without benefit of or
credit for proration, exemptions or offsets that may be available from time to
time to any Lender under such Regulation D or any comparable regulation. The
Statutory Reserve Adjustment will be adjusted automatically on and as of the
effective date of any change in any applicable reserve percentage.

                                      25
<PAGE>   31

         "SUBSIDIARY" means, with respect to any Person (the "PARENT") at any
date, (a) any corporation, limited liability company, partnership or other
entity the accounts of which would be consolidated with those of the parent in
the parent's consolidated financial statements if such financial statements
were prepared in accordance with GAAP as of such date and (b) any other
corporation, limited liability company, partnership or other entity (i) of
which securities or other ownership interests representing more than 50% of the
equity or more than 50% of the ordinary voting power or, in the case of a
partnership, more than 50% of the general partnership interests are, as of such
date, owned, controlled or held, or (ii) that is otherwise Controlled as of
such date, by the parent and/or one or more of its subsidiaries.

         "SUBSIDIARY" means any subsidiary of the Borrower.

         "SUBSIDIARY GUARANTORS" has the meaning set forth in the Security
Agreement.

         "SYNTHETIC PURCHASE AGREEMENT" means any agreement pursuant to which
the Borrower or a Subsidiary is or may become obligated to make any payment (i)
in connection with the purchase by any third party of any Equity Interest or
(ii) the amount of which is determined by reference to the price or value at
any time of any Equity Interest; provided that no phantom stock or similar plan
providing for payments only to current or former directors, officers or
employees of Borrower or its Subsidiaries (or their heirs or estates) will be
deemed to be a Synthetic Purchase Agreement.

         "TAXES" means any and all present or future taxes, levies, imposts,
duties, deductions, charges or withholdings imposed by any Governmental
Authority.

         "TELECOMMUNICATIONS ASSETS" means fiber optic cable, data switches,
transmission equipment, and other ancillary equipment and related tangible
assets and related rights with respect to computer software and other
intellectual property, all as necessary for the installation and operation of a
switch room or central office and collocation with other telecommunication
providers which will enable the Borrower or a Subsidiary Guarantor to offer
digital subscriber line (excluding any customer premises equipment), web
hosting and telecommunication, internet and related services, as well as all
software and hardware associated with the network operating center and back
office systems (including OSS, billing systems, and data services), together
with all related installation, support and related costs for taxes, insurance,
shipping and freight, provided that such costs are capitalized according to
GAAP.

                                      26
<PAGE>   32

         "TOTAL CAPITALIZATION" means, as of any date, the sum of (x) Total
Debt, and (y) consolidated stockholders' equity of the Borrower and its
Subsidiaries (including for this purpose any amount attributable to stock which
is required to be redeemed or is redeemed at the option of the holder, if
certain events or conditions occur or exist or otherwise), in each case
determined at such date.

         "TOTAL DEBT" means, as of any date, the sum of the aggregate principal
amount of Debt of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries outstanding as of such date
(computed on a consolidated basis).

         "TOTAL REVENUE" means, with respect to the Borrower and its
Subsidiaries for any period, total revenue thereof for such period determined
on a consolidated basis at any date of determination.

         "TRANCHE A AVAILABILITY PERIOD" means the period from and including
the Effective Date to but excluding the Tranche A Availability Period End Date.

         "TRANCHE A AVAILABILITY PERIOD END DATE" means the date which
numerically corresponds to the date which is 24 calendar months after the
Effective Date, as such date may be extended pursuant to Section 2.01(c) or, if
that date is not a Business Day, the next preceding Business Day.

         "TRANCHE A COMMITMENT" means, with respect to each Lender, the
commitment, if any, of such Lender to make a Tranche A Loan, expressed as an
amount representing the maximum principal amount of the Tranche A Loan to be
made by such Lender hereunder, as such commitment may be (a) reduced from time
to time pursuant to Section 2.06 and (b) reduced or increased from time to time
pursuant to Assignments by or to such Lender pursuant to Section 9.04. The
initial amount of each Lender's Tranche A Commitment is set forth on Schedule
2.01, or in the Assignment pursuant to which such Lender shall have assumed its
initial Tranche A Commitment, as applicable. The initial aggregate amount of
the Tranche A Commitments is $100,000,000.

         "TRANCHE A LENDER" means a Lender with a Tranche A Commitment or an
outstanding Tranche A Loan.

         "TRANCHE A LOAN" means a Loan made pursuant to Section 2.01(a)(i).

         "TRANCHE A MATURITY DATE" means the date which numerically corresponds
to the date which is 78 calendar months after the Effective Date or, if that
date is not a Business Day, the next preceding Business Day.

                                      27
<PAGE>   33

         "TRANCHE B AVAILABILITY PERIOD" means the period commencing on and
including the Effective Date and ending on but excluding the Tranche B
Availability Period End Date.

         "TRANCHE B AVAILABILITY PERIOD END DATE" means December 31, 2000, or
such later date as may be agreed to by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent
and the Required Lenders.

         "TRANCHE B COMMITMENT" means, with respect to each Lender, the
commitment, if any, of such Lender to make a Tranche B Loan, expressed as an
amount representing the maximum principal amount of the Tranche B Loan to be
made by such Lender hereunder, as such commitment may be (a) reduced from time
to time pursuant to Section 2.06 and (b) reduced or increased from time to time
pursuant to assignments by or to such Lender pursuant to Section 9.04. The
initial amount of each Lender's Tranche B Commitment is set forth on Schedule
2.01, or in the Assignment pursuant to which such Lender shall have assumed its
initial Tranche B Commitment, as applicable. The initial aggregate amount of
the Tranche B Commitments is $25,000,000.

         "TRANCHE B LENDER" means a Lender with a Tranche B Commitment or an
outstanding Tranche B Loan.

         "TRANCHE B LOAN" means a Loan made pursuant to Section 2.01(a)(ii).

         "TRANCHE B MATURITY DATE" means the date which falls on the seventh
anniversary of the Effective Date, or, if that date is not a Business Day, the
next preceding Business Day.

         "TRANSACTION LIENS" means the Liens on Collateral granted by the
Credit Parties under the Security Documents.

         "UNITED STATES" means the United States of America.

         "VOLUNTARY PREPAYMENT FEE PERCENTAGE" means:

         (a)      with respect to any prepayment of all or part of any Tranche A
Loan occurring on a date during any period set forth below, the percentage set
forth opposite such period:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                           PERIOD                                                PERCENTAGE
                           ------                                                ----------

 <S>                                                                             <C>
 Period from and including Effective Date to but excluding
 the 1(st) anniversary of Effective Date                                              1%
</TABLE>

                                      28
<PAGE>   34

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                           PERIOD                                                PERCENTAGE
                           ------                                                ----------

 <S>                                                                             <C>
 Period from and including the 1(st) anniversary of the Effective
 Date to but excluding the 2(nd) anniversary of the Effective
 Date                                                                               0.5%

 Thereafter                                                                           0%
</TABLE>

         (b)      with respect to any prepayment of all or part of any Tranche B
Loan occurring on a date during any period set forth below, the percentage set
forth opposite such period:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                           PERIOD                                                PERCENTAGE
                           ------                                                ----------

 <S>                                                                             <C>
 Period from and including the 1(st) anniversary of Effective
 Date to but excluding the 2(nd) anniversary of the Effective
 Date                                                                                 2%

 Period from and including the 2(nd) anniversary of the
 Effective Date to but excluding the 3(rd) anniversary of the
 Effective Date                                                                       1%

 Thereafter                                                                           0%
</TABLE>

         "WITHDRAWAL LIABILITY" means liability to a Multiemployer Plan as a
result of a complete or partial withdrawal from such Multiemployer Plan, as
such terms are defined in Part I of Subtitle E of Title IV of ERISA.

         SECTION 1.02. Classification of Loans and Borrowings. For purposes of
this Agreement, Loans may be classified and referred to by Class (e.g., a
"Tranche A Loan") or by Interest Type (e.g., a "Eurodollar Loan") or by Class
and Interest Type (e.g., a "Eurodollar Tranche A Loan"). Borrowings also may be
classified and referred to by Class (e.g., a "Tranche A Borrowing") or by
Interest Type (e.g., a "Eurodollar Borrowing") or by Class and Interest Type
(e.g., a "Eurodollar Tranche A Borrowing").

         SECTION 1.03. Terms Generally. The definitions of terms herein apply
equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the
context may require, any pronoun includes the corresponding masculine, feminine
and neuter forms. The words "INCLUDE", "INCLUDES" and "INCLUDING" shall be
deemed to be followed by the phrase "WITHOUT LIMITATION". The word "WILL" shall
be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word "SHALL". Unless
the context requires otherwise, (a) any definition of or reference to any
agreement, instrument or other document herein shall be construed as referring
to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended,
supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such

                                      29
<PAGE>   35

amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein), (b) any reference
herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person's successors and
assigns, (c) the words "HEREIN", "HEREOF" and "HEREUNDER", and words of similar
import, shall be construed to refer to this Agreement in its entirety and not
to any particular provision hereof, (d) all references herein to Articles,
Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and
Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, this Agreement and (e) the word
"PROPERTY" shall be construed to refer to any and all tangible and intangible
assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract
rights.

         SECTION 1.04. Accounting Terms; Changes in GAAP. Except as otherwise
expressly provided herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature shall
be construed in accordance with GAAP as in effect from time to time; provided
that, if the Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent that the Borrower
requests an amendment of any provision hereof to eliminate the effect of any
change occurring after the date hereof in GAAP or in the application thereof
(or if the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower that the Required Lenders
request an amendment of any provision hereof for such purpose), regardless of
whether such notice is given before or after such change in GAAP or in the
application thereof, then such provision shall be applied on the basis of GAAP
as in effect and applied immediately before such change shall have become
effective until such notice shall have been withdrawn or such provision amended
in accordance herewith.

                                   ARTICLE 2
                                  THE CREDITS

         SECTION 2.01. Commitments. (a) Subject to the terms and conditions set
forth herein:

                  (i)      each Tranche A Lender agrees to make Tranche A Loans
         available to the Borrower from time to time during the Tranche A
         Availability Period in an aggregate principal amount that will not at
         any time result in (A) such aggregate outstanding principal amount
         exceeding its Tranche A Commitment or (B) the aggregate outstanding
         principal amount of the Tranche A Loans of all Lenders exceeding the
         Borrowing Base; and

                  (ii)     each Tranche B Lender agrees to make Tranche B Loans
         available to the Borrower from time to time during the Tranche B
         Availability Period in an aggregate principal amount that will not at
         any

                                      30
<PAGE>   36

         time result in such aggregate outstanding principal amount exceeding
         its Tranche B Commitment.

Amounts repaid in respect of Loans may not be reborrowed.

         (b)      The Commitments of the Lenders are several, i.e., the failure
of any Lender to make any Loan required to be made by it shall not relieve any
other Lender of its obligations hereunder, and no Lender shall be responsible
for any other Lender's failure to make Loans as and when required hereunder.

         (c)      The Borrower may request, on one occasion only, that the
Tranche A Lenders extend the Tranche A Availability Period End Date to the date
that is six months after the date on which the Tranche A Availability Period
would otherwise have expired (the "ORIGINAL EXPIRATION DATE"). If the Borrower
wishes to do so, the Borrower shall give written notice of such request to the
Administrative Agent not less than 45 days and not more than 90 days prior to
the Original Expiration Date, whereupon the Administrative Agent shall notify
each of the Tranche A Lenders of such notice. Each Tranche A Lender will use
its reasonable efforts to respond to such request, whether affirmatively or
negatively, within 30 days. If Tranche A Lenders having Tranche A Loans and
unused Tranche A Commitments representing more than 50% of the sum of all
outstanding Tranche A Loans and unused Tranche A Commitments respond
affirmatively, then effective on the Original Expiration Date, so long as no
Default has occurred and is then continuing, the Tranche A Availability Period
End Date shall be extended to the date that is six months after the Original
Expiration Date.

         SECTION 2.02. Loans. (a) Each Loan shall be made as part of a
Borrowing consisting of Loans of the same Class and Interest Type made by the
Lenders ratably in accordance with their respective Commitments of the
applicable Class, as the Borrower may request (subject to Section 2.12) in
accordance herewith. Each Lender at its option may make any Eurodollar Loan by
causing any domestic or foreign branch or Affiliate of such Lender to make such
Loan. Any exercise of such option shall not affect the Borrower's obligation to
repay such Loan in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

         (b)      At the beginning of each Interest Period for any Eurodollar
Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral
multiple of $100,000 and not less than $1,000,000 or the unused amount of
Tranche A Commitments or Tranche B Commitments, as the case may be, if less.
When each Base Rate Borrowing is made, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate
amount that is an integral multiple of $100,000 and not less than $1,000,000,
or the unused amount of Tranche A Commitments or Tranche B Commitments, as the
case may be, if less.

                                      31
<PAGE>   37

         (c)      Notwithstanding any other provision hereof, the Borrower will
not be entitled (x) to request any Tranche A Loans until (A) the Tranche B
Commitments have been fully utilized and (B) LLC shall have received gross cash
proceeds of at least $96,500,000 from the Equity Financing and shall have
contributed all such cash proceeds to Holdings or the Borrower as a capital
contribution and (C) Holdings shall have contributed any such cash proceeds
received by it from LLC to the Borrower as a capital contribution, (y) to
request, or to elect to convert or continue, any Eurodollar Borrowing if the
Interest Period requested with respect thereto would end after the Tranche A
Maturity Date or the Tranche B Maturity Date, as applicable, or (z) to request
more than two Borrowings in any single month without the prior consent of the
Administrative Agent, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld.

         (d)      Notwithstanding any other provision hereof, if Morgan Stanley
Senior Funding, Inc. has, on or before the Effective Date, notified the
Borrower in writing that it intends to syndicate the Commitments, then prior to
the earlier of (x) the 60(th) day following the Effective Date and (y) the date
which is notified to the Borrower by Morgan Stanley Senior Funding, Inc. as the
date on which such syndication (and the resultant addition of Lenders) has been
completed, the Borrower will not be entitled to request Eurodollar Loans having
an Interest Period greater than one month.

         SECTION 2.03. Requests to Borrow. To request a Borrowing, the Borrower
shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request by telephone (a) in the
case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time,
three Business Days before the date of the proposed Borrowing or (b) in the
case of a Base Rate Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time,
one Business Day before the date of the proposed Borrowing. Each such
telephonic Borrowing Request shall be irrevocable and shall be confirmed
promptly by hand delivery or telecopy to the Administrative Agent of a written
Borrowing Request in a form approved by the Administrative Agent and signed by
the Borrower. Each such telephonic and written Borrowing Request shall specify
the following information in compliance with Section 2.02:

                  (i)      whether the requested Borrowing is to be a Tranche A
         Borrowing or Tranche B Borrowing;

                  (ii)     the aggregate amount of such Borrowing;

                  (iii)    the date of such Borrowing, which shall be a Business
         Day;

                  (iv)     whether such Borrowing is to be a Base Rate Borrowing
         or a Eurodollar Borrowing;

                                      32
<PAGE>   38

                  (v)      in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, the initial
         Interest Period to be applicable thereto, which shall be a period
         contemplated by the definition of "Interest Period" and Section 2.02;
         and

                  (vi)     the location and number of the Borrower's account to
         which funds are to be disbursed, which shall comply with the
         requirements of Section 2.04.

If no election as to the Interest Type of a Borrowing is specified, the
requested Borrowing will be a Base Rate Borrowing. If no Interest Period with
respect to a requested Eurodollar Borrowing is specified, the Borrower will be
deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one month's duration. Promptly
after it receives a Borrowing Request in accordance with this Section, the
Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the relevant Class as to the
details of such Borrowing Request and the amount of such Lender's Loan to be
made pursuant thereto.

         SECTION 2.04. Funding. (a) Each Lender shall make each Loan to be made
by it hereunder on the proposed date thereof by wire transfer of immediately
available funds by 12:00 noon, New York City time, to the account of the
Administrative Agent most recently designated by it for such purpose by notice
to the Lenders. The Administrative Agent shall make such funds available to the
Borrower by promptly crediting the amounts so received, in like funds, to an
account of the Borrower maintained with the Administrative Agent in New York
City and designated by the Borrower in the applicable Borrowing Request.

         (b)      Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice
from a Lender before the proposed date of any Borrowing that such Lender will
not make its share of such Borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, the
Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such share available
on such date in accordance with Section 2.04(a) and may, in reliance on such
assumption, make a corresponding amount available to the Borrower. In such
event, if a Lender has not in fact made its share of such Borrowing available
to the Administrative Agent, such Lender and the Borrower severally agree to
pay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount
with interest thereon, for each day from and including the day such amount is
made available to the Borrower to but excluding the date of payment to the
Administrative Agent, at (i) in the case of such Lender, the greater of the
Federal Funds Effective Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent
in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation or (ii) in
the case of the Borrower, the interest rate in effect with respect to the
Borrowing. If such Lender pays such amount to the Administrative Agent, such
amount shall constitute such Lender's Loan included in such Borrowing.

                                      33
<PAGE>   39

         SECTION 2.05. Interest Elections. (a) Each Borrowing initially shall
be of the Interest Type specified in the applicable Borrowing Request and, in
the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, shall have an initial Interest Period as
specified in such Borrowing Request. Thereafter, the Borrower may elect to
convert such Borrowing to a different Interest Type or, in the case of a
Eurodollar Borrowing, to continue such Borrowing for one or more additional
Interest Periods, all as provided in this Section. The Borrower may elect
different options with respect to different portions of the affected Borrowing,
in which case each such portion shall be allocated ratably among the Lenders
holding the Loans comprising such Borrowing, and the Loans comprising each such
portion shall be considered a separate Borrowing.

         (b)      To make an election pursuant to this Section, the Borrower
shall notify the Administrative Agent of such election by telephone by the time
that a Borrowing Request would be required under 2.03 if the Borrower were
requesting that a Borrowing of the Interest Type resulting from such election
be made on the effective date of such election. Each such telephonic Interest
Election shall be irrevocable and shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery
or telecopy to the Administrative Agent of a written Interest Election in a
form approved by the Administrative Agent and signed by the Borrower.

         (c)      Each telephonic and written Interest Election shall specify
the following information in compliance with Section 2.02 and subsection (e) of
this Section:

                  (i)      the Borrowing to which such Interest Election applies
         and, if different options are being elected with respect to different
         portions thereof, the portions thereof to be allocated to each
         resulting Borrowing (in which case the information to be specified
         pursuant to clauses (iii) and (iv) below shall be specified for each
         resulting Borrowing);

                  (ii)     the effective date of the election made pursuant to
         such Interest Election, which shall be a Business Day;

                  (iii)    whether the resulting Borrowing is to be a Base Rate
         Borrowing or a Eurodollar Borrowing; and

                  (iv)     if the resulting Borrowing is to be a Eurodollar
         Borrowing, the Interest Period to be applicable thereto after giving
         effect to such election, which shall be a period contemplated by the
         definition of "Interest Period" and Section 2.02.

                                      34
<PAGE>   40

If an Interest Election requests a Eurodollar Borrowing but does not specify an
Interest Period, the Borrower will be deemed to have selected an Interest
Period of one month's duration.

         (d)      Promptly after it receives an Interest Election, the
Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the relevant Class as to the
details thereof and such Lender's portion of each resulting Borrowing.

         (e)      If the Borrower fails to deliver a timely Interest Election
with respect to a Eurodollar Borrowing before the end of an Interest Period
applicable thereto, then, unless repaid, such Borrowing will be converted to a
Base Rate Borrowing at the end of such Interest Period. Notwithstanding any
contrary provision hereof, if an Event of Default has occurred and is
continuing and the Administrative Agent, at the request of the Required
Lenders, so notifies the Borrower, then, so long as an Event of Default is
continuing, (i) no outstanding Borrowing may be converted to or continued as a
Eurodollar Borrowing and (ii) unless repaid, each Eurodollar Borrowing will be
converted to a Base Rate Borrowing at the end of the Interest Period applicable
thereto on the date of such notice.

         SECTION 2.06. Termination and Reduction of Commitments. (a) Unless
previously terminated, the Tranche A Commitments and Tranche B Commitments will
terminate on the Tranche A Availability Period End Date and the Tranche B
Availability Period End Date, respectively.

         (b)      The Borrower may at any time terminate, or from time to time
reduce, the Commitments of any Class; provided that (i) the amount of each
reduction of the Commitments of any Class shall be an integral multiple of
$100,000 and not less than $1,000,000, or the amount necessary to reduce the
Commitments in any Class to $0, (ii) the Borrower shall not terminate or reduce
the Commitments if, after giving effect thereto, the aggregate outstanding
principal amount of the Tranche A Loans would exceed the aggregate Tranche A
Commitments or the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Tranche B
Loans would exceed the aggregate Tranche B Commitments, and (iii) the Borrower
may not terminate or reduce the Tranche B Commitments prior to the first
anniversary of the Effective Date.

         (c)      The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of any
election to terminate or reduce the Commitments under subsection (b) of this
Section at least three Business Days before the effective date of such
termination or reduction, specifying such election and the effective date
thereof. Promptly after it receives any such notice, the Administrative Agent
shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof. Each notice delivered by the
Borrower pursuant to this Section will be irrevocable. Any termination or
reduction of the Commitments of

                                      35
<PAGE>   41

any Class will be permanent and will be made ratably among the Lenders in
accordance with their respective Commitments of such Class.

         SECTION 2.07. Repayment of Loans at Maturity; Evidence of Debt. (a)
The Borrower unconditionally promises to pay to the Administrative Agent (i) on
the Tranche A Maturity Date, for the account of each Tranche A Lender, the then
unpaid principal amount of such Lender's Tranche A Loans, and (ii) on the
Tranche B Maturity Date, for the account of each Tranche B Lender, the then
unpaid principal amount of such Lender's Tranche B Loans.

         (b)      Each Lender shall maintain in accordance with its usual
practice an account or accounts evidencing the indebtedness of the Borrower to
such Lender resulting from each Loan made by such Lender, including the amounts
of principal and interest payable and paid to such Lender from time to time.

         (c)      The Administrative Agent shall maintain accounts in which it
shall record (i) the amount of each Loan made hereunder, the Class and Interest
Type thereof and each Interest Period (if any) applicable thereto, (ii) the
amount of any principal or interest due and payable or to become due and
payable from the Borrower to each Lender hereunder and (iii) the amount of any
sum received by the Administrative Agent hereunder for the account of the
Lenders and each Lender's share thereof.

         (d)      The entries made in the accounts maintained pursuant to
subsections (b) and (c) of this Section shall be prima facie evidence of the
existence and amounts of the obligations recorded therein; provided that any
failure by any Lender or the Administrative Agent to maintain such accounts or
any error therein shall not affect the Borrower's obligation to repay the Loans
in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

         (e)      Any Lender may request that Loans of any Class made by it be
evidenced by a Note. In such event, the Borrower shall prepare, execute and
deliver to such Lender a Note payable to the order of such Lender (or, if
requested by such Lender, to such Lender and its registered assigns).
Thereafter, the Loans evidenced by such Note and interest thereon shall at all
times (including after assignment pursuant to Section 9.04) be represented by
one or more Notes payable to the order of the payee named therein (or, if such
Note is a registered note, to such payee and its registered assigns).

         SECTION 2.08. Scheduled Amortization. (a) Subject to adjustment
pursuant to Section 2.08(c), the Borrower shall on each date set forth below
(or, if such date is not a Business Day, on the next preceding Business Day)
repay to the Administrative Agent (x) for the account of each Tranche A Lender
Tranche A Loans in an aggregate principal amount equal to the amount set forth
in Column 1

                                      36
<PAGE>   42

opposite such date and (y) for the account of each Tranche B Lender Tranche B
Loans in an aggregate principal amount equal to the amount set forth in Column
2 opposite such date.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                     COLUMN 1 -       COLUMN 2 -
                                      TRANCHE A        TRANCHE B
                    DATE               AMOUNT           AMOUNT
               <S>                  <C>              <C>
                   9/30/03          $ 3,750,000       $  312,500
                  12/31/03            3,750,000          312,500
                   3/31/04            3,750,000          312,500
                   6/30/04            3,750,000          312,500
                   9/30/04            6,250,000          312,500
                  12/31/04            6,250,000          312,500
                   3/31/05            6,250,000          312,500
                   6/30/05            6,250,000          312,500
                   9/30/05            7,500,000          312,500
                  12/31/05            7,500,000          312,500
                   3/31/06            7,500,000          312,500
                   6/30/06            7,500,000          312,500
                   9/30/06           15,000,000        5,312,500
                 Tranche A
               Maturity Date         15,000,000
                  12/31/06                             5,312,500
                   3/31/07                             5,312,500
                 Tranche B
               Maturity Date                           5,312,500
</TABLE>

         (b)      Any mandatory prepayment of Loans of either Class under
Section 2.09 will be applied to reduce the subsequent scheduled repayments of
the Loans of such Class to be made pursuant to this Section in inverse order of
maturity. Any optional prepayment of Loans of either Class shall be applied to
reduce the subsequent scheduled repayments of the loans of such Class to be
made pursuant to this Section ratably.

         (c)      If the aggregate outstanding principal amount of Tranche A
Loans on the Tranche A Availability Period End Date or Tranche B Loans on the
Tranche B Availability Period End Date is less than the initial aggregate
amount of the Commitments of such Class, the scheduled repayments of the Loans
of such Class shall be reduced ratably to an aggregate amount equal to the
aggregate amount of such Loans actually made.

         (d)      Before repaying any Loans of either Class pursuant to this
Section, the Borrower shall select the Borrowing or Borrowings of the
applicable Class to be repaid and shall notify the Administrative Agent by
telephone (confirmed by

                                      37
<PAGE>   43

telecopy) of such selection not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time,
three Business Days before the scheduled date of such repayment. Each such
repayment of a Borrowing shall be applied ratably to the Loans included in such
Borrowing and shall be accompanied by accrued interest on the amount repaid.

         SECTION 2.09. Optional and Mandatory Prepayments. (a) The Borrower
will have the right at any time to prepay any Borrowing in whole or in part (as
directed by the Borrower), subject to the requirements of this Section 2.09(a);
provided that no Tranche B Borrowing may be prepaid under this Section in whole
or in part prior to the date which falls on the first anniversary of the
Effective Date. Each partial prepayment of any Borrowing shall be in an amount
that would be permitted under Section 2.02(b) for a Borrowing of the same
Interest Type, except as needed to apply fully the required amount of a
mandatory prepayment or to repay in full the outstanding Loans of a Class. Each
prepayment shall be accompanied by accrued interest to the extent required by
Section 2.11 and any prepayment fee required by Section 2.10(b).

         (b)      If at any time the aggregate outstanding principal amount of
Tranche A Loans exceeds the Borrowing Base, the Borrower shall prepay Tranche A
Term Borrowings in an amount equal to such excess.

         (c)      Within five Business Days after any Net Proceeds are received
by or on behalf of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in respect of any Prepayment
Event described in clause (a) of the definition of "Prepayment Event", the
Borrower shall prepay Borrowings in an aggregate amount equal to such Net
Proceeds; provided that, if the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative
Agent a certificate of a Financial Officer to the effect that (i) the Borrower
and its Subsidiaries intend to apply the Net Proceeds from such event (or a
portion thereof specified in such certificate), within 180 days after receipt
of such Net Proceeds, to pay the cost of Telecommunication Assets to be used in
the business of the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor, (ii) the
Telecommunications Assets so acquired will be included in the Collateral at
least to the extent that the property affected by such Prepayment Event was
included therein and (iii) no Default has occurred and is continuing, then no
prepayment will be required pursuant to this subsection in respect of such Net
Proceeds (or the portion of such Net Proceeds specified in such certificate, if
applicable) except that, if any such Net Proceeds have not been so applied by
the end of such 180-day period, a prepayment will be required at that time in
an amount equal to the amount of such Net Proceeds that have not been so
applied. However, the Borrower will not be entitled to make elections pursuant
to the immediately preceding proviso with respect to Net Proceeds aggregating
more than $3,000,000 in any Fiscal Year.

         (d)      Within five Business Days after any Net Proceeds are received
by or on behalf of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in respect of any Prepayment
Event

                                      38
<PAGE>   44

described in clause (b) of the definition of "Prepayment Event", the Borrower
shall prepay Borrowings in an aggregate amount equal to such Net Proceeds;
provided that, if the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent a
certificate of a Financial Officer to the effect that (i) the Borrower and its
Subsidiaries intend to apply the Net Proceeds from such event (or a portion
thereof specified in such certificate), within 180 days after receipt of such
Net Proceeds, to repair, restore or replace the property with respect to which
such Net Proceeds were received, (ii) if such property is to be replaced, the
property acquired to replace it will be included in the Collateral at least to
the extent that the property to be replaced was included therein and (iii) no
Default has occurred and is continuing, then no prepayment will be required
pursuant to this subsection in respect of such Net Proceeds (or the portion of
such Net Proceeds specified in such certificate, if applicable) except that, if
any such Net Proceeds have not been so applied by the end of such 180-day
period, a prepayment will be required at that time in an amount equal to the
amount of such Net Proceeds that have not been so applied.

         (e)      Within five Business Days after any Net Proceeds are received
by or on behalf of a ConnectSouth Company in respect of any Prepayment Event
described in clause (d) of the definition of "Prepayment Event", (A) in the
case of Holdings, contemporaneously with the receipt thereof, Holdings shall
contribute such proceeds to the Borrower as a capital contribution and (B) in
the case of Borrower, contemporaneously with the receipt thereof, the Borrower
shall prepay Borrowings in an aggregate amount equal to, such Net Proceeds;
provided that, if the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent a
certificate of a Financial Officer to the effect that (i) the Borrower and its
Subsidiaries intend to apply up to 50% thereof from such event, within 180 days
after receipt of such Net Proceeds, to pay the cost of Telecommunication Assets
to be used in the business of the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor, (ii)
the Telecommunications Assets so acquired will be included in the Collateral
and (iii) no Default has occurred and is continuing, then no prepayment shall
be required in respect of the portion of such Net Proceeds specified in such
certificate, except that, if any such Net Proceeds have not been so applied by
the end of such 180-day period, a prepayment will be required at that time in
an amount equal to the amount of such Net Proceeds that have not been so
applied.

         (f)      Within five Business Days after any Net Proceeds are received
by or on behalf of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in respect of any Prepayment
Event (other than those described in clauses (a), (b) or (d) of the definition
of "Prepayment Event"), the Borrower shall prepay Borrowings in an aggregate
amount equal to such Net Proceeds.

         (g)      The Borrower shall prepay Borrowings in an aggregate amount
equal to 50% of Excess Cash Flow for each Fiscal Year commencing with the
Fiscal

                                      39
<PAGE>   45
Year ending December 31, 2002. Each such prepayment shall be made on or before
the date on which financial statements are delivered pursuant to Section 5.01
with respect to the relevant Fiscal Year (and in any event within 90 days after
the end of such Fiscal Year).

         (h)      Before any optional or mandatory prepayment of Borrowings
hereunder, the Borrower shall select the Borrowing or Borrowings to be prepaid
and shall specify such selection in the notice of such prepayment pursuant to
subsection (i) below. If any optional or mandatory prepayment of Loans is made
under this Section 2.09 at a time when Borrowings of both Classes remain
outstanding, the Borrower shall select Borrowings to be prepaid so that the
aggregate amount of such prepayment is allocated first to the Tranche A Loans
and second, when no Tranche A Loans are outstanding, to the Tranche B Loans.

         (i)      The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent by
telephone (confirmed by telecopy) of any prepayment of any Borrowing hereunder
(i) in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York
City time, three Business Days before the date of prepayment and (ii) in the
case of a Base Rate Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time,
one Business Day before the date of prepayment. Each such notice shall be
irrevocable and shall specify the prepayment date, the principal amount of each
Borrowing or portion thereof to be prepaid and, in the case of a mandatory
prepayment, a reasonably detailed calculation of the amount of such prepayment.

         (j)      Promptly after any Net Proceeds are received by or on behalf
of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in respect of any Prepayment Event, the
Borrower (i) shall give written notice to the Administrative Agent setting forth
in detail reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent the method used to
calculate the amount of such Net Proceeds and (ii) if an Event of Default shall
have occurred and be continuing, shall deposit an amount equal to such Net
Proceeds in its Collateral Account.

         (k)      Amounts deposited in the Borrower's Collateral Account
pursuant to this Section may be invested from time to time as provided in the
Security Agreement.

         SECTION 2.10. Fees. (a) The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative
Agent for the account of each Lender a commitment fee, which shall accrue at the
Applicable Rate on the average daily unused amount of each Commitment of such
Lender during the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding
the date on which such Commitment terminates. Accrued commitment fees will be
payable in arrears (i) on the last day of March, June, September and December of
each year and the day when the Commitments of the relevant Class terminate,
commencing on the first such day to occur after the date hereof, and (ii) on the

                                       40
<PAGE>   46

date of termination or expiration of the Commitments. All commitment fees will
be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and will be payable for the
actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last
day).

         (b)      If any Loan is prepaid by the Borrower pursuant to Section
2.09(a), the Borrower shall at the time of such prepayment pay to each affected
Lender in addition to any compensation payable under Section 2.14 a prepayment
fee in an amount equal to the amount prepaid multiplied by the Voluntary
Prepayment Fee Percentage.

         (c)      The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent, for its
own account, fees payable in the amounts and at the times separately agreed upon
by the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

         (d)      All fees payable hereunder shall be paid on the dates due, in
immediately available funds, to the Administrative Agent for distribution to the
Lenders entitled thereto. Fees paid shall not be refundable under any
circumstances.

         SECTION 2.11.  Interest.  (a) The Base Rate Loans of each Class shall
bear interest at the Alternate Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate for such
Class.

         (b)      The Loans comprising each Eurodollar Borrowing of each Class
shall bear interest for each Interest Period in effect for such Borrowing at the
Adjusted LIBO Rate for such Interest Period plus the Applicable Rate for such
Class.

         (c)      Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any principal of or interest
on any Loan or any fee or other amount payable by the Borrower hereunder is not
paid when due, whether at stated maturity, upon acceleration or otherwise, such
overdue amount shall bear interest, after as well as before judgment, at a rate
per annum equal to (i) in the case of principal or interest on any Loan, 2% plus
the rate applicable to such Loan as provided in the preceding subsections of
this Section, (ii) in the case of commitment fees in respect of a particular
Class of Commitments, 2% plus the rate applicable to Base Rate Loans of such
Class, and (iii) in the case of any other amount, 2% plus the rate applicable to
Base Rate Tranche B Loans.

         (d)      Interest accrued on each Loan shall be payable in arrears on
each Interest Payment Date for such Loan; provided that (i) interest accrued
pursuant to subsection (c) above shall be payable on demand, (ii) upon any
prepayment or repayment of any Loan, interest accrued on the principal amount
repaid shall be payable on the date of such repayment and (iii) upon any
conversion of a

                                       41
<PAGE>   47

Eurodollar Loan before the end of the current Interest Period therefor, interest
accrued on such Loan shall be payable on the effective date of such conversion.

         (e)      All interest hereunder will be computed on the basis of a year
of 360 days, except that interest computed by reference to the Alternate Base
Rate at times when the Alternate Base Rate is based on the Prime Rate will be
computed on the basis of a year of 365 days (or 366 days in a leap year), and in
each case will be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the
first day but excluding the last day). Each applicable Alternate Base Rate or
Adjusted LIBO Rate shall be determined by the Administrative Agent, and its
determination thereof will be conclusive absent manifest error.

         SECTION 2.12.  Alternate Rate of Interest.  If before the beginning of
any Interest Period for a Eurodollar Borrowing:

                  (i)      the Administrative Agent determines (which
         determination will be conclusive absent manifest error) that adequate
         and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining the Adjusted LIBO
         Rate for such Interest Period; or

                  (ii)     Lenders whose Loans to be included in such Borrowing
         aggregate more than 50% thereof advise the Administrative Agent that
         the Adjusted LIBO Rate for such Interest Period will not adequately and
         fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of making or maintaining such
         Loans for such Interest Period;

then the Administrative Agent shall give notice thereof to the Borrower and the
Lenders by telephone or telecopy as promptly as practicable thereafter and,
until the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower and the Lenders that the
circumstances giving rise to such notice no longer exist, (i) any Interest
Election that requests the conversion of any Borrowing to, or continuation of
any Borrowing as, a Eurodollar Borrowing will be ineffective and (ii) if any
Borrowing Request requests a Eurodollar Borrowing, such Borrowing will be made
as a Base Rate Borrowing.

         SECTION 2.13.  Increased Costs.  (a) If any Change in Law shall:

                  (i)      impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve,
         special deposit or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with
         or for the account of, or credit extended by, any Lender (except any
         such reserve requirement reflected in the Adjusted LIBO Rate); or

                  (ii)     impose on any Lender or the London interbank market
         any other condition affecting this Agreement or Loans made by such
         Lender;

                                       42
<PAGE>   48

and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such
Lender of making or maintaining any Loan (or of maintaining its obligation to
make Loans) or to reduce any amount received or receivable by such Lender
hereunder (whether of principal, interest or otherwise), then the Borrower shall
pay to such Lender such additional amount or amounts as will compensate it for
such additional cost incurred or reduction suffered.

         (b)      If any Lender determines that any Change in Law regarding
capital requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return
on such Lender's capital or on the capital of such Lender's holding company, if
any, as a consequence of this Agreement or the Loans made by, such Lender to a
level below that which such Lender or such Lender's holding company could have
achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender's
policies and the policies of such Lender's holding company with respect to
capital adequacy), then from time to time the Borrower shall pay to such Lender
such additional amount or amounts as will compensate it or its holding company
for any such reduction suffered.

         (c)      A certificate of a Lender setting forth the amount or amounts
necessary to compensate it or its holding company, as the case may be, as
specified in subsection (a) or (b) of this Section shall be delivered to the
Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay
such Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 10 days after
receipt thereof.

         (d)      Failure or delay on the part of any Lender to demand
compensation pursuant to this Section will not constitute a waiver of its right
to demand such compensation; provided that the Borrower will not be required to
compensate a Lender pursuant to this Section for any increased cost or reduction
incurred more than 180 days before it notifies the Borrower of the Change in Law
giving rise to such increased cost or reduction and of its intention to claim
compensation therefor. However, if the Change in Law giving rise to such
increased cost or reduction is retroactive, then the 180-day period referred to
above will be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof.

         SECTION 2.14. Break Funding Payments. If (i) any principal of any
Eurodollar Loan is repaid on a day other than the last day of an Interest Period
applicable thereto (including as a result of a mandatory prepayment or scheduled
repayment or an Event of Default), (ii) any Eurodollar Loan is converted on a
day other than the last day of an Interest Period applicable thereto, (iii) the
Borrower fails to borrow, convert, continue or prepay any Loan on the date
specified in any notice delivered pursuant hereto or (iv) any Eurodollar Loan is
assigned on a day other than the last day of an Interest Period applicable
thereto as a result of a

                                       43
<PAGE>   49

request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.17, then, in any such case, the
Borrower shall compensate each Lender for its loss, cost and expense
attributable to such event. In the case of a Eurodollar Loan, such loss, cost
and expense to any Lender shall be deemed to include an amount determined by
such Lender to be the excess, if any, of (A) the amount of interest that would
have accrued on the principal amount of such Loan had such event not occurred,
at the Adjusted LIBO Rate that would have been applicable to such Loan, for the
period from the date of such event to the end of the then current Interest
Period therefor (or, in the case of a failure to borrow, convert or continue,
the Interest Period that would have begun on the date of such failure), over (B)
the amount of interest that would accrue on such principal amount for such
period at the interest rate which such Lender would bid were it to bid, at the
beginning of such period, for dollar deposits of a comparable amount and period
from other banks in the eurodollar market. A certificate of any Lender setting
forth any amount or amounts that such Lender is entitled to receive pursuant to
this Section shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent
manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender the amount shown as due on
any such certificate within 10 days after receipt thereof.

         SECTION 2.15. Taxes. (a) All payments by the Borrower under the Loan
Documents shall be made free and clear of and without deduction for any
Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes; provided that, if the Borrower shall be
required to deduct any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes from such payments, then
(i) the sum payable will be increased as necessary so that, after all required
deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under
this Section) are made, each relevant Lender Party receives an amount equal to
the sum it would have received had no such deductions been made, (ii) the
Borrower shall make such deductions and (iii) the Borrower shall pay the full
amount deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with
applicable law.

         (b)      In addition, the Borrower shall pay any Other Taxes to the
relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.

         (c)      The Borrower shall indemnify each Lender Party, within 10 days
after written demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes or
Other Taxes paid by such Lender Party on or with respect to any payment by or on
account of any obligation of the Borrower under the Loan Documents (including
Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to
amounts payable under this Section) and any penalties, interest and reasonable
expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such
Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted
by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such
payment or liability delivered to the Borrower by a Lender Party on its own

                                       44
<PAGE>   50

behalf, or by the Administrative Agent on behalf of a Lender Party, shall be
conclusive absent manifest error.

         (d)      As soon as practicable after the Borrower pays any Indemnified
Taxes or Other Taxes to a Governmental Authority, the Borrower shall deliver to
the Administrative Agent the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by
such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of the return
reporting such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory
to the Administrative Agent.

         (e)      Any Foreign Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or
reduction of withholding tax under the laws of the United States, or any treaty
to which the United States is a party, with respect to payments under this
Agreement shall deliver to the Borrower (with a copy to the Administrative
Agent), at the time or times prescribed by applicable law, such properly
completed and executed documentation prescribed by applicable law or reasonably
requested by the Borrower as will permit such payments to be made without
withholding or at a reduced rate, provided that such Foreign Lender has received
written notice from the Borrower advising it of the availability of such
exemption or reduction and supplying all applicable documentation. If any such
Foreign Lender becomes subject to any Tax because it fails to comply with this
subsection as and when prescribed by applicable law, the Borrower shall take
such steps as such Foreign Lender shall reasonably request to assist such
Foreign Lender to recover such Tax.

         SECTION 2.16. Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-
offs. (a) The Borrower shall make each payment required to be made by it under
the Loan Documents (whether of principal, interest or fees, or amounts payable
under Section 2.13, 2.14 or 2.15 or otherwise) before the time expressly
required under the relevant Loan Document for such payment (or, if no such time
is expressly required, before 12:00 noon, New York City time), on the date when
due, in immediately available funds, without set-off or counterclaim. Any amount
received after such time on any day may, in the discretion of the Administrative
Agent, be deemed to have been received on the next succeeding Business Day for
purposes of calculating interest thereon. All such payments shall be made to the
Administrative Agent at its offices at 1585 Broadway, New York, New York, except
that payments pursuant to Sections 2.13, 2.14, 2.15 and 9.03 shall be made
directly to the Persons entitled thereto and payments pursuant to other Loan
Documents shall be made to the Persons specified therein. The Administrative
Agent shall distribute any such payment received by it for the account of any
other Person to the appropriate recipient promptly following receipt thereof. If
any payment under any Loan Document shall be due on a day that is not a Business
Day, the date for payment will be extended to the next succeeding Business Day
and, if such payment accrues interest, interest thereon will be

                                       45
<PAGE>   51

payable for the period of such extension.  All payments under each Loan
Document shall be made in dollars.

         (b)      If at any time insufficient funds are received by and
available to the Administrative Agent to pay fully all amounts of principal,
interest and fees then due hereunder, such funds shall be applied (i) first, to
pay interest and fees then due hereunder, ratably among the parties entitled
thereto in accordance with the amounts of interest and fees then due to such
parties, and (ii) second, to pay principal then due hereunder, ratably among the
parties entitled thereto in accordance with the amounts of principal then due to
such parties.

         (c)      If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of set-off or
counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of or
interest on any of its Loans resulting in such Lender receiving payment of a
greater proportion of the aggregate amount of its Loans and accrued interest
thereon than the proportion received by any other Lender, then the Lender
receiving such greater proportion shall purchase (for cash at face value)
participations in the Loans of other Lenders to the extent necessary so that the
benefit of all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably in
accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on
their respective Loans; provided that (i) if any such participations are
purchased and all or any portion of the payment giving rise thereto is
recovered, such participations shall be rescinded and the purchase price
restored to the extent of such recovery, without interest, and (ii) the
provisions of this subsection shall not be construed to apply to any payment
made by the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of
this Agreement or any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the
assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans to any assignee or
participant, other than to the Borrower or any Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof
(as to which the provisions of this subsection shall apply). The Borrower
consents to the foregoing and agrees, to the extent it may effectively do so
under applicable law, that any Lender acquiring a participation pursuant to the
foregoing arrangements may exercise against the Borrower rights of set-off and
counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were
a direct creditor of the Borrower in the amount of such participation.

         (d)      Unless, before the date on which any payment is due to the
Administrative Agent for the account of one or more Lender Parties hereunder,
the Administrative Agent receives from the Borrower notice that the Borrower
will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that the
Borrower has made such payment on such date in accordance herewith and may, in
reliance upon such assumption, distribute to each relevant Lender Party the
amount due to it. In such event, if the Borrower has not in fact made such
payment, each Lender Party severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent
forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender Party with interest

                                       46
<PAGE>   52

thereon, for each day from and including the day such amount is distributed to
it to but excluding the day it repays the Administrative Agent, at the greater
of the Federal Funds Effective Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative
Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.

         (e)      If any Lender fails to make any payment required to be made by
it pursuant to Section 2.04(b), 2.16(d) or 9.03(c), the Administrative Agent
may, in its discretion (notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof), apply
any amounts thereafter received by the Administrative Agent for the account of
such Lender to satisfy such Lender's obligations under such Sections until all
such unsatisfied obligations are fully paid.

         SECTION 2.17. Lender's Obligation to Mitigate; Replacement of Lenders.
(a) If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.13, or if the Borrower
is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental
Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.15, then such
Lender shall use reasonable efforts to designate a different lending office for
funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations
hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment
of such Lender, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce
amounts payable pursuant to Section 2.13 or 2.15, as the case may be, in the
future, (ii) would not subject such Lender to any unreimbursed cost or expense
and (iii) would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender. The Borrower
shall pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection
with any such designation or assignment.

         (b)      If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.13, or if
the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any
Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.15,
or if any Lender defaults in its obligation to fund Loans hereunder, then the
Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the
Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign, without recourse (in
accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in Section 9.04), all
its interests, rights and obligations under this Agreement to an assignee that
shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender
accepts such assignment); provided that (i) the Borrower shall have received the
prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, which consent shall not
unreasonably be withheld, (ii) such Lender shall have received payment of an
amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans, accrued interest
thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder, from the
assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and
fees) or the Borrower (in the case of all other amounts) and (iii) in the case
of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section
2.13 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 2.15, such assignment
will

                                       47
<PAGE>   53

result in a material reduction in such compensation or payments. A Lender shall
not be required to make any such assignment if, prior thereto, as a result of a
waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrower to
require such assignment cease to apply.

                                    ARTICLE 3
                         REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

       Each of Holdings and the Borrower represents and warrants to the Lender
Parties that:

       SECTION 3.01. Organization; Powers. Each Credit Party is duly organized,
validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its
organization, has all requisite power and authority to carry on its business as
now conducted and, except where failures to do so, in the aggregate, could not
reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, is qualified to
do business in, and is in good standing in, every jurisdiction where such
qualification is required.

       SECTION 3.02. Authorization; Enforceability. The Financing Transactions
to be entered into by each Credit Party are within such Credit Party's corporate
or partnership powers and have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate
or partnership and, if required, stockholder or member action. This Agreement
has been duly executed and delivered by each of Holdings and the Borrower and
constitutes, and each other Loan Document to which any Credit Party is to be a
party, when executed and delivered by such Credit Party, will constitute, a
legal, valid and binding obligation of Holdings, the Borrower or such Credit
Party, as the case may be, in each case enforceable in accordance with its
terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium
and other laws affecting creditors' rights generally and subject to general
principles of equity, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity
or at law.

       SECTION 3.03. Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts. The Financing
Transactions (a) do not require any consent or approval of, registration or
filing with, or other action by, any Governmental Authority, except (i) such as
have been obtained or made and are in full force and effect, (ii) filings
necessary to perfect the Transaction Liens and (iii) approvals referred to in
Schedule A to the Contribution Agreement required in connection with the
transfer of the equity of the Borrower from LLC to Holdings, (b) will not
violate any applicable law or regulation or the charter, by-laws or other
organizational documents of any Credit Party or any order of any Governmental
Authority, (c) will not violate or result in

                                       48
<PAGE>   54

a default under any indenture, agreement or other instrument binding upon any
Credit Party or its assets, or give rise to a right thereunder to require any
Credit Party to make any payment, and (d) will not result in the creation or
imposition of any Lien (other than the Transaction Liens) on any asset of any
Credit Party.

       SECTION 3.04. Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change. (a) The
Borrower has heretofore furnished to the Lenders (i) its consolidated balance
sheet as of December 31, 1999 and the related consolidated statements of income,
stockholders' equity and cash flows for the Fiscal Year then ended, reported on
by Ernst & Young LLC, independent public accountants, and (ii) its consolidated
balance sheet as of March 31, 2000 and the related consolidated statements of
income, stockholders' equity and cash flows for the Fiscal Quarter then ended,
all certified by its Financial Officer. Such financial statements present
fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Borrower and its
consolidated Subsidiaries as of such dates and their results of operations and
cash flows for such periods in accordance with GAAP, subject to normal year-end
adjustments and the absence of footnotes in the case of the statements referred
to in clause (ii) above.

         (b)      None of the Credit Parties has, as of the Effective Date, any
material contingent liabilities, unusual long-term commitments or unrealized
losses, except as disclosed in the financial statements referred to above or the
notes thereto and except for the Disclosed Matters.

         (c)      Since March 31, 2000, there has been no material adverse
change in the business, assets, operations, prospects or condition, financial or
otherwise, of the Credit Parties, taken as a whole.

         SECTION 3.05. Properties. (a) Each Credit Party has good title to, or
valid leasehold interests in, all its real and personal property material to its
business (including its Mortgaged Properties), except for Permitted Liens or
minor defects in title that do not materially interfere with its ability to
conduct its business as currently conducted or to utilize such properties for
their intended purposes.

         (b)      Each Credit Party owns, or is licensed to use, all trademarks,
tradenames, copyrights, patents and other intellectual property material to its
business, and the use thereof by the Credit Parties does not infringe upon the
rights of any other Person, except for infringements that, in the aggregate,
could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

         (c)      Schedule 3.05 sets forth the correct address and a brief
description of each real property that is owned or leased by the Borrower or any
Subsidiary as of the Effective Date.

                                       49
<PAGE>   55

         (d)      As of the Effective Date, no Credit Party has received notice
of, or has knowledge of, any pending or contemplated condemnation proceeding
affecting any Mortgaged Property or any sale or disposition thereof in lieu of
condemnation. Neither any Mortgaged Property nor any interest therein is subject
to any right of first refusal, option or other contractual right to purchase
such Mortgaged Property or interest therein.

         SECTION 3.06. Litigation and Environmental Matters. (a) Except for the
Disclosed Matters, there are no actions, suits or proceedings by or before any
arbitrator or Governmental Authority pending against or, to the knowledge of
Holdings or the Borrower, threatened against or affecting any Credit Party (i)
as to which there is a reasonable possibility of adverse determinations that, in
the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Effect or (ii) that involve any of the Loan Documents or the Financing
Transactions.

         (b)      Except for the Disclosed Matters and except to the extent that
the Environmental Liabilities of any ConnectSouth Company, taken as a whole,
that relate to or could result from the matters referred to in clauses (i)
through (vi), inclusive, would not exceed $2,000,000 for any one occurrence or
$5,000,000 in the aggregate:

                  (i)      no notice, notification, demand, request for
         information, citation, summons, complaint or order has been issued, no
         complaint has been filed, no penalty has been assessed and no
         investigation or review is pending, or to Holding's or the Borrower's
         knowledge, threatened by any governmental or other entity with respect
         to any (A) alleged violation by any ConnectSouth Company of any
         Environmental Law, (B) alleged failure by any ConnectSouth Company to
         have any environmental permit, certificate, license, approval,
         registration or authorization required in connection with the conduct
         of its business, (C) Regulated Activity or (D) Release of Hazardous
         Substances;

                  (ii)     other than generation in compliance with all
         applicable Environmental Laws, (A) no ConnectSouth Company has engaged
         in any Regulated Activity and (B) no Regulated Activity has occurred at
         or on any property now or previously owned, leased or operated by any
         ConnectSouth Company;

                  (iii)    no polychlorinated biphenyls, radioactive material,
         urea formaldehyde, lead, asbestos, asbestos-containing material or
         underground storage tank (active or abandoned) is or has been present
         at any property now or previously owned, leased or operated by any
         ConnectSouth Company;

                                       50
<PAGE>   56

                           (iv)     no Hazardous Substance has been Released
                  (and no written notification of such Release has been filed)
                  or is present (whether or not in a reportable or threshold
                  planning quantity) at, on or under any property now or
                  previously owned, leased or operated by any ConnectSouth
                  Company;

                           (v)      no property now or previously owned, leased
                  or operated by the Borrower or any Subsidiary or any property
                  to which any ConnectSouth Company has, directly or indirectly,
                  transported or arranged for the transportation of any
                  Hazardous Substances, is listed or, to the Borrower's
                  knowledge, proposed for listing, on the National Priorities
                  List promulgated pursuant to CERCLA, on CERCLIS (as defined in
                  CERCLA) or on any similar federal, state or foreign list of
                  sites requiring investigation or clean-up; and

                           (vi)     there are no liens under Environmental Laws
                  on any of the real property or other assets owned or leased by
                  any ConnectSouth Company, no government actions have been
                  taken or are in process which could subject any of such
                  properties or assets to such liens and neither the Borrower
                  nor any Subsidiary would be required to place any notice or
                  restriction relating to Hazardous Substances at any property
                  owned by it in any deed to such property.

                  (c)      There has been no environmental investigation, study,
audit, test, review or other analysis conducted of which the Borrower or
Holdings has knowledge in relation to the current or prior business of the
Borrower or any property or facility now or previously owned, leased or operated
by the any ConnectSouth Company which has not been delivered to the Lenders at
least five days prior to the date hereof.

                  (d)      For purposes of paragraphs (b) and (c), the term
"ConnectSouth Company" shall include any business or business entity (including
a corporation) which is a predecessor, in whole or in part, of any ConnectSouth
Company.

                  (e)      Since the date of this Agreement, there has been no
change in the status of the Disclosed Matters that, individually or in the
aggregate, has resulted in, or materially increased the likelihood of, a
Material Adverse Effect.

         SECTION 3.07. Compliance with Laws and Agreements. Each Credit Party is
in compliance with all laws, regulations and orders of any Governmental
Authority applicable to it or its property and all indentures, agreements and
other instruments binding on it or its property, except where failures to do so,
in the

                                       51
<PAGE>   57

aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Effect. No Default has occurred and is continuing.

         SECTION 3.08. Investment and Holding Company Status. No Credit Party is
(a) an "investment company" as defined in, or subject to regulation under, the
Investment Company Act of 1940 or (b) a "holding company" as defined in, or
subject to regulation under, the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935.

         SECTION 3.09. Taxes. Each Credit Party has timely filed or caused to be
filed all Tax returns and reports required to have been filed by it and has paid
or caused to be paid all Taxes required to have been paid by it, except (a) any
Taxes that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for
which the relevant Credit Party has set aside on its books adequate reserves or
(b) to the extent that failures to do so, in the aggregate, could not reasonably
be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

         SECTION 3.10. ERISA. No ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably
expected to occur that, when taken together with all other ERISA Events for
which liability is reasonably expected to occur, could reasonably be expected to
result in a Material Adverse Effect. Based on the assumptions used for purposes
of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 87, (i) with respect to each
Plan, the present value of the accumulated benefit obligations thereunder did
not, as of the date of the most recent financial statements reflecting such
amounts, exceed by more than $500,000 the fair market value of the assets
thereof, and (ii) with respect to all underfunded Plans in the aggregate, the
present value of all the accumulated benefit obligations thereunder did not, as
of such date, exceed by more than $500,000 the fair market value of all the
assets thereof.

         SECTION 3.11. Disclosure. The Borrower has disclosed to the Lenders all
agreements, instruments and corporate or other restrictions to which any Credit
Party is subject, and all other matters known to any of them (including, without
limitation, matters relating to the execution, termination, or modification of
any agreement), that, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be
expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Schedule 3.11 contains a true
and complete list of all such agreements, instruments and corporate or other
restrictions. None of the reports, financial statements, certificates or other
information furnished by or on behalf of any Credit Party to the Administrative
Agent or any Lender in connection with the negotiation of this Agreement or any
other Loan Document or delivered hereunder or thereunder (as modified or
supplemented by other information so furnished) contains any material
misstatement of fact or omits to state any material fact necessary to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading; provided that, with respect to projected financial
information, each of Holdings and the Borrower

                                       52
<PAGE>   58

represents only that such information was prepared in good faith based on
assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time.

         SECTION 3.12. Subsidiaries. Holdings does not have any subsidiaries
other than the Borrower and the Borrower's Subsidiaries. Schedule 3.12 sets
forth the name of, and the ownership interest of the Borrower in, each of its
Subsidiaries and identifies each Subsidiary that is a Guarantor, in each case as
of the Effective Date. All the Borrower's Subsidiaries are, and will at all
times be, fully consolidated in its consolidated financial statements. As of the
Effective Date, there are no outstanding stock purchase warrants, subscriptions,
options, securities, instruments or other rights of any type or nature
whatsoever, which are convertible into, exchangeable for, or otherwise provided
for or permit the issuance of capital stock of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries,
except as described in Schedule 3.12.

         SECTION 3.13. Insurance. Schedule 3.13 sets forth a description of all
insurance maintained by or on behalf of the ConnectSouth Companies as of the
Effective Date. As of the Effective Date, all premiums in respect of such
insurance have been paid. Each of Holdings and the Borrower believes that the
insurance maintained by or on behalf of the ConnectSouth Companies is adequate.

         SECTION 3.14. Labor Matters. As of the Effective Date, there are no
strikes, lockouts or slowdowns against any ConnectSouth Company pending or, to
the knowledge of Holdings or the Borrower, threatened. The hours worked by and
payments made to employees of the ConnectSouth Companies have not been in
violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act or any other applicable Federal,
state, local or foreign law dealing with such matters, except to the extent that
violations, in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a
Material Adverse Effect. All payments due from any ConnectSouth Company, or for
which any claim may be made against any ConnectSouth Company, on account of
wages and employee health and welfare insurance and other benefits, have been
paid or accrued as a liability on the books of such ConnectSouth Company, except
to the extent that failure to make or accrue such payments, in the aggregate
could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The
consummation of the Financing Transactions will not give rise to any right of
termination or right of renegotiation on the part of any union under any
collective bargaining agreement by which any ConnectSouth Company is bound.

         SECTION 3.15. Solvency. Immediately after the Financing Transactions to
occur on the Effective Date are consummated and after giving effect to the
application of the proceeds of each Loan made on the Effective Date, (a) the
fair value of the assets of each Credit Party, at a fair valuation, will exceed
its debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise; (b) the
present fair saleable

                                       53
<PAGE>   59

value of the property of each Credit Party will exceed the amount that will be
required to pay the probable liability of its debts and other liabilities,
subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and other liabilities
become absolute and matured; (c) each Credit Party will be able to pay its debts
and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and
liabilities become absolute and matured; and (d) no Credit Party will have
unreasonably small capital with which to conduct the business in which it is
engaged as such business is now conducted and proposed to be conducted after the
Effective Date.

         SECTION 3.16. Communications Regulatory Matters. (a) Schedule 3.16
hereto sets forth, as of the Effective Date, a true and complete list of the
following information for each Communications License issued to any Credit
Party: (i) for all Communications Licenses, the name of the licensee, the type
of service and the expiration dates; and (ii) for each PUC Authorization, the
geographic area covered by such PUC Authorization, the services that may be
provided thereunder and the expiration date, if any.

         (b)      No Credit Party is in violation of any Communications Law
applicable thereto, except to the extent that violations, in the aggregate,
could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The
Communications Licenses specified on Schedule 3.16 hereto are valid and in full
force and effect without conditions except for such conditions as are generally
applicable to holders of such Communications Licenses and except as set forth on
such Schedule. No event has occurred and is continuing in respect of such
Communications Licenses which could reasonably be expected to result in a
Material Adverse Effect. The Company has no reason to believe and has no
knowledge that any Communications Licenses will not be approved or renewed, as
applicable, in the ordinary course.

         (c)      All of the Network Facilities and other material properties,
equipment and systems owned or leased by any Credit Party are, and (to the best
knowledge of the Borrower) all such property, equipment and systems to be
acquired or added in connection with any contemplated system expansion or
construction will be, in good repair, working order and condition (reasonable
wear and tear excepted) and are and will be in compliance with all terms and
conditions of the Communications Licenses and all standards or rules imposed by
applicable Communications Law and any Governmental Authority or as imposed under
any agreements with telephone companies and customers, except to the extent that
failures to be in such condition or compliance, in the aggregate, could not
reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

         (d)      Each Credit Party has paid all franchise, license or other
fees and charges which have become due pursuant to any Governmental Approval in
respect of their business and have made appropriate provision as is required by

                                       54
<PAGE>   60

GAAP for any fees and charges which have accrued, except to the extent that
failures to pay or make such provision, in the aggregate, could not reasonably
be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

                                    ARTICLE 4
                                   CONDITIONS

         SECTION 4.01. Effective Date. The Effective Date hereunder shall occur
on June 13, 2000, provided each of the following conditions is satisfied on (or,
in the case of clause (e) below, within one day after) June 13, 2000:

         (a)      The Administrative Agent (or its counsel) shall have received
from each party hereto either (i) a counterpart of this Agreement signed on
behalf of such party or (ii) written evidence satisfactory to the Administrative
Agent (which may include telecopy transmission of a signed signature page of
this Agreement) that such party has signed a counterpart of this Agreement.

         (b)      The Administrative Agent shall have received favorable written
opinions (addressed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders and dated the
Effective Date) of each of (i) counsel for the Borrower, substantially in the
form of Exhibit B-1, (ii) special regulatory counsel for the Borrower,
substantially in the form of Exhibit B-2 and (iii) local counsel in each
jurisdiction where a Mortgaged Property is located, substantially in the form of
Exhibit B-3, covering in the case of each opinion required by this subsection
such other matters relating to the Credit Parties, the Loan Documents or the
Financing Transactions as the Required Lenders shall reasonably request. Each of
Holdings and the Borrower requests such counsel to deliver such opinions.

         (c)      The Administrative Agent shall have received such documents
and certificates as the Administrative Agent or its counsel may reasonably
request relating to the organization, existence and good standing of each Credit
Party, the authorization of the Financing Transactions and any other legal
matters relating to the Credit Parties, the Loan Documents or the Financing
Transactions, all in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent
and its counsel.

         (d)      The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate,
dated the Effective Date and signed by the President, a Vice President or a
Financial Officer of the Borrower, confirming compliance with the conditions set
forth in clauses (b) and (c) of Section 4.02.

                                       55
<PAGE>   61

         (e)      The Credit Parties shall have paid all fees and other amounts
due and payable to the Lender Parties on or before the Effective Date,
including, to the extent invoiced, all out-of-pocket expenses (including fees,
charges and disbursements of counsel) required to be reimbursed or paid by any
Credit Party under the Loan Documents.

         (f)      The Collateral and Guarantee Requirement shall have been
satisfied and the Administrative Agent shall have received a completed
Perfection Certificate dated the Effective Date and signed by an executive
officer or Financial Officer of the Borrower, together with all attachments
contemplated thereby, including the results of a search of the Uniform
Commercial Code (or equivalent) filings made with respect to the Credit Parties
in the jurisdictions contemplated by the Perfection Certificate and copies of
the financing statements (or similar documents) disclosed by such search and
evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent that the Liens
indicated by such financing statements (or similar documents) are permitted by
Section 6.02 or have been released.

         (g)      The Administrative Agent shall have received evidence that all
insurance required by Section 5.07 is in effect.

         (h)      (i) LLC shall have received gross cash proceeds of at least
$71,653,000 from the Equity Financing, and (ii) LLC shall have contributed all
such cash proceeds to the Borrower as a capital contribution.

         (i)      After giving effect to the Financing Transactions, no
ConnectSouth Company shall have outstanding any shares of preferred stock or any
Debt, except (i) Debt incurred under the Loan Documents, and (ii) Debt existing
on the Effective Date and listed on Schedule 6.01.

         (j)      The Administrative Agent shall have received a solvency
certificate, in form and substance satisfactory to the Lenders, from Financial
Officer, with respect to the solvency of the Credit Parties after giving effect
to the Financing Transactions.

         (k)      The Administrative Agent shall have received a completed
Borrowing Base Certificate dated the Effective Date and signed by a Financial
Officer of the Borrower.

         (l)      The Administrative Agent shall have received on behalf of each
Lender that has so requested at least three Business Days prior to the Effective
Date, a Note duly executed by the Borrower and payable to the order of such
Lender.

                                       56
<PAGE>   62

Promptly after the Effective Date occurs, the Administrative Agent shall notify
the Borrower and the Lenders thereof, and such notice shall be conclusive and
binding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the obligations of the Lenders to make
Loans hereunder shall not become effective unless each of the foregoing
conditions is satisfied (or waived pursuant to Section 9.02) at or before 5:00
p.m., New York City time, on June 15, 2000 (and, if such conditions are not so
satisfied or waived, the Commitments shall terminate at such time).

         SECTION 4.02. Each Extension of Credit. The obligation of each Lender
to make a Loan on the occasion of any Borrowing is subject to receipt of the
Borrower's request therefor in accordance herewith and to the satisfaction of
the following conditions:

         (a)      The Effective Date shall have occurred on or prior to June 15,
2000.

         (b)      The representations and warranties of each Credit Party set
forth in the Loan Documents shall be true on and as of the date of such
Borrowing in all material respects.

         (c)      At the time of and immediately after giving effect to such
Borrowing no Default shall have occurred and be continuing.

         (d)      The Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent
no later than 2 Business Days prior to the date of such Borrowing a Borrowing
Base Certificate setting forth the Borrowing Base as of a date not earlier than
2 Business Days prior to the date of such Borrowing (calculated giving effect to
the acquisition of Telecommunications Assets to be acquired with the proceeds of
the Loans included in such Borrowing).

Each Borrowing shall be deemed to constitute a representation and warranty by
Holdings and the Borrower on the date thereof as to the matters specified in
clauses (b) and (c) of this Section.

                                    ARTICLE 5
                              AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

         Until all the Commitments have expired or terminated and the principal
of and interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder have been paid in
full, each of Holdings and the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders
that:

                                       57
<PAGE>   63

         SECTION 5.01.  Financial Statements and Other Information.  The
Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender:

         (a)      within 90 days after the end of each Fiscal Year, its audited
consolidated and unaudited consolidating balance sheet as of the end of such
Fiscal Year and the related statements of operations, stockholders' equity and
cash flows for such Fiscal Year, setting forth in each case in comparative form
the figures for the previous Fiscal Year, all reported on by Ernst & Young LLC
or other independent public accountants of recognized national standing (without
a "going concern" or like qualification or exception and without any
qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit) as presenting fairly
in all material respects the financial position, results of operations and cash
flows of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis
in accordance with GAAP;

         (b)      within 45 days after the end of each of the first three Fiscal
Quarters of each Fiscal Year, its consolidated and consolidating balance sheet
as of the end of such Fiscal Quarter and the related statements of operations,
stockholders' equity and cash flows for such Fiscal Quarter and for the then
elapsed portion of such Fiscal Year, setting forth in each case in comparative
form the figures for the corresponding period or periods of (or, in the case of
the balance sheet, as of the end of) the previous Fiscal Year, all certified by
a Financial Officer as presenting fairly in all material respects the financial
position, results of operations and cash flows of the Borrower and its
consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP,
subject to normal year-end adjustments and the absence of footnotes;

         (c)      within 30 days after the end of each of the first two fiscal
months of each Fiscal Quarter, its consolidated and consolidating balance sheet
as of the end of such month and the related statements of operations and cash
flows for such fiscal month and for the then elapsed portion of the Fiscal Year,
and market operating statistics for such month in a form to be agreed between
the Administrative Agent, the Required Lenders and the Borrower, all certified
by a Financial Officer as presenting fairly in all material respects the
financial position, results of operations and cash flows of the Borrower and its
consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP,
subject to normal year-end adjustments and the absence of footnotes;

         (d)      concurrently with each delivery of financial statements under
clause (a) or (b) above, a certificate of a Financial Officer (i) certifying as
to whether a Default has occurred and, if a Default has occurred, specifying the
details thereof and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect
thereto, (ii) setting forth reasonably detailed calculations demonstrating
compliance with Sections 6.12 through 6.14 and (iii) stating whether any change
in GAAP or in the application thereof has occurred since the date of the
Borrower's most recent audited financial

                                       58
<PAGE>   64

statements referred to in Section 3.04 or delivered pursuant to this Section
and, if any such change has occurred, specifying the effect of such change on
the financial statements accompanying such certificate;

         (e)      concurrently with each delivery of financial statements under
clause (a) above, a certificate of the accounting firm that reported on such
financial statements stating whether during the course of their examination of
such financial statements they obtained knowledge of any Default (which
certificate may be limited to the extent required by accounting rules or
guidelines);

         (f)      within 15 days after the end of each calendar month, a
completed Borrowing Base Certificate calculating and certifying the Borrowing
Base as of the end of such calendar month, signed on behalf of the Borrower by a
Financial Officer;

         (g)      (x) at least 10 days before the beginning of each Fiscal Year,
a detailed consolidated budget for such Fiscal Year (including a projected
consolidated balance sheet and related statements of projected operations and
cash flows as of the end of and for each Fiscal Quarter of such Fiscal Year and
setting forth the assumptions used in preparing such budget) and, promptly when
available, any significant revisions of such budget and (y) promptly when
available, any significant revisions of the Business Plan;

         (h)      promptly (x) after the same become publicly available, copies
of all periodic and other reports, proxy statements and other significant
materials filed by any ConnectSouth Company with the SEC, or any Governmental
Authority succeeding to any or all of the functions of the SEC, or with any
national securities exchange, or distributed by Holdings to its shareholders
generally, as the case may be and (y) copies of all periodic and other reports
and other materials distributed by any ConnectSouth Company to any creditor; and

         (i)      promptly following any request therefor, such other
information regarding the operations, business affairs and financial condition
of any ConnectSouth Company, or compliance with the terms of any Loan Document,
as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may reasonably request.

         SECTION 5.02.  Notices of Material Events.  Holdings and the Borrower
will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender prompt written notice
of the following:

         (a)   the occurrence of any Default;

         (b)   the filing or commencement of any action, suit or proceeding by
or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority against or affecting any

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<PAGE>   65

ConnectSouth Company or any Affiliate thereof that, if adversely determined,
could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;

         (c)      the occurrence of any ERISA Event that, alone or together with
any other ERISA Events that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to
result in liabilities of the ConnectSouth Companies in an aggregate amount
exceeding $1,000,000;

         (d)      Within ten Business Days after the receipt by any ConnectSouth
Company of notice that any Communications License has been lost or canceled,
copies of any such notice accompanied by a report describing the measures
undertaken by the ConnectSouth Companies to prevent such loss or cancellation
(and the anticipated impact, if any, that such loss or cancellation will have
upon the business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries); and

         (e)      any other development that results in, or could reasonably be
expected to result in, a Material Adverse Effect.

Each notice delivered under this Section shall be accompanied by a statement of
a Financial Officer or other executive officer of the Borrower setting forth the
details of the event or development requiring such notice and any action taken
or proposed to be taken with respect thereto.

         SECTION 5.03. Information Regarding Collateral. (a) Holdings or the
Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent prompt written notice of any
change in (i) any Credit Party's corporate name or any trade name used to
identify it in the conduct of its business or any Credit Party's chief executive
office, its jurisdiction of incorporation, its principal place of business, or
any office or facility at which Collateral owned by it is located (including the
establishment of any such new office or facility), (ii) any Credit Party's
identity or corporate structure or (iii) any Credit Party's Federal Taxpayer
Identification Number. Holdings and the Borrower will not effect or permit any
change referred to in the preceding sentence unless all filings have been made
under the Uniform Commercial Code and all other actions have been taken that are
required so that such change will not at any time materially and adversely
affect the validity, perfection or priority of any Transaction Lien on any of
the Collateral. The Borrower will also promptly notify the Administrative Agent
if any material portion of the Collateral is damaged or destroyed.

         (b)      Each year, at the time annual financial statements with
respect to the preceding Fiscal Year are delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a),
the Borrower will deliver to the Administrative Agent a certificate of a
Financial Officer and its chief legal officer (i) setting forth the information
required pursuant to Section A and B of the Perfection Certificate or confirming
that there has been no change in

                                       60
<PAGE>   66

such information since the date of the Perfection Certificate delivered on the
Effective Date or the date of the most recent certificate delivered pursuant to
this subsection and (ii) certifying that all Uniform Commercial Code financing
statements (including fixture filings, as applicable) or other appropriate
filings, recordings or registrations, including all refilings, rerecordings and
reregistrations, containing a description of the Collateral have been filed of
record in each governmental, municipal or other appropriate office in each
jurisdiction identified pursuant to clause (i) above to the extent necessary to
protect and perfect the Transaction Liens for a period of at least 12 months
after the date of such certificate (except as noted therein with respect to any
continuation statements to be filed within such period).

         SECTION 5.04. Existence; Conduct of Business. Each of Holdings and the
Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, do or cause to be
done all things necessary to preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect
its legal existence and the rights, licenses, permits, privileges, franchises,
patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade names material to the conduct of its
business; provided that the foregoing shall not prohibit any merger,
consolidation, liquidation or dissolution permitted under Section 6.03.

         SECTION 5.05. Performance and Payment of Obligations. Each of Holdings
and the Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries (a) to perform
all its obligations under all leases, agreements and other instruments entered
into in the conduct of its business where failure to do so could reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and (b) to pay its Debt and other
obligations, including Tax liabilities, before the same shall become delinquent
or in default, except where (i) the validity or amount thereof is being
contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, (ii) such ConnectSouth
Company has set aside on its books adequate reserves with respect thereto in
accordance with GAAP, (iii) such contest effectively suspends collection of the
contested obligation and the enforcement of any Lien securing such obligation
and (iv) the failure to make payment pending such contest could not reasonably
be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

         SECTION 5.06. Maintenance of Properties. Each of Holdings and the
Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, keep and maintain all
property material to the conduct of its business in good working order and
condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted.

         SECTION 5.07. Insurance. (a) Each of Holdings and the Borrower will,
and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, maintain with financially sound and
reputable insurance companies selected by the Borrower that customarily write
insurance for the risks covered thereby in the amounts contemplated thereby:

                                       61
<PAGE>   67

               (i)         all risk, property and boiler and machinery
         insurance, on a replacement cost basis, with respect to all personal
         property and real property for the full replacement value and
         containing no coinsurance penalty;

               (ii)        commercial general liability and/or umbrella
         liability insurance against claims for bodily injury, death or property
         damage for all operations, written on an occurrence basis with a
         combined single limit of at least $20,000,000 and including the broad
         form CGL endorsement;

              (iii)        business interruption insurance (including extra
         expense), insuring against loss of gross profits, continuing expenses
         and debt service payments, for a period of at least 12 months arising
         from any risks or occurrences required to be covered by insurance
         pursuant to clause (i) above, and providing coverage with a limit of at
         least $1,000,000, increasing to $3,000,000 on October 1, 2000,
         increasing to $9,000,000 on October 1, 2001, and increasing to
         $15,000,000 on October 1, 2002; and

              (iv)         such other insurance as may be required by law or as
         is usually carried by companies of established repute engaged in the
         same or similar business, and located in the same general areas as the
         Borrower and its Subsidiaries.

         (b)      Deductibles or self-insured retention shall not exceed
$500,000 for all risk, property and boiler and machinery policies, $500,000 for
commercial general liability policies or seven days for business interruption
policies.

         (c)      Risk property and boiler and machinery policies (and any
policies required to be maintained pursuant to subsection (d) below) maintained
with respect to any Collateral shall be endorsed or otherwise amended to include
(i) a non-contributing mortgage clause and lenders' loss payable clause, in each
case in favor of the Administrative Agent and providing for losses thereunder to
be payable to the Administrative Agent or its designee as sole loss payee, (ii)
a provision to the effect that neither the Borrower, the Administrative Agent
nor any other party shall be a coinsurer and (iii) such other provisions as the
Administrative Agent may reasonably require from time to time to protect the
interests of the Lenders. Commercial general liability policies shall be
endorsed to name the Administrative Agent as and all Lenders additional
insureds. Business interruption policies shall name the Administrative Agent as
sole loss payee. Each such policy referred to in this subsection also shall
provide that it shall not be canceled, modified or not renewed (i) by reason of
nonpayment of premium except upon at least 10 days' prior written notice thereof
by the insurer to the Administrative Agent (giving the Administrative Agent the
right to cure defaults in the payment of premiums) or (ii) for any other reason
except upon at

                                       62
<PAGE>   68

least 30 days' prior written notice thereof by the insurer to the Administrative
Agent. The Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent, prior to the
cancellation, modification or nonrenewal of any such policy of insurance, a copy
of a renewal or replacement policy (or other evidence of renewal of a policy
previously delivered to the Administrative Agent) together with evidence
satisfactory to the Administrative Agent of payment of the premium therefor.

         (d)      If at any time the area in which any property is located is
designated a "flood hazard area" in any Flood Insurance Rate Map published by
the Federal Emergency Management Agency (or any successor agency), the Borrower
shall obtain flood insurance in such total amount as the Administrative Agent or
the Required Lenders may from time to time require, and otherwise comply with
the National Flood Insurance Program as set forth in the Flood Disaster
Protection Act of 1973, as amended from time to time. If at any time the area in
which any property is located is designated a "Zone 1" area, the Borrower shall
obtain earthquake insurance in such total amount as the Administrative Agent or
the Required Lenders may from time to time require.

         SECTION 5.08. Casualty and Condemnation. The Borrower (a) will furnish
to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders prompt written notice of any
casualty or other insured damage to any material portion of the Collateral or
the commencement of any action or proceeding for the taking of any material
portion of the Collateral or material interest in the Collateral under power of
eminent domain or by condemnation or similar proceeding and (b) will ensure that
the Net Proceeds of any such event (whether in the form of insurance proceeds,
condemnation awards or otherwise) are collected and applied in accordance with
Section 2.09.

         SECTION 5.09. Books and Records; Inspection and Audit Rights. (a) Each
of Holdings and the Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to,
keep proper books of record and account in accordance with GAAP and in which
complete and correct entries are made of all dealings and transactions relating
to its business and activities. Each of Holdings and the Borrower will, and will
cause each of its Subsidiaries to, permit any representatives designated by the
Administrative Agent or any Lender, upon reasonable prior notice, to visit and
inspect its properties, to examine and make extracts from its books and records,
and to discuss its affairs, finances and condition with its officers and
independent accountants, all at such reasonable times and as often as reasonably
requested.

         (b)      The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to,
permit any representatives designated by the Administrative Agent (including any
consultants, accountants, lawyers and appraisers retained by the Administrative
Agent) to conduct evaluations and appraisals of the assets included in the
Borrowing Base and the Borrower's computation of the Borrowing Base, all at

                                       63
<PAGE>   69

such reasonable times and as often as reasonably requested. The Borrower shall
pay the reasonable fees and expenses of any representatives retained by the
Administrative Agent to conduct any such evaluation or appraisal. From and after
January 1, 2002, the Borrower agrees to modify or adjust the computation of the
Borrowing Base (which may include adjusting the items or value of
Telecommunications Assets included in the Borrowing Base) to the extent required
by the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders as a result of any such
evaluation or appraisal, provided that (A) no reduction of the Borrowing Base
shall be required to the extent attributable to a decrease in the book value of
any Telecommunication Assets constituting depreciation thereof and (B) for the
purpose of Section 2.09(b), the Borrowing Base shall be deemed to have been
modified or adjusted as permitted by this subsection 1 Business Day after
receipt by the Borrower of a written notice from the Administrative Agent at the
request of the Required Lenders setting forth the required modification or
adjustment.

         SECTION 5.10. Compliance with Laws and Licences. Each of Holdings and
the Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, (a) comply with
all laws (including Communications Laws), rules, regulations and orders of any
Governmental Authority applicable to it or its property, and (b) maintain and
comply with the conditions of all Communications Licences held by it, except in
either case where failures to do so, in the aggregate, could not reasonably be
expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

         SECTION 5.11. Use of Proceeds. The proceeds of the Loans will be used
only (a) to pay fees and expenses payable in connection with the Financing
Transactions, (b) to pay the cost of the Telecommunications Assets and (c) for
working capital and other general corporate purposes; provided that the proceeds
of the Tranche A Loans may be used for the purposes specified in clause (c) of
this Section only on and after the Leverage Ratio Trigger Date. No part of the
proceeds of any Loan will be used, directly or indirectly, for any purpose that
entails a violation of any of the Regulations of the Federal Reserve Board,
including Regulations U and X. For purposes of this Section, "LEVERAGE RATIO
TRIGGER DATE" means the first date on which the Borrower has delivered financial
information pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or (b) and the accompanying certificate
of a Financial Officer in each case evidencing that the Leverage Ratio as of the
last day of the most recently ended Fiscal Quarter is equal to or less than
10.0:1.

         SECTION 5.12. Additional Subsidiaries. If any additional Subsidiary is
formed or acquired after the Effective Date, the Borrower will, (i) promptly,
and in any event within 2 Business Days after the formation or acquisition of
such Subsidiary, notify the Administrative Agent and the Lenders thereof, and
(ii) within 10 Business Days after such Subsidiary is formed or acquired, cause
any Equity Interest in or Debt of such Subsidiary owned by or on behalf of any
Credit

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<PAGE>   70

Party to be added to the Collateral. If such Subsidiary is a wholly owned
Subsidiary and is not prohibited by applicable law or regulation from
guaranteeing the Borrower's obligations hereunder, the Borrower shall cause the
Collateral and Guarantee Requirement to be satisfied with respect to such
Subsidiary (including without limitation by causing such Subsidiary to execute a
Security Agreement Supplement), whereupon such Subsidiary will become a
"Subsidiary Guarantor" and "Lien Grantor" (as defined in the Security Agreement)
for purposes of the Loan Documents.

         SECTION 5.13. Further Assurances. (a) Each of Holdings and the Borrower
will, within 10 Business Days of receiving a written request from the
Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders, cause each Subsidiary Guarantor to
execute and deliver any and all further documents, financing statements,
agreements and instruments, and take all such further actions (including the
filing and recording of financing statements, fixture filings, mortgages, deeds
of trust and other documents), that may be required under any applicable law, or
that the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders may reasonably request, to
cause the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement to be and remain satisfied, all
at the Borrower's expense. Holdings and the Borrower will provide to the
Administrative Agent, from time to time within 10 Business Days of receiving a
request, evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent as to the
perfection and priority of the Transaction Liens created or intended to be
created by the Security Documents.

         (b)      If any material assets (including any real property or
improvements thereto or any interest therein) are acquired by the Borrower or
any Subsidiary Guarantor after the Effective Date (other than assets
constituting Collateral that become subject to Transaction Liens upon
acquisition thereof), the Borrower will notify the Administrative Agent and the
Lenders thereof, and, if requested by the Administrative Agent or the Required
Lenders, Holdings and the Borrower will cause such assets to be subjected to a
Transaction Lien securing the Secured Obligations and will take, and cause the
relevant Subsidiary Guarantor to take, such actions as shall be necessary or
reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent to grant and perfect or record
such Transaction Lien, including actions described in subsection (a) above, all
at the Borrower's expense; provided that (x) neither Holdings nor the Borrower
shall be required to take any such action with respect to any real property or
any improvements thereto or any interest therein to the extent the aggregate
fair market value of all such real property, improvements and interests acquired
or made in any Fiscal Year does not exceed $100,000 and (y) Holding and the
Borrower shall take such action with respect to any property acquired or leased
after the Effective Date on which a data center is located whether or not it has
been requested to do so.

                                       65

<PAGE>   71
         (c)      Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, (i) the
Borrower shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Collateral and
Guarantee Requirement to be and remain satisfied with respect to the property
located at 9600 Great Hills Trail, Suite 100E, Austin, Texas 78759 for so long
as the data center in existence on the Effective Date continues to be located
there, and (ii) on or before September 30, 2000, the Borrower shall have
satisfied the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement with respect to at least one
property on which a data center capable of handling all traffic on the
Borrower's network on an ongoing basis is located.

         SECTION 5.14. Interest Rate Protection. On the last day of each Fiscal
Quarter, the Borrower shall be a party to one or more interest rate protection
agreements (each an "INTEREST RATE PROTECTION AGREEMENT") on such terms and with
such parties as shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent,
the effect of which shall be to fix or limit at any time for a period of at
least three years after such day the interest cost to the Borrower with respect
to at least 50% of the principal amount of the Tranche A Loans outstanding as of
such day and at least 50% of the principal amount of the Tranche B Loans
outstanding as of such day.

                                    ARTICLE 6
                               NEGATIVE COVENANTS

         Until all the Commitments have expired or terminated and the principal
of and interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder have been paid in
full, each of Holdings and the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders
that:

         SECTION 6.01. Debt; Certain Equity Issuances; Lease Obligations.
(a) The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, create, incur,
assume or permit to exist any Debt, except:

                  (i)      Debt created under the Loan Documents;

                  (ii)     Debt existing on the date hereof and listed in
         Schedule 6.01 and extensions, renewals and replacements of any such
         Debt that do not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof or
         result in an earlier maturity date or decreased weighted average life
         thereof;

                  (iii)    Debt incurred in connection with an Interest Rate
         Protection Agreement required pursuant to Section 5.14;

                                      66
<PAGE>   72

                  (iv)     (x) Debt of the Borrower to any Subsidiary and Debt
         of any Subsidiary to the Borrower or any other Subsidiary; provided
         that Debt of any Subsidiary that is not a Credit Party to the Borrower
         or any Subsidiary Guarantor shall be subject to Section 6.04 and (y)
         Debt of the Borrower to Holdings consisting of loans made by Holdings
         to the Borrower with the proceeds of any Debt of Holdings described in
         Section 6.01(b)(ii) or any issuance and sale of Equity Interests by
         Holdings;

                  (v)      Guarantees by the Borrower of Debt of any Subsidiary
         and Guarantees by any Subsidiary of Debt of the Borrower or any other
         Subsidiary; provided that Guarantees by the Borrower or any Subsidiary
         Guarantor of Debt of any Subsidiary that is not a Credit Party shall be
         subject to Section 6.04;

                  (vi)     unsecured subordinated Debt of the Borrower owed to
         any shareholder of Holdings or any member of the Investor Group (or any
         Affiliate of such shareholder or member), so long as (1) such Debt (x)
         has a final maturity date no earlier than the date which is 12 months
         after the Tranche B Maturity Date and requires no prepayments or
         repayments prior to such date, (y) is subordinated to the Loans and the
         other obligations of the Borrower under the Loan Documents and Interest
         Rate Protection Agreements on terms and conditions reasonably
         satisfactory to the Required Lenders and (z) otherwise has terms and
         conditions (including without limitation interest rate, covenants and
         events of default) that are reasonably satisfactory to the Required
         Lenders, and (2) the aggregate principal amount of such Debt plus the
         aggregate principal amount of Debt of Holdings incurred in reliance on
         clause (ii) of Section 6.01(b) does not exceed at any time $5,000,000
         (determined on a consolidated basis);

                  (vii)    other Debt in aggregate principal amount not
         exceeding $7,500,000.

         (b)      Holdings will not create, incur, assume or permit to exist any
Debt except (i) Debt created under the Loan Documents and (ii) unsecured
subordinated Debt owed to any shareholder of Holdings or any Investor Member (or
any Affiliate of such shareholder or any Investor Member) so long as (1) such
Debt (x) has a final maturity date no earlier than the date which is 12 months
after the Tranche B Maturity Date and requires no prepayments or repayments
prior to such date, (y) is subordinated to the Loans and the other obligations
of the Borrower under the Loan Documents and Interest Rate Protection Agreements
on terms and conditions satisfactory to the Required Lenders and (z) otherwise
has terms and conditions (including without limitation interest rate, covenants
and events of default) satisfactory to the Required Lenders, (2)
contemporaneously with the receipt thereof, Holdings contributes all of the net
proceeds of such

                                       67
<PAGE>   73

subordinated debt (other than any such proceeds applied to satisfy any liability
of Holdings due and payable at such time and permitted to be incurred under
Section 6.03) to the Borrower (either by making a capital contribution or a
subordinated loan to the Borrower), and (3) the aggregate principal amount of
such Debt plus the aggregate principal amount of Debt of the Borrower incurred
in reliance on Section 6.01(a)(vi) does not exceed at any time $5,000,000
(determined on a consolidated basis).

         (c)      Neither Holdings nor the Borrower will, nor will they permit
any Subsidiary to, issue any preferred stock or other preferred Equity Interests
unless (x) in the case of any issuance by Holdings (other than any such issuance
described in clause (d)(v) of the definition of Prepayment Event), Holdings
shall have contributed to the Borrower (either by making a capital contribution
or a loan to the Borrower) all of the cash proceeds of any such issuance within
1 Business Day of the consummation thereof and (y) in the case of any issuance
by Holdings or the Borrower, the Borrower shall have complied with the
provisions of Section 2.09(e).

         (d)      Neither Holdings nor the Borrower will, nor will they permit
any Subsidiary to, incur or assume (whether pursuant to a Guarantee or
otherwise) any liability for rental payments under a lease with a lease term (as
defined in Financial Accounting Standards Board Statement No. 13, as in effect
on the date hereof) of five years or more, if after giving effect thereto, the
aggregate amount of minimum lease payments for which the Borrower and its
Subsidiary are liable will exceed $5,000,000 for any Fiscal Year under all such
leases (excluding Capital Leases).

         SECTION 6.02. Liens. (a) The Borrower will not, and will not permit any
Subsidiary to, create or permit to exist any Lien on any property now owned or
hereafter acquired by it, or assign or sell any income or revenues (including
accounts receivable) or rights in respect of any thereof, except:

                  (i)      Transaction Liens;

                  (ii)     Permitted Liens;

                  (iii)    any Lien on any property of the Borrower or any
         Subsidiary existing on the date hereof and listed in Schedule 6.02;
         provided that (A) such Lien shall not apply to any other property of
         the Borrower or any Subsidiary and (B) such Lien shall secure only
         those obligations which it secures on the date hereof and extensions,
         renewals and replacements thereof that do not increase the outstanding
         principal amount thereof;

                                       68
<PAGE>   74

                  (iv)     any Lien existing on any property before the
         acquisition thereof by the Borrower or any Subsidiary or existing on
         any property of any Person that becomes a Subsidiary after the date
         hereof before the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary; provided that
         (A) such Lien is not created in contemplation of or in connection with
         such acquisition or such Person becoming a Subsidiary, as the case may
         be, (B) such Lien will not apply to any other property of the Borrower
         or any Subsidiary and (C) such Lien will secure only those obligations
         which it secures on the date of such acquisition or the date such
         Person becomes a Subsidiary, as the case may be, and extensions,
         renewals and replacements thereof that do not increase the outstanding
         principal amount thereof; and

                  (v)      Liens on fixed or capital assets acquired,
         constructed or improved by the Borrower or any Subsidiary; provided
         that (A) the Debt secured by such liens is permitted by Section 6.01,
         (B) such Liens and the Debt secured thereby are incurred before or
         within 90 days after such acquisition or the completion of such
         construction or improvement, (C) the Debt secured thereby does not
         exceed 100% of the cost of acquiring, constructing or improving such
         fixed or capital assets and (D) such Liens will not apply to any other
         property of the Borrower or any Subsidiary; and

                  (vi)     Liens on any Telecommunications Assets securing the
         unpaid portion of the purchase price of such Telecommunications Assets,
         but only so long as (x) such unpaid portion does not constitute "Debt,"
         (y) such portion of the purchase price is not overdue and (z) such
         Liens terminate upon payment in full of the relevant purchase price.

         (b)      Holdings will not create or permit to exist any Lien on any
property now owned or hereafter acquired by it, or assign or sell any income or
revenues (including accounts receivable) or rights in respect thereof, except
Transaction Liens and Permitted Liens.

         SECTION 6.03. Fundamental Changes. (a) Neither Holdings nor the
Borrower will, nor will they permit any Subsidiary to, merge into or consolidate
with any other Person, or liquidate or dissolve, or permit any other Person to
merge into or consolidate with it, except that, if at the time thereof and
immediately after giving effect thereto no Default shall have occurred and be
continuing, (i) Holdings may merge with LLC, so long as (A) Holdings is the
surviving corporation to such merger, and (B) immediately before and after
giving effect to such merger, no Default has occurred and is continuing, (ii)
any Subsidiary may merge into the Borrower in a transaction in which the
Borrower is the surviving corporation, (iii) any Subsidiary may merge into any
Subsidiary in a transaction in which the surviving entity is a Subsidiary and
(if any party to such

                                       69
<PAGE>   75

merger is a Subsidiary Guarantor) is a Subsidiary Guarantor and (iv) any
Subsidiary (except a Subsidiary Guarantor) may liquidate or dissolve if the
Borrower determines in good faith that such liquidation or dissolution is in the
best interests of the Borrower and is not materially disadvantageous to the
Lenders; provided that any such merger involving a Person that is not a wholly
owned Subsidiary immediately before such merger shall not be permitted unless
also permitted by Section 6.04.

         (b)      The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to,
engage in any business except businesses of the types conducted by the Borrower
and its subsidiaries on the date of this Agreement and businesses reasonably
related thereto.

         (c)      Holdings will not engage in any business or activity except
owning all the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Borrower and
activities incidental thereto (including performing its obligations under the
Loan Documents). Holdings will not own or acquire any assets (except shares of
capital stock of the Borrower, cash, Permitted Investments, promissory notes
issued by members of management as payment for the purchase price of Equity
Interests in Holdings purchased by such members and promissory notes evidencing
any loan made by Holdings to the Borrower, and other assets with an aggregate
cost and fair market value of no more than $100,000) or incur any liabilities
(except liabilities under the Loan Documents, liabilities imposed by law,
including tax liabilities, liabilities in respect of preferred stock permitted
by Section 6.01(c), or unsecured subordinated Debt permitted pursuant to Section
6.01(b) and other liabilities incidental to its existence and permitted business
and activities).

         SECTION 6.04. Investments, Loans, Advances, Guarantees and
Acquisitions. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to,
purchase, hold or acquire (including pursuant to any merger with any Person that
was not a wholly owned Subsidiary before such merger) any Equity Interest in or
evidence of indebtedness or other security (including any option, warrant or
other right to acquire any of the foregoing) of, make or permit to exist any
loan or advance to, Guarantee any obligation of, or make or permit to exist any
investment or other interest in, any other Person, or purchase or otherwise
acquire (in one transaction or a series of transactions) any assets of any other
Person constituting a business unit, except:

                  (i)      Permitted Investments;

                  (ii)     investments existing on the date hereof or made
         pursuant to agreements in effect on the date hereof and listed on
         Schedule 6.04;

                                       70
<PAGE>   76

                  (iii)    investments by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in
         Equity Interests in Persons that are their respective Subsidiaries
         immediately prior to the date of any such investment; provided that (i)
         any such Equity Interest held by a Credit Party shall be pledged
         pursuant to the Security Agreement as required to satisfy clause (b) of
         the definition of "Collateral and Guarantee Requirement" and (ii) the
         aggregate amount of investments by Credit Parties in, and loans and
         advances by Credit Parties to, and Guarantees by Credit Parties of Debt
         of, Subsidiaries that are not Credit Parties (including all such
         investments, loans, advances and Guarantees existing on the Effective
         Date) shall not exceed $1,000,000 at any time outstanding;

                  (iv)     loans or advances made by the Borrower to any
         Subsidiary or made by any Subsidiary to the Borrower or any other
         Subsidiary; provided that the amount of such loans and advances made by
         Credit Parties to Subsidiaries that are not Credit Parties shall be
         subject to the limitation set forth in clause (iii) above;

                  (v)      loans or advances made by the Borrower to officers
         and employees in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $500,000
         at any time;

                  (vi)     Guarantees constituting Debt permitted by Section
         6.01; and

                  (vii)    investments received in connection with the
         bankruptcy or reorganization of, or settlement of delinquent accounts
         and disputes with, customers and suppliers, in each case in the
         ordinary course of business.

         SECTION 6.05. Asset Sales. The Borrower will not, and will not permit
any Subsidiary to, sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of any property,
including any Equity Interest owned by it, nor will the Borrower permit any
Subsidiary to issue any additional Equity Interest in such Subsidiary, except:

         (a)      sales of inventory, used or surplus equipment and Permitted
Investments in the ordinary course of business;

         (b)      sales, transfers and other dispositions to the Borrower or a
Subsidiary; provided that any such sales, transfers or dispositions involving a
Subsidiary that is not a Credit Party shall comply with Section 6.09; and

         (c)      sales, transfers and other dispositions of assets (except
Equity Interests in a Subsidiary) that are not permitted by any other clause of
this Section; provided that the aggregate fair market value of all assets sold,

                                       71
<PAGE>   77

transferred or otherwise disposed of in reliance on this clause shall not exceed
$1,000,000 during any Fiscal Year;

provided that all sales, transfers, leases and other dispositions permitted by
this Section (except those permitted by clause (b) above) shall be made for fair
value and for at least 80% cash consideration.

         SECTION 6.06. Sale and Leaseback Transactions. The Borrower will not,
and will not permit any Subsidiary to, enter into any arrangement, directly or
indirectly, whereby it shall sell or transfer any property, real or personal,
used or useful in its business, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, and
thereafter rent or lease such property or other property that it intends to use
for substantially the same purpose or purposes as the property sold or
transferred.

         SECTION 6.07. Hedging Agreements. The Borrower will not, and will not
permit any Subsidiary to, enter into any Hedging Agreement, except (a) Interest
Rate Protection Agreements and (b) Hedging Agreements entered into in the
ordinary course of business to hedge or mitigate risks to which the Borrower or
any Subsidiary is exposed in the conduct of its business or the management of
its liabilities.

         SECTION 6.08. Restricted Payments; Certain Payments of Debt. (a)
Neither Holdings nor the Borrower will, nor will they permit any Subsidiary to,
declare or make, or agree to pay or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted
Payment, or incur any obligation (contingent or otherwise) to do so, except that
(i) Holdings may declare and pay dividends with respect to its capital stock
payable solely in additional shares of its common stock, (ii) any wholly owned
Subsidiary of the Borrower may declare and pay dividends with respect to its
capital stock, (iii) at any time after the Contribution Date the Borrower and
Holdings may make Restricted Payments to Holdings or LLC (respectively) so long
as (x) Holdings and LLC (as applicable) applies the proceeds thereof to
repurchase its Equity Interests from employees, (y) immediately before and after
giving effect to any such Restricted Payment, no Default has occurred and is
continuing and (z) the aggregate amount of such Restricted Payments made on or
after the Effective Date does not exceed $1,000,000 and (iv) the Borrower and
Holdings may make Restricted Payments to Holdings or LLC (respectively) so long
as Holdings and LLC (as applicable) applies the proceeds thereof to pay (x) fees
and expenses directly associated with the Equity Financing or the Additional
Equity Financing, and (y) other fees and expenses of Holdings or LLC in an
aggregate amount not to exceed $500,000.

         (b)      Neither Holdings nor the Borrower will, nor will they permit
any Subsidiary to, make or agree to pay or make, directly or indirectly, any
payment or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) of
or in respect

                                      72
<PAGE>   78

of principal of or interest on any Debt, or any payment or other distribution
(whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or
similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement,
acquisition, cancellation or termination of any Debt, except:

                  (i)      payment of Debt created under the Loan Documents;

                  (ii)     payment of regularly scheduled interest and principal
         payments as and when due in respect of any Debt permitted by Section
         6.01 (other than any principal payments in respect of Debt permitted by
         Section 6.01(a)(vi) or Section 6.01(b)(ii));

                  (iii)    refinancings of Debt to the extent permitted by
         Section 6.01; and

                  (iv)     payment of secured Debt that becomes due as a result
         of the voluntary sale or transfer of the property securing such Debt to
         the extent such sale or transfer is permitted by Section 6.05.

         (c)      The Borrower will not enter into or be party to, or make any
payment under, any Synthetic Purchase Agreement except, in the case of any
Synthetic Purchase Agreement related to any Equity Interests, if (A) the
payments required to be made thereunder are limited to the amount permitted
under Section 6.08(a) and (B) the obligations of the Borrower thereunder are
subordinated to the Secured Obligations on terms satisfactory to the Required
Lenders. The Borrower shall promptly deliver to the Administrative Agent a copy
of any Synthetic Purchase Agreement to which it becomes party. The Borrower will
not permit any Subsidiary to enter into or be party to, or make any payment
under any Synthetic Purchase Agreement.

         SECTION 6.09. Transactions with Affiliates. Neither Holdings nor the
Borrower will, nor will they permit any Subsidiary to, sell, lease or otherwise
transfer any property to, or purchase, lease or otherwise acquire any property
from, or otherwise engage in any other transaction with, any of its Affiliates,
except (a) transactions in the ordinary course of business that do not involve
Holdings and are at prices and on terms and conditions not less favorable to the
Borrower or such Subsidiary than could be obtained on an arm's-length basis from
unrelated third parties, (b) transactions between or among the Borrower and the
Subsidiary Guarantors not involving any other Affiliate and not otherwise
prohibited hereunder and (c) any Restricted Payment permitted by Section 6.08.

         SECTION 6.10. Restrictive Agreements. Neither Holdings nor the Borrower
will, nor will they permit any Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, enter into
or permit to exist any agreement or other arrangement that prohibits,

                                       73
<PAGE>   79

materially restricts or imposes any material condition on (a) the ability of any
ConnectSouth Company to create or permit to exist any Lien on any of its
property, or (b) the ability of any Subsidiary to pay dividends or other
distributions with respect to any shares of its capital stock or to make or
repay loans or advances to the Borrower or any other Subsidiary or to Guarantee
Debt of the Borrower or any other Subsidiary; provided that (i) the foregoing
shall not apply to restrictions and conditions imposed by law or by any Loan
Document, (ii) the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions and conditions
existing on the date hereof identified on Schedule 6.10 (but shall apply to any
extension or renewal of, or any amendment or modification expanding the scope
of, any such restriction or condition), (iii) the foregoing shall not apply to
customary restrictions and conditions contained in agreements relating to the
sale of a Subsidiary pending such sale, provided that such restrictions and
conditions apply only to the Subsidiary that is to be sold and such sale is
permitted hereunder, (iv) clause (a) of this Section shall not apply to
restrictions or conditions imposed by any agreement relating to secured Debt
permitted by this Agreement if such restrictions or conditions apply only to the
property securing such Debt and (v) clause (a) of this Section shall not apply
to customary provisions in leases and other contracts restricting the assignment
thereof.

         SECTION 6.11. Amendment of Material Documents. Neither Holdings nor the
Borrower will, nor will they permit any Subsidiary to, amend, modify or waive
any of its rights under (a) (x) its certificate of incorporation, by-laws or
other organizational documents or (y) Interconnection Agreements, in any case in
a manner adverse to the Lenders, or (b) its other Material Agreements, in any
case in a manner materially adverse to the Lenders.

         SECTION 6.12. Capital Expenditures. (a) The Borrower will not permit
the aggregate amount of Capital Expenditures made in any Fiscal Year referred to
below to exceed the sum of:

               (i)         for each period set forth below, the amount set forth
         opposite such date;

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
PERIOD                                   AMOUNT
<S>                                    <C>
Fiscal Year ended 12/31/00             $97,500,000

1/1/01-6/30/01                         $13,300,000

Fiscal Year ended 12/31/01             $20,000,000

Fiscal Year ended 12/31/02             $17,500,000

Fiscal Year ended 12/31/03             $15,500,000
</TABLE>

                                      74
<PAGE>   80

<TABLE>
<S>                                    <C>
Fiscal Year ended 12/31/04             $22,000,000

Fiscal Year ended 12/31/05             $23,250,000

Fiscal Year ended 12/31/06             $23,000,000

Fiscal Year ended 12/31/07             $22,500,000

Fiscal Year ended 12/31/08             $22,000,000

Fiscal Year ended 12/31/09 and         $22,000,000
  thereafter
</TABLE>

       plus

                  (ii)     for each Fiscal Year ending after December 31, 2000,
         the excess (if any) of the amount of Capital Expenditures for the
         immediately preceding Fiscal Year specified pursuant to clause (i)
         above over the amount of Capital Expenditures actually made during such
         Fiscal Year pursuant to such clause (i) (without including any
         carryover amount from any prior Fiscal Year) up to a maximum amount
         equal to the lesser of (x) 15% of the projected Capital Expenditures
         set forth for such Fiscal Year in the Business Plan and (y) the amount
         of such excess; plus

                  (iii)    the amount of Excess Cash Flow not required to be
         applied to prepay Borrowings during such Fiscal Year; plus

                  (iv)     the aggregate amount of proceeds from the issuance of
         Equity Interests by, or cash capital contributions made to, the
         Borrower during such Fiscal Year, to the extent that the proceeds
         thereof are applied to make Capital Expenditures consisting of the
         purchase of Telecommunications Assets (such proceeds or capital
         contributions, "CAPEX EQUITY PROCEEDS").

                  (b) (i)  Except as set forth in clause (ii) below, the
         Borrower will not permit make any Capital Expenditures in any market
         other than a market contemplated by the Business Plan.

                  (ii)     The Borrower shall have the right to request the
         Lenders to approve a revised Business Plan (the "REVISED BUSINESS
         PLAN") to reflect the addition of up to 10 new markets (the "NEW
         MARKETS") from the proceeds of the Additional Equity Financing. If the
         Borrower wishes to do so, the Borrower shall give written notice of
         such request to the Administrative Agent, whereupon the Administrative
         Agent shall notify each Lender of such notice. Thereafter, but in any
         case no later than six months after the Effective Date, the Borrower
         shall provide to each

                                       75
<PAGE>   81

         Lender, through the Administrative Agent, the proposed Revised Business
         Plan prepared by the Borrower as well as any other information
         (financial or otherwise) any Lender shall request in order to evaluate
         the Borrower's request. The proposed Revised Business Plan shall (i) be
         prepared on the basis of the same assumptions as the Business Plan was
         prepared on (other than the assumption with respect to the number of
         markets and equity contributions), (ii) identify the New Markets, and
         (iii) provide and demonstrate that the proceeds of additional cash
         capital contributions by Holdings and/or the issuances of Equity
         Interests of Holdings or other sources of debt or equity financing
         which are permitted to be incurred by the Borrower pursuant to the
         terms hereof shall be contributed or unconditionally available to the
         Borrower until consolidated free cash flow is greater than zero. The
         Lenders shall review the Revised Business Plan, and shall negotiate
         with the Borrower in good faith for the purpose of agreeing to new
         covenant levels with respect to covenant levels set forth in Sections
         6.12 through 6.14 in a manner consistent with the methodology used to
         set such covenant levels as of the Effective Date. If agreement is
         reached in respect of such covenant levels and the Required Lenders
         respond affirmatively to such request then, effective on and as of the
         date of such response, the Borrower shall be permitted to make Capital
         Expenditures constituting purchases of Telecommunications Assets with
         respect to the New Markets, but only to the extent such Capital
         Expenditures are financed with the proceeds of the Additional Equity
         Financing. If the Revised Business Plan is submitted in accordance with
         the provisions set forth above, no fees or other compensation (except
         reasonable legal costs) shall be charged as a condition to the approval
         thereof by the Lender or the Administrative Agent.

         (c)      If any property acquired or constructed by any Credit Party
after the date hereof is not subject to a Transaction Lien, the Borrower will
cause such mortgages and other security documents to be executed and delivered
as may be necessary, or as the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders may
request, to subject such property to a Transaction Lien.

         SECTION 6.13. Stage One Covenants. During the Stage One Covenant
Period, the Borrower will not:

         (a)      for each Fiscal Quarter set forth below, permit Total Revenue
for the Fiscal Quarter then ended to be less than the amount set forth below
opposite such Fiscal Quarter:

                                       76
<PAGE>   82

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
     FISCAL QUARTER                           TOTAL REVENUE
     <S>                                      <C>
     9/30/00                                   $   265,000

     12/31/00                                  $ 1,700,000

     3/31/01                                   $ 6,275,000

     6/30/01                                   $11,200,000

     9/30/01                                   $14,700,000

     12/31/01                                  $18,330,000

     3/31/02                                   $22,400,000

     6/30/02                                   $25,830,000

     9/30/02                                    28,400,000

     12/31/02                                   33,120,000

     3/31/03                                    36,000,000

     6/30/03                                    37,450,000
</TABLE>

         (b)      on the last day each Fiscal Quarter set forth below, permit
the aggregate number of Central Office Locations in service to be less than the
number set forth below opposite such Fiscal Quarter:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
     FISCAL QUARTER                  CENTRAL OFFICE LOCATIONS
     <S>                             <C>
     9/30/00                         110

     12/31/00                        191

     3/31/01                         287

     6/30/01                         338

     9/30/01 and thereafter          338
</TABLE>

         (c)      for each Fiscal Quarter set forth below, permit negative
Consolidated EBITDA for the Fiscal Quarter then ended to be a larger negative
number (i.e. a more negative number) than the negative amount set forth below
opposite such Fiscal Quarter:

                                       77
<PAGE>   83

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
      FISCAL QUARTER                          NEGATIVE AMOUNT
      <S>                                     <C>
      9/30/00                                  $(14,900,000)

      12/31/00                                 $(19,500,000)

      3/31/01                                  $(17,200,000)

      6/30/01                                  $(12,000,000)

      9/30/01                                  $ (9,000,000)

      12/31/01                                 $ (6,500,000)

      3/31/02                                  $ (3,400,000)

      6/30/02                                  $   (630,000)
</TABLE>

         (d)      for each Fiscal Quarter set forth below, permit Consolidated
EBITDA for the Fiscal Quarter then ended to be less than the amount set forth
below opposite such Fiscal Quarter:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
      FISCAL QUARTER                             AMOUNT
      <S>                                      <C>
      9/30/02                                  $1,650,000

      12/31/02                                 $5,100,000

      3/31/03                                  $7,500,000

      6/30/03                                  $8,750,000
</TABLE>

         (e)      at any time, permit the ratio of Total Debt to Total
Capitalization to exceed 55%.

         SECTION 6.14. Stage Two Covenants. During the Stage Two Covenant
Period, the Borrower will not:

         (a)      Leverage Ratio. Permit the Leverage Ratio at any time during
any period set forth below to exceed the ratio set forth opposite such period:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                PERIOD                                   RATIO
  <S>                                                    <C>
  First day of Stage 2 Covenant Period-                  10.0:1
                6/29/03

            6/30/03-9/29/03                               8.0:1

           9/30/03-12/30/03                               3.6:1
</TABLE>

                                      78
<PAGE>   84

<TABLE>
         <S>                                             <C>
           12/31/03 - 3/30/04                            3.2:1

           3/31/04 - 6/29/04                             2.9:1

            6/30/04-9/29/04                              2.6:1

         9/30/04 and thereafter                          2.5:1
</TABLE>

         (b)      Interest Coverage Ratio. Permit the ratio of (i) Consolidated
EBITDA for any period of two consecutive Fiscal Quarters (subject to Section
6.15) ended on a date during any period set forth below, multiplied by two to
(ii) Consolidated Cash Interest Expense, in each case for any period of four
consecutive Fiscal Quarters (subject to Section 6.15) ending on any date during
any period set forth below, to be less than the ratio set forth below opposite
such period:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                PERIOD                                   RATIO
  <S>                                                    <C>
  First day of Stage 2 Covenant Period-                  1.25:1
                6/29/03

            6/30/03-9/29/03                              1.50:1

           9/30/03-12/30/03                              1.75:1

           12/31/03 - 3/30/04                            2.00:1

           3/31/04 - 6/29/04                             2.50:1

         6/30/04 and thereafter                          3.00:1
</TABLE>

         (c)      Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio. Permit the ratio of (a)
Consolidated EBITDA for any period of two consecutive Fiscal Quarters (subject
to Section 6.15) ended on a date during any period set forth below, multiplied
by two to (b) Consolidated Fixed Charges for any period of four consecutive
Fiscal Quarters (subject to Section 6.15) ending on any date during any period
set forth below, to be less than the ratio set forth below opposite such period:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                PERIOD                                 RATIO
         <S>                                           <C>
            6/30/03-9/29/03                             1.0:1

         9/30/03 and thereafter                        1.10:1
</TABLE>

                                       79

<PAGE>   85

         SECTION 6.15. Periods of Less Than Four Fiscal Quarters. If any
determination hereunder is required by the terms hereof to be made for a period
of four consecutive Fiscal Quarters at a time when fewer than four full Fiscal
Quarters have elapsed since the Effective Date, such determination shall be made
for the period elapsed from the Effective Date through the most recent Fiscal
Quarter then ended (annualized on a simple arithmetic basis, if such
determination is to be used in a ratio with a balance sheet item).

                                    ARTICLE 7
                                EVENTS OF DEFAULT

         If any of the following events ("EVENTS OF DEFAULT") shall occur:

         (a)      the Borrower shall fail to pay any principal of any Loan when
the same shall become due, whether at the due date thereof or at a date fixed
for prepayment thereof or otherwise;

         (b)      the Borrower shall fail to pay when due any interest on any
Loan or any fee or other amount (except an amount referred to in clause (a)
above) payable under any Loan Document, and such failure shall continue
unremedied for a period of two Business Days;

         (c)      any representation, warranty or certification made or deemed
made by or on behalf of any ConnectSouth Company in or in connection with any
Loan Document or any amendment or modification thereof or waiver thereunder, or
in any report, certificate, financial statement or other document furnished
pursuant to or in connection with any Loan Document or any amendment or
modification thereof or waiver thereunder, shall prove to have been incorrect in
any material respect when made or deemed made;

         (d)      (A) Holdings or the Borrower shall fail to observe or perform
any covenant or agreement contained in Section 5.01 (except Section 5.01(a) and
5.01(b)), 5.02, 5.04 (with respect to the existence of Holdings or the Borrower)
5.10, 5.11, 5.12 or 5.13 or in Article 6 or (B) LLC shall fail to observe or
perform any covenant or agreement contained in the LLC Letter Agreement;

         (e)      any Credit Party shall fail to observe or perform any covenant
or agreement contained in (i) Section 5.01(a), and such failure shall continue
unremedied for a period of 15 days, (ii) Section 5.01(b), and such failure shall
continue for a period of 5 days, (iii) Section 5.14, and such failure shall
continue unremedied for a period of 7 days or (iv) any Loan Document (other than
those

                                       80
<PAGE>   86

specified in clause (a), (b) or (d) above), and such failure shall continue
unremedied for a period of 30 days after notice thereof from the Administrative
Agent to the Borrower (which notice will be given at the request of any Lender);

         (f)      any ConnectSouth Company or LLC shall fail to make any payment
(whether of principal or interest and regardless of amount) in respect of any
Material Debt when the same shall become due, whether at the due date thereof or
at a date fixed for prepayment thereof or otherwise;

         (g)      any event or condition occurs that results in any Material
Debt becoming due before its scheduled maturity or that enables or permits (with
or without the giving of notice, the lapse of time or both) the holder or
holders of any Material Debt or any trustee or agent on its or their behalf to
cause any Material Debt to become due, or to require the prepayment, repurchase,
redemption or defeasance thereof, before its scheduled maturity; provided that
this clause shall not apply to secured Debt that becomes due as a result of a
voluntary sale or transfer of the property securing such Debt to the extent such
sale or transfer is permitted by Section 6.05;

         (h)      an involuntary proceeding shall be commenced or an involuntary
petition shall be filed seeking (i) liquidation, reorganization or other relief
in respect of any ConnectSouth Company or LLC or its debts, or of a substantial
part of its assets, under any Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency,
receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect or (ii) the appointment
of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official
for any ConnectSouth Company or LLC or for a substantial part of its assets,
and, in any such case, such proceeding or petition shall continue undismissed
for 60 days or an order or decree approving or ordering any of the foregoing
shall be entered;

         (i)      any ConnectSouth Company or LLC shall (i) voluntarily commence
any proceeding or file any petition seeking liquidation, reorganization or other
relief under any Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership
or similar law now or hereafter in effect, (ii) consent to the institution of,
or fail to contest in a timely and appropriate manner, any proceeding or
petition described in clause (h) above, (iii) apply for or consent to the
appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or
similar official for any ConnectSouth Company or LLC or for a substantial part
of its assets, (iv) file an answer admitting the material allegations of a
petition filed against it in any such proceeding, (v) make a general assignment
for the benefit of creditors or (vi) take any action for the purpose of
effecting any of the foregoing;

         (j)      any ConnectSouth Company or LLC shall become unable, admit in
writing its inability or fail generally to pay its debts as they become due;

                                       81
<PAGE>   87

         (k)      (i) one or more judgments for the payment of money in an
aggregate amount exceeding $1,000,000 shall be rendered against any ConnectSouth
Company or any combination thereof and the same shall remain undischarged for a
period of 45 consecutive days during which execution shall not be effectively
stayed, or any action shall be legally taken by a judgment creditor to attach or
levy upon any asset of any ConnectSouth Company to enforce any such judgment, or
(ii) a non-monetary judgment shall be rendered against any ConnectSouth Company
that, when taken together with all other non-monetary judgments that have been
so rendered, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Effect;

         (l)      an ERISA Event shall have occurred that, in the opinion of the
Required Lenders, when taken together with all other ERISA Events that have
occurred, could reasonably be expected to result in liability of the Borrower
and its Subsidiaries in an aggregate amount exceeding (i) $500,000 in any year
or (ii) $1,000,000 for all periods;

         (m)      any Lien purported to be created under any Security Document
shall cease to be, or shall be asserted by any Credit Party not to be, a valid
and perfected Lien on Collateral with an aggregate cost or fair market value of
not less than $3,000,000, with the priority required by the applicable Security
Document, except (i) as a result of a sale or other disposition of the
applicable Collateral in a transaction permitted under the Loan Documents or
(ii) as a result of the Collateral Agent's failure to maintain possession of any
stock certificates, promissory notes or other documents delivered to it under
the Security Agreement;

         (n)      a Change in Control shall occur;

         (o)      a Change in Key Management shall occur at any time during the
Stage One Covenant Period (but not thereafter);

         (p)      (x) LLC shall not have received gross cash proceeds of at
least $96,500,000 from the Equity Financing or (y) such cash proceeds shall not
have been contributed (directly or indirectly through Holdings) to the Borrower,
in each case on or before December 31, 2000;

         (q)      substantially all of the proceeds of an IPO have not been
contributed to the Borrower within one Business Day of receipt thereof by
Holdings or LLC;

         (r)      the Guarantee by Holdings or any Subsidiary Guarantor under
the Security Agreement shall at any time fail to constitute a valid and binding
agreement of Holdings or such Subsidiary Guarantor, as the case may be, or any
party shall so assert in writing;

                                       82
<PAGE>   88

         (s)      any Communications Licence of any ConnectSouth Company shall
expire, terminate, be cancelled or otherwise lost or any application therefor be
rejected, which event could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect;

         (t)      (i) any shareholder of Holdings or any member of LLC shall
fail to make any contribution required pursuant to any cash contribution notice
received by it (including without limitation any such contribution to be made by
members of LLC pursuant to the LLC Agreement), unless such contribution shall
have been made by other members or Holdings shall fail to make any capital
contribution in the Borrower required or contemplated by any Business Plan or
budget, (ii) any default or event of default shall occur under the LLC Agreement
(other than one specified in clause (i) above) and shall continue unremedied for
a period of not less than 30 days, or (iii) any provision of the LLC Agreement
shall for any reason cease to be valid and binding on the parties thereto or any
party thereto shall so state in writing, in each case other than in accordance
with the express terms hereof or thereof; or

         (u)      the Contribution Date shall not have occurred on or prior to
the date 90 days after the Effective Date.

then, and in every such event (except an event with respect to the Borrower
described in clause (h) or (i) above), and at any time thereafter during the
continuance of such event, the Administrative Agent may, and at the request of
the Required Lenders shall, by notice to the Borrower, take either or both of
the following actions, at the same or different times: (i) terminate the
Commitments, and thereupon the Commitments shall terminate immediately, and (ii)
declare the Loans then outstanding to be due and payable in whole (or in part,
in which case any principal not so declared to be due and payable may thereafter
be declared to be due and payable), and thereupon the principal of the Loans so
declared to be due and payable, together with accrued interest thereon and all
fees and other obligations of the Borrower accrued hereunder and under the other
Loan Documents, shall become due and payable immediately, without presentment,
demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are waived by the
Borrower; and in case of any event with respect to the Borrower described in
clause (h) or (i) above, the Commitments shall automatically terminate and the
principal of the Loans then outstanding, together with accrued interest thereon
and all fees and other obligations of the Borrower accrued hereunder and under
the other Loan Documents, shall automatically become due and payable, without
presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are
waived by the Borrower.

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                                    ARTICLE 8
                                   THE AGENTS

         SECTION 8.01. Appointment and Authorization. Each of the Lenders
irrevocably appoints each Agent as its agent and authorizes such Agent to take
such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to such
Agent by the terms of the Loan Documents, together with such actions and powers
as are reasonably incidental thereto.

         SECTION 8.02. Rights and Powers as a Lender. Any bank serving as Agent
shall, in its capacity as a Lender, have the same rights and powers as any other
Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not an Agent. Such bank and
its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to and generally engage in
any kind of business with any ConnectSouth Company or Affiliate thereof as if it
were not an Agent hereunder.

         SECTION 8.03. Limited Duties and Responsibilities . None of the Agents
shall have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth in the
Loan Documents. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, (a) none of
the Agents shall be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless
of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing, (b) none of the Agents
shall have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any
discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly
contemplated by the Loan Documents that the Agent is required in writing to
exercise by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the
Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided in Section
9.02 or in the Security Agreement), and (c) except as expressly set forth in the
Loan Documents, none of the Agents shall have any duty to disclose, or shall be
liable for any failure to disclose, any information relating to any ConnectSouth
Company that is communicated to or obtained by the banks serving as Agent or any
of its Affiliates in any capacity. None of the Agents shall be liable for any
action taken or not taken by it with the consent or at the request of the
Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be
necessary under the circumstances as provided in Section 9.02 or in the Security
Agreement) or in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct.
None of the Agents shall be deemed to have knowledge of any Default unless and
until written notice thereof is given to the Agent by Holdings, the Borrower or
a Lender, and none of the Agents shall be responsible for or have any duty to
ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in
or in connection with any Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate,
report or other document delivered thereunder or in connection therewith, (iii)
the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms
or conditions set forth in any Loan Document, (iv) the validity, enforceability,
effectiveness or

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genuineness of any Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document,
or (v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article 4 or elsewhere in
any Loan Document, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to
be delivered to the Agent.

         SECTION 8.04. Authority to Rely on Certain Writings, Statements and
Advice. Each Agent shall be entitled to rely on, and shall not incur any
liability for relying on, any notice, request, certificate, consent, statement,
instrument, document or other writing believed by it to be genuine and to have
been signed or sent by the proper Person. Each Agent also may rely on any
statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to be made by the
proper Person, and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon. Each Agent
may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for Holdings or the
Borrower), independent accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall
not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in accordance with the
advice of any such counsel, accountants or experts.

         SECTION 8.05. Sub-Agents and Related Parties. Each Agent may perform
any and all its duties and exercise its rights and powers by or through any one
or more sub-agents appointed by it. Each Agent and any such sub-agent may
perform any and all its duties and exercise its rights and powers through their
respective Related Parties. The exculpatory provisions of the preceding Sections
of this Article shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Related Parties of
the Agent and any such sub-agent, and shall apply to activities in connection
with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein as well as
activities as Agent.

         SECTION 8.06. Resignation; Successor Agents. Subject to the appointment
and acceptance of a successor Agent as provided in this Section, any Agent may
resign at any time by notifying the Lenders and the Borrower. Upon any such
resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, in consultation with the
Borrower (and, so long as no Default has occurred and is then continuing,
subject to the consent of the Borrower, which consent shall not be unreasonably
withheld), to appoint a successor. If no successor shall have been so appointed
by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days
after the retiring Agent gives notice of its resignation, then the retiring
Agent may, on behalf of the Lenders, appoint a successor Agent which shall be a
bank with an office in New York, New York, or an Affiliate of any such bank.
Upon acceptance of its appointment as Agent hereunder by a successor, such
successor shall succeed to and become vested with all the rights, powers,
privileges and duties of the retiring Agent, and the retiring Agent shall be
discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder. The fees payable by the
Borrower to a successor Agent shall be the same as those payable to its
predecessor unless otherwise agreed by the Borrower and such successor. After
the Agent's

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resignation hereunder, the provisions of this Article and Section 9.03 shall
continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring Agent, its sub-agents and
their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to
be taken by any of them while the retiring Agent was acting as Agent.

         SECTION 8.07. Credit Decisions by Lenders. Each Lender acknowledges
that it has, independently and without reliance on any Agent or any other Lender
and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made
its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement. Each Lender
also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance on any Agent
or any other Lender and based on such documents and information as it shall from
time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or
not taking action under or based on this Agreement, any other Loan Document or
related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.

         SECTION 8.08. Limited Duties and Responsibilities of Certain Lenders.
None of the Lenders identified on the signature pages of, or in the preamble to,
this Agreement or in any other Loan Document as a "documentation agent" or
"syndication agent" shall have any right, power, obligation, liability,
responsibility or duty under this Agreement other than those applicable to all
of the Lenders as such. Without limiting the foregoing, none of the Lenders so
identified shall have or be deemed to have any fiduciary relationship with any
Lender.

                                    ARTICLE 9
                                  MISCELLANEOUS

         SECTION 9.01. Notices. Except in the case of notices and other
communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone, all notices and
other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be
delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or
registered mail or sent by telecopy, as follows:

         (a)      if to Holdings or the Borrower, to it at 9600 Great Hills
Trail, East Boston, Texas 78759, Attention Michael Hoff (Telecopy No. 512 681
9020), copied to 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, New York 10112, attention Paul
Gajer (Telecopy 212 698 7783);

         (b)      if to the Administrative Agent of 1585 Broadway, New York, NY
10036, Attention Jim Morgan (Telecopy No. 212 761 0592); and

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<PAGE>   92

         (c)      if to any Lender, to it at its address (or telecopy number)
set forth in its Administrative Questionnaire.

Any party hereto may change its address or telecopy number for notices and other
communications hereunder by notice to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower.
All notices and other communications given to any party hereto in accordance
with the provisions of this Agreement will be deemed to have been given on the
date of receipt.

         SECTION 9.02. Waivers; Amendments. (a) No failure or delay by any
Lender Party in exercising any right or power hereunder or under any other Loan
Document shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial
exercise of any such right or power, or any abandonment or discontinuance of
steps to enforce such a right or power, preclude any other or further exercise
thereof or the exercise of any other right or power. The rights and remedies of
the Lender Parties under the Loan Documents are cumulative and are not exclusive
of any rights or remedies that they would otherwise have. No waiver of any
provision of any Loan Document or consent to any departure by any Credit Party
therefrom shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be permitted by
subsection (b) of this Section, and then such waiver or consent shall be
effective only in the specific instance and for the purpose for which given.
Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the making of a Loan shall not
be construed as a waiver of any Default, regardless of whether any Lender Party
had notice or knowledge of such Default at the time.

         (b)      Neither this Agreement nor any other Loan Document nor any
provision hereof or thereof may be waived, amended or modified except, in the
case of this Agreement, pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing
entered into by Holdings, the Borrower and the Required Lenders or, in the case
of any other Loan Document, pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing
entered into by the Administrative Agent and the Credit Party or Credit Parties
that are parties thereto, in each case with the consent of the Required Lenders;
provided that no such agreement shall (i) increase the Commitment of any Lender
without the written consent of each Lender Party, (ii) reduce the principal
amount of any Loan or reduce the rate of interest thereon, or reduce any fee
payable hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender Party affected
thereby, (iii) postpone the maturity of any Loan, or any scheduled date of
payment of the principal amount of any Loan under Section 2.08, or the date of
payment of the amount of any loans pursuant to any mandatory prepayment under
Section 2.09, or any date for the payment of any interest or fee payable
hereunder, or reduce the amount of, waive or excuse any such payment, or
postpone the scheduled date of expiration of any Commitment (except with respect
to (x) the Tranche B Commitment as expressly set forth in the definition of
Tranche B Availability Period End Date and (y) the Tranche A Commitment as
expressly set forth in Section 2.01(c)),

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<PAGE>   93

without the written consent of each Lender Party, (iv) change Section 2.16(b) or
2.16(c) in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required
thereby, without the written consent of each Lender, (v) change any of the
provisions of this Section or the percentage set forth in the definition of
"Required Lenders" or any other provision of any Loan Document specifying the
number or percentage of Lenders (or Lenders of any Class) required to waive,
amend or modify any right thereunder or make any determination or grant any
consent thereunder, without the written consent of each Lender, or each Lender
of such Class, as the case may be, (vi) change the definition of Borrowing Base
or alter the method of calculating the Borrowing Base without the written
consent of each Tranche A Lender, (vii) release Holdings or any Subsidiary
Guarantor from its Guarantee of the Secured Obligations (except as expressly
provided in the Security Agreement), or limit its liability in respect of such
Guarantee, without the written consent of each Lender, (viii) materially change
Section 5.12 or 5.13 or the definition of Collateral and Guarantee Requirement
or release all or any substantial part of the Collateral from the Transaction
Liens except as expressly permitted under the Loan Documents, without the
written consent of each Lender, or (ix) change any provision of any Loan
Document in a manner that by its terms materially adversely affects the rights
in respect of payments due to Lenders holding Loans of any Class differently
than those holding Loans of any other Class, without the written consent of each
Lender holding Loans or unused Commitments of each adversely affected Class;
provided further that (A) no such agreement shall amend, modify or otherwise
affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent without its prior
written consent, and (B) any waiver, amendment or modification of this Agreement
that by its terms affects the rights or duties under this Agreement of one Class
of Lenders (but not of any other Class of Lenders) may be effected by an
agreement or agreements in writing entered into by Holdings, the Borrower and
the requisite percentage in interest of the affected Class of Lenders that would
be required to consent thereto under this Section if such Class of Lenders were
the only Class of Lenders hereunder at the time. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
any provision of this Agreement may be amended by an agreement in writing
entered into by Holdings, the Borrower, the Required Lenders and the
Administrative Agent if (i) by the terms of such agreement the Commitment of
each Lender not consenting to the amendment provided for therein shall terminate
upon the effectiveness of such amendment and (ii) at the time such amendment
becomes effective, each Lender not consenting thereto receives payment in full
of the principal of and interest accrued on each Loan made by it and all other
amounts owing to it or accrued for its account under this Agreement. It is
understood that a notice of termination or acceleration given by the
Administrative Agent pursuant to Article 7 may be revoked at any time by the
Required Lenders.

         SECTION 9.03. Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver. (a) The Borrower
shall pay (i) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the
Administrative

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Agent and its Affiliates, including the reasonable fees, charges and
disbursements of counsel for the Administrative Agent and, if it is not the
Administrative Agent, Morgan Stanley Senior Funding, Inc., in connection with
the arrangement and syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein,
the preparation and administration of the Loan Documents or any amendments,
modifications or waivers of the provisions thereof (whether or not the
transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated) and (ii) all
out-of-pocket expenses incurred by any Lender Party, including the fees, charges
and disbursements of any counsel for any Lender Party, in connection with the
enforcement or protection of its rights in connection with the Loan Documents
(including its rights under this Section) or the Loans, including all such
out-of-pocket expenses incurred during any workout, restructuring or
negotiations in respect of the Loans.

         (b)      The Borrower shall indemnify each of the Lender Parties and
their respective Related Parties (each such Person being called an "INDEMNITEE")
against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, any and all losses, claims,
damages, liabilities and related expenses, including the fees, charges and
disbursements of any counsel for any Indemnitee, incurred by or asserted against
any Indemnitee arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of (i) the
execution or delivery of any Loan Document or any other agreement or instrument
contemplated hereby, the performance by the parties to the Loan Documents of
their respective obligations thereunder or the consummation of the Financing
Transactions or any other transactions contemplated hereby, (ii) any Loan or the
use of the proceeds therefrom, (iii) any actual or alleged presence or release
of Hazardous Substances on or from any Mortgaged Property or any other property
currently or formerly owned or operated by the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or
any Environmental Liability related in any way to the Borrower or any
Subsidiary, or (iv) any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation
or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether based on contract, tort
or any other theory and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto;
provided that such indemnity shall not be available to any Indemnitee to the
extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or related expenses are
determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable
judgment to have resulted from such Indemnitee's gross negligence or wilful
misconduct.

         (c)      To the extent that the Borrower fails to pay any amount
required to be paid by it to the Administrative Agent under subsection (a) or
(b) of this Section, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative
Agent, such Lender's pro rata share (determined as of the time that the
applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought) of such unpaid
amount; provided that the unreimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim,
damage, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or
asserted against the Administrative Agent in its capacity as such. For purposes
hereof, a

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Lender's "PRO RATA SHARE" shall be determined based upon its share of the sum of
the outstanding Loans and unused Commitments at the time.

         (d)      To the extent permitted by applicable law, neither Holdings
nor the Borrower shall assert, and each hereby waives, any claim against any
Indemnitee, on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or
punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in
connection with, or as a result of, this Agreement or any agreement or
instrument contemplated hereby, the Financing Transactions, any Loan or the use
of the proceeds thereof.

         (e)      All amounts due under this Section shall be payable within 10
days after written demand therefor.

         SECTION 9.04. Successors and Assigns. (a) The provisions of this
Agreement shall be binding on and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and
their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, except that the
Borrower may not assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations
hereunder without the prior written consent of each Lender (and any attempted
assignment or transfer by the Borrower without such consent shall be null and
void). Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to
confer upon any Person (except the parties hereto, their respective successors
and assigns permitted hereby and, to the extent expressly provided herein, the
Related Parties of the Lender Parties) any legal or equitable right, remedy or
claim under or by reason of this Agreement.

         (b)      Any Lender may assign to one or more assignees all or a
portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a
portion of any Commitment it has at the time and any Loans at the time owing to
it); provided that (i) except (A) with respect to any assignment of the Tranche
B Loans or Tranche B Commitment to be made after the 60th day after the
Effective Date, and (B) in the case of an assignment to a Lender or an Affiliate
of a Lender or a Related Fund of a Lender, each of the Borrower and the
Administrative Agent must give their prior written consent to such assignment
(which consents shall not be unreasonably withheld), (ii) except in the case of
an assignment to a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender or a Related Fund of a
Lender or an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender's
Commitment or Loans, the amount of the Commitment or Loans of the assigning
Lender subject to each such assignment (determined as of the date on which the
relevant Assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent) shall not be less
than $1,000,000 unless each of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent
otherwise consent, (iii) each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment
of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender's rights and obligations
under this Agreement, except that this clause (iii) shall not prohibit the
assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender's rights and
obligations in respect of one Class of Commitments

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<PAGE>   96

or Loans, (iv) the parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the
Administrative Agent an Assignment, together with a processing and recordation
fee of $3,500; provided, that only one such fee shall be due in respect of a
simultaneous assignment to more than one Related Fund, and (v) the assignee, if
it shall not be a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an
Administrative Questionnaire; and provided further that any consent of the
Borrower otherwise required under this subsection shall not be required if an
Event of Default under clause (h) or (i) of Article 7 has occurred and is
continuing. Subject to acceptance and recording thereof pursuant to subsection
(d) of this Section, from and after the effective date specified in each
Assignment the assignee thereunder shall be a party hereto and, to the extent of
the interest assigned by such Assignment, have the rights and obligations of a
Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the
extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment, be released from its
obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment covering all
of the assigning Lender's rights and obligations under this Agreement, such
Lender shall cease to be a party hereto but shall continue to be entitled to the
benefits of Sections 2.13, 2.14, 2.15 and 9.03). Any assignment or transfer by a
Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with
this subsection shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by
such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with
subsection (e) of this Section.

         (c)      The Administrative Agent, acting for this purpose as an agent
of the Borrower, shall maintain at one of its offices in New York City a copy of
each Assignment delivered to it and a register for the recordation of the names
and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitment of, and principal amount of the
Loans owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the
"Register"). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive, and the parties
thereto may treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to
the terms hereof as a Lender for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding
notice to the contrary. The Register shall be available for inspection by any
party hereto at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior
notice.

         (d)      Upon its receipt of a duly completed Assignment executed by an
assigning Lender and an assignee, the assignee's completed Administrative
Questionnaire (unless the assignee shall already be a Lender hereunder), the
processing and recordation fee referred to in subsection (b) of this Section and
any written consent to such assignment required by subsection (b) of this
Section, the Administrative Agent shall accept such Assignment and record the
information contained therein in the Register. No assignment shall be effective
for purposes of this Agreement unless it has been recorded in the Register as
provided in this subsection.

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        (e)       Any Lender may, without the consent of the Borrower or any
other Lender Party, sell participations to one or more banks or other entities
("PARTICIPANTS") in all or a portion of such Lender's rights and obligations
under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans
owing to it); provided that (i) such Lender's obligations under this Agreement
shall remain unchanged, (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the
other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations and (iii) the
Borrower and the other Lender Parties shall continue to deal solely and directly
with such Lender in connection with such Lender's rights and obligations under
this Agreement. Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells
such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right
to enforce the Loan Documents and to approve any amendment, modification or
waiver of any provision of the Loan Documents; provided that such agreement or
instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the
Participant, agree to any amendment, modification or waiver described in the
first proviso to Section 9.02(b) that affects such Participant. Subject to
subsection (f) of this Section, each Participant shall be entitled to the
benefits of Sections 2.13, 2.14 and 2.15 to the same extent as if it were a
Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to subsection (b) of
this Section. To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be
entitled to the benefits of Section 9.08 as though it were a Lender, provided
that such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.16(c) as though it were
a Lender.

         (f)      A Participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater
payment under Section 2.13 or 2.15 than the applicable Lender would have been
entitled to receive with respect to the participation sold to such Participant,
unless the sale of the participation to such Participant is made with the
Borrower's prior written consent. A Participant that would be a Foreign Lender
if it were a Lender shall not be entitled to the benefits of Section 2.15 unless
the Borrower is notified of the participation sold to such Participant and such
Participant agrees, for the benefit of the Borrower, to comply with Section
2.15(e) as though it were a Lender.

         (g)      Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security
interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement to secure
obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure
obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank, and this Section shall not apply to any
such pledge or assignment of a security interest; provided that no such pledge
or assignment of a security interest shall release a Lender from any of its
obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender
as a party hereto.

         SECTION 9.05. Survival. All covenants, agreements, representations and
warranties made by the Credit Parties in the Loan Documents and in the

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certificates or other instruments delivered in connection with or pursuant to
the Loan Documents shall be considered to have been relied upon by the other
parties hereto and shall survive the execution and delivery of the Loan
Documents and the making of any Loans, regardless of any investigation made by
any such other party or on its behalf and notwithstanding that any Lender Party
may have had notice or knowledge of any Default or incorrect representation or
warranty at the time any credit is extended hereunder, and shall continue in
full force and effect as long as the principal of or any accrued interest on any
Loan or any fee or any other amount payable under this Agreement is outstanding
and unpaid. The provisions of Sections 2.13, 2.14, 2.15 and 9.03 and Article 8
shall survive and remain in full force and effect regardless of the consummation
of the transactions contemplated hereby, the repayment of the Loans, the
expiration or termination of the Commitments or the termination of this
Agreement or any provision hereof.

         SECTION 9.06. Counterparts; Effectiveness. This Agreement may be
executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto on different
counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when
taken together shall constitute a single contract. Except as provided in Section
4.01, this Agreement (i) will become effective when the Administrative Agent
shall have signed this Agreement and received counterparts hereof which, when
taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto and (ii)
thereafter will be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto
and their respective successors and assigns. Delivery of an executed counterpart
of a signature page of this Agreement by telecopy will be effective as delivery
of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.

         SECTION 9.07. Severability. If any provision of any Loan Document is
invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction then, to the fullest
extent permitted by law, (i) such provision shall, as to such jurisdiction, be
ineffective to the extent (but only to the extent) of such invalidity,
illegality or unenforceability, (ii) the other provisions of the Loan Documents
shall remain in full force and effect in such jurisdiction and shall be
liberally construed in favor of the Lender Parties in order to carry out the
intentions of the parties thereto as nearly as may be possible and (iii) the
invalidity, illegality or unenforceability of any such provision in any
jurisdiction shall not affect the validity, legality or enforceability of such
provision in any other jurisdiction.

         SECTION 9.08. Right of Setoff. If an Event of Default shall have
occurred and be continuing, each Lender and each of its Affiliates is authorized
at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to
set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand,
provisional or final) at any time held and other obligations at any time owing
by such Lender or Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower
against any of and all the obligations of the Borrower now or hereafter existing
under this Agreement held

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by such Lender, irrespective of whether or not such Lender shall have made any
demand under this Agreement and although such obligations may be unmatured. The
rights of each Lender under this Section are in addition to other rights and
remedies (including other rights of setoff) that such Lender may have.

         SECTION 9.09. Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of
Process. (a) This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed
by the law of the State of New York.

         (b)      Each of Holdings and the Borrower irrevocably and
unconditionally submits, for itself and its property, to the nonexclusive
jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of the State of New York sitting in New York
County and of the United States District Court of the Southern District of New
York, and any appellate court from any thereof, in any action or proceeding
arising out of or relating to any Loan Document, or for recognition or
enforcement of any judgment, and each of the parties hereto irrevocably and
unconditionally agrees that all claims in respect of any such action or
proceeding may be heard and determined in such New York State court or, to the
extent permitted by law, in such Federal court. Each party hereto agrees that a
final judgment in any such action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be
enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner
provided by law. Nothing in this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall
affect any right that any Lender Party may otherwise have to bring any action or
proceeding relating to any Loan Document against any Credit Party or their
respective properties in the courts of any jurisdiction.

         (c)      Each of Holdings and the Borrower irrevocably and
unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent it may legally and effectively do
so, any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of
any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or
any other Loan Document in any court referred to in subsection (b) of this
Section. Each party hereto irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted
by law, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of any such
suit, action or proceeding in any such court.

         (d)      Each party hereto irrevocably consents to service of process
in the manner provided for notices in Section 9.01. Nothing in this Agreement or
any other Loan Document will affect the right of any party to this Agreement to
serve process in any other manner permitted by law.

         SECTION 9.10. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. EACH PARTY HERETO WAIVES, TO THE
FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY
JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR

                                      94
<PAGE>   100

RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT, ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE FINANCING
TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER
THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR
ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH
OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING
WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN
INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS
AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.

         SECTION 9.11. Headings. Article and Section headings and the Table of
Contents herein are for convenience of reference only, are not part of this
Agreement and shall not affect the construction of, or be taken into
consideration in interpreting, this Agreement.

         SECTION 9.12. Confidentiality. Each Lender Party agrees to maintain the
confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information
may be disclosed (a) to its and its Affiliates' directors, officers, employees
and agents, including accountants, legal counsel and other advisors (it being
understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of
the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such
Information confidential), (b) to the extent requested by any regulatory
authority, (c) to the extent required by applicable laws or regulations or by
any subpoena or similar legal process, (d) to any other party to this Agreement,
(e) in connection with the exercise of any remedy hereunder or any suit, action
or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the
enforcement of any right hereunder or thereunder, (f) subject to an agreement
containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section, to any
assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in,
any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement, (g) with the consent of
the Borrower or (h) to the extent such Information either (i) becomes publicly
available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or (ii) becomes
available to any Lender Party on a nonconfidential basis from a source other
than Holdings or the Borrower. For the purposes of this Section, "INFORMATION"
means all information received from Holdings or the Borrower relating to
Holdings or the Borrower or its business, other than any such information that
is available to any Lender Party on a nonconfidential basis before disclosure by
Holdings or the Borrower; provided that, in the case of information received
from Holdings or the Borrower after the date hereof, such information is clearly
identified at the time of delivery as confidential. Any Person required to
maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section shall be
considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has
exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such
Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information.

                                       95
<PAGE>   101

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed by their respective authorized officers as of the day and year
first above written.

                             CONNECTSOUTH HOLDINGS, INC.

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

                             CONNECTSOUTH COMMUNICATIONS, INC.

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

                             MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.,
                             individually and as Administrative Agent

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

                             FIRST UNION INVESTORS, INC., individually
                             and as Syndication Agent

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

<PAGE>   102

                             BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., individually and as
                             Documentation Agent

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

                             CIT LENDING SERVICES CORPORATION

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

                             PARADYNE FINANCE CORPORATION

                             By:
                                -----------------------------------------------
                                Name:
                                Title:
<PAGE>   103

                                                                   SCHEDULE 2.01

                               COMMITMENT SCHEDULE

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                  TRANCHE A          TRANCHE B
NAME OF LENDER                                    COMMITMENT         COMMITMENT          TOTAL
<S>                                              <C>                <C>               <C>
Morgan Stanley Senior Funding, Inc               $ 18,750,000       $ 6,250,000       $ 25,000,000
Bank of America, N.A.                            $ 18,750,000       $ 6,250,000       $ 25,000,000
First Union Investors, Inc.                      $ 18,750,000       $ 6,250,000       $ 25,000,000
CIT Lending Services Corporation                 $ 18,750,000       $ 6,250,000       $ 25,000,000
Paradyne Finance Corporation                     $ 25,000,000       $         0       $ 25,000,000
                                                 ============       ===========       ============

TOTAL                                            $100,000,000       $25,000,000       $125,000,000
</TABLE>

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