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Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3)
Registration No. 333-110241

PROSPECTUS

$200,000,000

PRIMUS TELECOMMUNICATIONS GROUP, INCORPORATED

Common Stock

Preferred Stock

Depositary Shares

Debt Securities

Warrants

From time to time, we may sell common stock, preferred stock, debt securities and/or warrants. Any preferred stock that we sell may be sold either as shares of preferred stock or represented by depositary shares.

We will provide the specific terms of these securities in one or more supplements to this prospectus. You should read this prospectus, the information incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement carefully before you invest.

Our common stock is traded on the over-the-counter bulletin board under the symbol PRTL.OB. The last reported sales price of the common stock, as reported on the over-the-counter bulletin board on June 21, 2007 was $1.03 per share. The applicable prospectus supplement will contain information, where applicable, as to any other listing on the Nasdaq Market or any securities market or other exchange of the securities, if any, covered by the prospectus supplement.

 

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INVESTING IN OUR SECURITIES INVOLVES RISKS. SEE “ RISK FACTORS” BEGINNING ON PAGE 5.

THIS PROSPECTUS MAY NOT BE USED TO OFFER OR SELL ANY SECURITIES UNLESS ACCOMPANIED BY A PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT.

 

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The securities may be sold directly by us to investors, through agents designated from time to time or to or through underwriters or dealers. For additional information on the methods of sale, you should refer to the section entitled “Plan of Distribution” in this prospectus. If any underwriters are involved in the sale of any securities with respect to which this prospectus is being delivered, the names of such underwriters and any applicable commissions or discounts and over-allotment options will be set forth in a prospectus supplement. The price to the public of such securities and the net proceeds we expect to receive from such sale will also be set forth in a prospectus supplement.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

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The date of this prospectus is June 22, 2007

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS		i
SUMMARY		1
RISK FACTORS		5
RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES		16
DIVIDEND POLICY		16
SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES		16 18
USE OF PROCEEDS		19
DESCRIPTION OF DEPOSITARY SHARES		19
DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES		21
DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS		23
LEGAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES		26
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION		30
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION		31
FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION		32
LEGAL MATTERS		35
EXPERTS		35

 

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You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference into this prospectus or any applicable prospectus supplement. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different information. We are not making an offer of the securities to be sold under this prospectus in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus or any applicable prospectus supplement is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front cover of this prospectus or the prospectus supplement, or that the information contained in any document incorporated by reference is accurate as of any date other than the date of the document incorporated by reference, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus or any sale of a security.

 

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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, using a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may sell common stock, preferred stock, debt securities and warrants under this prospectus in one or more offerings up to a total dollar amount of $200,000,000. Any preferred stock that we sell may be sold either as shares of preferred stock or be represented by depositary shares. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we sell any securities under this prospectus, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain more specific information about the terms of those securities. We may also add, update or change in a prospectus supplement any of the information contained in this prospectus or in documents we have incorporated by reference into this prospectus. This prospectus, together with the applicable prospectus supplements and the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus, includes all material information relating to this offering. You should carefully read both this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement together with the additional information described under “Where You Can Find More Information” before buying securities in this offering.

 

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RISK FACTORS

Any purchase of the securities offered under this prospectus involves a high degree of risk. You should consider carefully the following information about these risks, together with the information under the caption “Forward-Looking Information” and the other information contained in or incorporated by reference to this prospectus before you decide to buy the securities. If any of the following risks actually materializes, our business, financial condition, results of operations and future growth prospects would likely be materially adversely affected. In these circumstances, the market price of our securities would likely decline, and you may lose all or part of the money you paid to buy the securities.

Risks Related to Our Business

Our disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting were determined not to be effective as of December 31, 2006, which condition still exists as of March 31, 2007, due to the material weaknesses that existed in our internal control over accounting for income taxes. Our disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting may not be effective in future periods, as a result of existing or newly identified material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting.

In performing an internal control assessment at the end of 2006, our management identified a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting, which condition still exists as of March 31, 2007. A material weakness is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, that adversely affects a company’s ability to initiate, authorize, record, process, or report external financial data reliably in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles such that there is a more than remote likelihood that a material misstatement of the annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected. For a discussion of the material weakness identified by our management, see “Controls and Procedures.” To address the material weakness, we performed additional analysis and other post-closing procedures in order to prepare our consolidated financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. These additional procedures were costly, time consuming and required us to dedicate a significant amount of our resources, including the time and attention of our senior management, toward the correction of these problems. Performing these additional procedures in the future, could cause delays in the filing of our periodic and annual reports to the SEC.

The delay in the filing of our periodic and annual reports could have other adverse effects on our business, including, but not limited to: (1) civil litigation or an investigation by the SEC or other regulatory authorities, which could require us to incur significant legal expenses and other costs or to pay damages, fines or other penalties; (2) covenant defaults, and potentially events of default, under our senior secured credit facilities and the indentures governing our outstanding debt securities, resulting from our failure to file timely our financial statements; (3) negative publicity; or (4) the loss or impairment of investor confidence in our Company.

If competitive pressures continue or intensify and/or the success of our new products is not adequate in amount or timing to offset the decline in results from our legacy businesses, we may not be able to service our debt or other obligations.

There are substantial risks and uncertainties in our future operating results, particularly as aggressive pricing and bundling strategies by certain incumbent carriers and ILECs have intensified competitive pressures in the markets where we operate, and/or if we have insufficient financial resources to market our services. The aggregate anticipated margin contribution from our new products may not be adequate in amount or timing to offset the declines in margin from our legacy long distance voice and dial-up ISP business. In addition, regulatory decisions could have a material adverse impact on our operations and outlook. See also information under “—Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Liquidity and Capital Resources—Short- and Long-Term Liquidity Considerations and Risks” incorporated by reference in this prospectus from our reports on Forms 10-K and 10-Q filed with the SEC (the “Incorporated SEC Filings”) and in these Risk Factors. If adverse events referenced or described herein or therein were to occur, we may not be able to service our debt or other obligations and could, among other things, be required to seek protection under the bankruptcy laws of the United States or other similar laws in other countries.

 

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Our high level of debt and liquidity needs may adversely affect our financial and operating flexibility.

We currently have substantial indebtedness and may incur additional indebtedness in the future. As of March 31, 2007, our total consolidated indebtedness (including obligations under capital leases and equipment financings) was $699 million. The terms of the notes and our other indebtedness limit, but do not prohibit, the incurrence of additional indebtedness.

The level of our indebtedness:

 

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could make it difficult for us to make required payments of principal and interest on our outstanding debt and future debt, including the notes;

 

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could limit our ability to obtain any necessary financing in the future for working capital, capital expenditures, debt service requirements or other purposes;

 

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requires that a substantial portion of our cash flow, if any, be dedicated to the payment of principal and interest on outstanding indebtedness and other obligations and, accordingly, such cash flow will not be available for use in our business;

 

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could limit our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes in our business;

 

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results in our being more highly leveraged than many of our competitors, which may place us at a competitive disadvantage;

 

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will make us more vulnerable in the event of a downturn in our business; and

 

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could limit our ability to sell assets partially or fund our operations due to covenant restrictions.

We have experienced significant historical, and may experience significant future, operating losses and net losses which may hinder our ability to meet our debt service or working capital requirements.

As of December 31, 2006, we had an accumulated deficit of $(1,088.0) million. We incurred net losses of $(34.6) million in 2002, $(10.6) million in 2004, $(154.4) million in 2005, and $(238.0) million in 2006. During the year ended December 31, 2003, we recognized net income of $54.8 million, of which $39.4 million is the positive impact of foreign currency transaction gains. We cannot assure you that we will recognize net income, or reverse net revenue declines, in future periods. If we cannot generate net income or operating profitability, we may not be able to meet our debt service or working capital requirements.

Given our limited experience in delivering our new products and in providing bundled local, wireless, broadband, DSL, Internet, data and hosting and VOIP services, we may not be able to operate successfully or expand these parts of our business.

During the third quarter of 2004, we accelerated initiatives to become an integrated wireline, wireless and broadband service provider in order to counter competitive pricing pressures initiated by large incumbent providers in certain of the principal markets where we operate and to stem the loss of certain of our wireline and dial-up ISP customers to our competitors’ bundled wireless, wireline and broadband service offerings. Our experience in providing these new products in certain markets and in providing these bundled service offerings is limited. Our primary competitors include incumbent telecommunications providers, cable companies and other ISPs that have a significant national or international presence. Many of these operators have substantially greater resources, capital and operational experience than we do. We also expect that we will experience increased competition from traditional telecommunications carriers and cable companies and other new entrants that expand into the market for broadband, VOIP, Internet services, data and hosting, and traditional voice services, and regulatory developments may impair our ability to compete. Future operations involving these individual or bundled services may not succeed in this new competitive environment. Therefore, we may not be able to operate or expand successfully; we may experience margin pressure; we may face quarterly revenue and operating results variability; we may have limited resources to develop and to market the new services; and we may have heightened difficulty in establishing future revenues or results. As a result, there can be no assurance that we will reverse recent revenue declines or maintain or increase revenues or be able to generate income from operations or net income in the future or on any predictable or timely basis.

 

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We may be exposed to significant liability resulting from our noncompliance with FCC directives regarding enhanced 911 (E911) services.

In June 2005, the FCC adopted new rules requiring VOIP providers interconnected to the public switched telephone network (PSTN) to provide E911 service in a manner similar to traditional wireline carriers by November 2005. LINGO, a subsidiary of ours which sells VOIP services, was unable to meet this deadline for all of its customers. We sought a waiver from the FCC asking for additional time to complete deploying our E911 service, and the FCC has not yet addressed our waiver petition. As of April 19, 2007, approximately 10% of our LINGO customers were without E911 service. We also participated in a legal challenge to these rules, but the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit denied our petition for review of the FCC’s rules on December 15, 2006.

LINGO’s current services are more limited than the E911 services offered by traditional wireline telephone companies. These limitations may cause significant delays, or even failures, in callers’ receipt of the emergency assistance they need as required by the FCC. We have notified our customers of the differences between our Emergency Calling Service and E911 services and those available through traditional telephony providers and have received affirmative acknowledgement from substantially all of our customers. Nevertheless, injured customers may attempt to hold us responsible for any loss, damage, personal injury or death suffered as a result of our failure to comply with the FCC mandated E911 service. Our resulting liability could be significant.

In addition, if and to the extent that we are determined to be out of compliance with the FCC order regarding E911 services, we may be subject to fines or penalties or injunctions prohibiting LINGO from providing service in some markets.

We are substantially smaller than our major competitors, whose marketing and pricing decisions, and relative size advantage, could adversely affect our ability to attract and retain customers and are likely to continue to cause significant pricing pressures that could adversely affect our net revenues, results of operations and financial condition.

The long distance telecommunications, Internet, broadband, DSL, data and hosting, and wireless industry is significantly influenced by the marketing and pricing decisions of the larger long distance, Internet access, broadband, DSL, data and hosting, and wireless business participants. Prices in the long distance industry have continued to decline in recent years, and as competition continues to increase within each of our service segments and each of our product lines, we believe that prices are likely to continue to decrease. Competitors in our core markets include, among others: AT&T, the regional bell operating companies (RBOCs) and the major wireless carriers in the United States; Telstra, SingTel Optus and Telecom New Zealand in Australia; Telus, BCE, Allstream (formerly AT&T Canada) and the major wireless and cable companies in Canada; and BT, Cable & Wireless United Kingdom, Colt Telecom, Energis and the major wireless carriers in the United Kingdom. Customers frequently change long distance, wireless and broadband providers, and ISPs in response to the offering of lower rates or promotional incentives, increasingly as a result of bundling of various services by competitors. Moreover, competitors’ VOIP and broadband product rollouts have added further customer choice and pricing pressure. As a result, generally, customers can switch carriers and service offerings at any time. Competition in all of our markets is likely to remain intense, or even increase in intensity and, as deregulatory influences are experienced in markets outside the United States, competition in non-United States markets is becoming similar to the intense competition in the United States. Many of our competitors are significantly larger than us and have substantially greater financial, technical and marketing resources, larger networks, a broader portfolio of service offerings, greater control over network and transmission lines, stronger name recognition and customer loyalty, long-standing relationships with our target customers, and lower debt leverage ratios. As a result, our ability to attract and retain customers may be adversely affected. Many of our competitors enjoy economies of scale that result in low cost structures for transmission and related costs that could cause significant pricing pressures within the industry. Several long distance carriers in the United States, Canada and Australia and the major wireless carriers and cable companies, have introduced pricing and product bundling strategies that provide for fixed, low rates for calls. This strategy of our competitors could have a material adverse effect on our

 

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net revenue per minute, results of operations and financial condition if our pricing, set to remain competitive, is not offset by similar declines in our costs. Companies emerging out of bankruptcy might benefit from a lower cost structure and might apply pricing pressure within the industry to gain market share. We compete on the basis of price, particularly with respect to our sales to other carriers, and also on the basis of customer service and our ability to provide a variety of telecommunications products and services. If such price pressures and bundling strategies intensify, we may not be able to compete successfully in the future, may face quarterly revenue and operating results variability, and may have heightened difficulty in estimating future revenues or results.

Our repositioning in the marketplace places a significant strain on our resources, and if not managed effectively, could result in operational inefficiencies and other difficulties.

Our repositioning in the marketplace may place a significant strain on our management, operational and financial resources, and increase demand on our systems and controls. To manage this change effectively, we must continue to implement and improve our operational and financial systems and controls, invest in critical network infrastructure to maintain or improve our service quality levels, purchase and utilize other transmission facilities, and train and manage our employee base. If we inaccurately forecast the movement of traffic onto our network, we could have insufficient or excessive transmission facilities and disproportionate fixed expenses. As we proceed with our development, operational difficulties could arise from additional demand placed on customer provisioning and support, billing and management information systems, product delivery and fulfillment, on our support, sales and marketing and administrative resources and on our network infrastructure. For instance, we may encounter delays or cost-overruns or suffer other adverse consequences in implementing new systems when required. In addition, our operating and financial control systems and infrastructure could be inadequate to ensure timely and accurate financial reporting.

Integration of acquisitions ultimately may not provide the benefits originally anticipated by management and may distract the attention of our personnel from the operation of our business.

We strive to increase the volume of voice and data traffic that we carry over our existing global network in order to reduce transmission costs and other operating costs as a percentage of net revenue, improve margins, improve service quality and enhance our ability to introduce new products and services. We may pursue acquisitions in the future to further our strategic objectives. Acquisitions of businesses and customer lists, a key element of our historical growth strategy, involve operational risks, including the possibility that an acquisition does not ultimately provide the benefits originally anticipated by management. Moreover, there can be no assurance that we will be successful in identifying attractive acquisition candidates, completing and financing additional acquisitions on favorable terms, or integrating the acquired business or assets into our own. There may be difficulty in migrating the customer base and in integrating the service offerings, distribution channels and networks gained through acquisitions with our own. Successful integration of operations and technologies requires the dedication of management and other personnel, which may distract their attention from the day-to-day business, the development or acquisition of new technologies, and the pursuit of other business acquisition opportunities, and there can be no assurance that successful integration will occur in light of these factors.

We experience intense domestic and international competition which may adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.

The local and long distance telecommunications, data, broadband, Internet, VOIP, data and hosting, and wireless industries are intensely competitive with relatively limited barriers to entry in the more deregulated countries in which we operate and with numerous entities competing for the same customers. Recent and pending deregulation in various countries may encourage new entrants to compete, including ISPs, wireless companies, cable television companies, who would offer voice, broadband, Internet access and television, and electric power utilities who would offer voice and broadband Internet access. For example, the United States and many other countries have committed to open their telecommunications markets to competition pursuant to an agreement under the World Trade Organization which began on January 1, 1998. Further, in the United States, as certain conditions have been met under the Telecommunications Act of 1996, the RBOCs have been allowed to enter the long distance market, and other long distance carriers have been allowed to enter the local telephone services

 

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market (although judicial and regulatory developments have diminished the attractiveness of this opportunity), and many entities, including cable television companies and utilities, have been allowed to enter both the local service and long distance telecommunications markets. Moreover, the rapid enhancement of VOIP technology may result in increasing levels of traditional domestic and international voice long distance traffic being transmitted over the Internet, as opposed to traditional telecommunication networks. Currently, there are significant capital investment savings and cost savings associated with carrying voice traffic employing VOIP technology, as compared to carrying calls over traditional networks. Thus, there exists the possibility that the price of traditional long distance voice services will decrease in order to be competitive with VOIP. Additionally, competition is expected to be intense to switch customers to VOIP product offerings, as is evidenced by numerous recent market announcements in the United States and internationally from industry leaders and competitive carriers concerning significant VOIP initiatives. Our ability effectively to retain our existing customer base and generate new customers, either through our traditional network or our own VOIP offerings, may be adversely affected by accelerated competition arising as a result of VOIP initiatives, as well as regulatory developments that may impede our ability to compete, such as restrictions on access to broadband networks owned and operated by others and the requirements to provide E911 services. As competition intensifies as a result of deregulatory, market or technological developments, our results of operations and financial condition could be adversely affected.

A deterioration in our relationships with facilities-based carriers could have a material adverse effect upon our cost structure, service quality and network diversity.

We primarily connect our customers’ telephone calls and data/Internet needs through transmission lines that we lease under a variety of arrangements with other facilities-based long distance carriers. Many of these carriers are, or may become, our competitors. Our ability to maintain and expand our business depends on our ability to maintain favorable relationships with the facilities-based carriers from which we lease transmission lines. If our relationship with one or more of these carriers were to deteriorate or terminate, it could have a material adverse effect upon our cost structure, service quality, network diversity, results of operations and financial condition.

Uncertainties and risks associated with international markets could adversely impact our international operations.

We have significant international operations and, as of March 31, 2007, derived 80% of our net revenues by providing services outside of the United States. In international markets, we are smaller than the principal or incumbent telecommunications carrier that operates in each of the foreign jurisdictions where we operate. In these markets, incumbent carriers are likely to control access to, and pricing of, the local networks; enjoy better brand recognition and brand and customer loyalty; generally offer a wider range of product and services; and have significant operational economies of scale, including a larger backbone network and more correspondent agreements. Moreover, the incumbent carrier may take many months to allow competitors, including us, to interconnect to our switches within our territory, and we are dependent upon their cooperation in migrating customers onto our network. There can be no assurance that we will be able to obtain the permits and operating licenses required for us to operate; obtain access to local transmission facilities on economically acceptable terms; or market services in international markets. In addition, operating in international markets generally involves additional risks, including unexpected changes in regulatory requirements, taxes, tariffs, customs, duties and other trade barriers, difficulties in staffing and managing foreign operations, problems in collecting accounts receivable, political risks, fluctuations in currency exchange rates, restrictions associated with the repatriation of funds, technology export and import restrictions, and seasonal reductions in business activity. Our ability to operate and grow our international operations successfully could be adversely impacted by these risks and uncertainties particularly in light of the fact that we derive such a large percentage of our revenues from outside of the United States.

Because a significant portion of our business is conducted outside the United States, fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates could adversely affect our results of operations.

A significant portion of our net revenue is derived from sales and operations outside the United States. The reporting currency for our consolidated financial statements is the United States dollar (USD). The local currency

 

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of each country is the functional currency for each of our respective entities operating in that country. In the future, we expect to continue to derive a significant portion of our net revenue and incur a significant portion of our operating costs outside the United States, and changes in exchange rates have had and may have a significant, and potentially adverse, effect on our results of operations. Our primary risk of loss regarding foreign currency exchange rate risk is caused by fluctuations in the following exchange rates: USD/Australian dollar (AUD), USD/Canadian dollar (CAD), USD/British pound (GBP), and USD/Euro (EUR). See “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk” incorporated by reference in this prospectus from the Incorporated SEC Filings. Due to the large percentage of our operations conducted outside of the United States, strengthening or weakening of the USD relative to one or more of the foregoing currencies could have an adverse impact on future results of operations. We historically have not engaged in hedging transactions and, except for the forward currency exchange contract required by the new Canadian credit facility in the second quarter of 2007, do not currently contemplate engaging in hedging transactions to mitigate foreign exchange risks. In addition, the operations of affiliates and subsidiaries in foreign countries have been funded with investments and other advances denominated in foreign currencies. Historically, such investments and advances have been long-term in nature, and we accounted for any adjustments resulting from currency translation as a charge or credit to accumulated other comprehensive loss within the stockholders’ deficit section of our consolidated balance sheets. In 2002, agreements with certain subsidiaries were put in place for repayment of a portion of the investments and advances made to those subsidiaries. As we anticipate repayment in the foreseeable future of these amounts, we recognize the unrealized gains and losses in foreign currency transaction gain (loss) on the consolidated statements of operations, and depending upon changes in future currency rates, such gains or losses could have a significant, and potentially adverse, effect on our results of operations.

The telecommunications industry is rapidly changing, and if we are not able to adjust our strategy and resources effectively in the future to meet changing market conditions, we may not be able to compete effectively.

The telecommunications industry is changing rapidly due to deregulation, privatization, consolidation, technological improvements, availability of alternative services such as wireless, broadband, DSL, Internet, VOIP, and wireless DSL through use of the fixed wireless spectrum, and the globalization of the world’s economies. In addition, alternative services to traditional fixed wireline services, such as wireless, broadband, Internet and VOIP services, are a substantial competitive threat. If we do not adjust our contemplated plan of development to meet changing market conditions and if we do not have adequate resources, we may not be able to compete effectively. The telecommunications industry is marked by the introduction of new product and service offerings and technological improvements. Achieving successful financial results will depend on our ability to anticipate, assess and adapt to rapid technological changes, and offer, on a timely and cost-effective basis, services including the bundling of multiple services that meet evolving industry standards. If we do not anticipate, assess or adapt to such technological changes at a competitive price, maintain competitive services or obtain new technologies on a timely basis or on satisfactory terms, our financial results may be materially and adversely affected.

If we are not able to operate a cost-effective network, we may not be able to grow our business successfully.

Our long-term success depends on our ability to design, implement, operate, manage and maintain a reliable and cost-effective network. In addition, we rely on third parties to enable us to expand and manage our global network and to provide local, broadband Internet, data and hosting, and wireless services. If we fail to generate additional traffic on our network, if we experience technical or logistical impediments to our ability to develop necessary network or to migrate traffic and customers onto our network, or if we experience difficulties with our third-party providers, we may not achieve desired economies of scale or otherwise be successful in growing our business.

If we are not able to use and protect intellectual property domestically and internationally, it could have a material adverse effect on our business.

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property. We are also subject to the risks of claims and litigation alleging infringement of the intellectual property rights of others. The telecommunications industry is subject to frequent litigation regarding patent and other intellectual property rights. We rely upon certain technology, including hardware and software, licensed from third parties. There can be no assurance that the technology licensed by us will continue to provide competitive features and functionality or that licenses for technology currently used by us or other technology that we may seek to license in the future will be available to us on commercially reasonable terms or at all. Although our existing intellectual property are on standard commercial terms made generally available by the companies providing the licenses and, individually, their costs and terms are not material to our business, the loss of, or our inability to maintain existing licenses, could result in service delays or reductions until equivalent technology or suitable alternative products could be developed, identified, licensed and integrated. Such delays or reductions in the aggregate could harm our business. We also generally rely on indemnification provisions in licensing contracts to protect against claims of infringement regarding the licensed technology, which indemnification could be affected by, among other things, the financial strength of the licensor.

The loss of key personnel could have a material adverse effect on our business.

The loss of the services of K. Paul Singh, our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, or the services of our other key personnel, or our inability to attract and retain additional key management, technical and sales personnel, could have a material adverse effect upon us.

We are subject to potential adverse effects of regulation which may have a material adverse impact on our competitive position, growth and financial performance.

Our operations are subject to constantly changing regulation. There can be no assurance that future regulatory changes will not have a material adverse effect on us, or that regulators or third parties will not raise material issues with regard to our compliance or noncompliance with applicable regulations, any of which could have a material adverse effect upon us. As a multinational telecommunications company, we are subject to varying degrees of regulation in each of the jurisdictions in which we provide our services. Local laws and regulations, and the interpretation of such laws and regulations, differ significantly among the jurisdictions in which we operate. Enforcement and interpretations of these laws and regulations can be unpredictable and are often subject to the informal views of government officials. Potential future regulatory, judicial, legislative, and government policy changes in jurisdictions where we operate could have a material adverse effect on us. Domestic or international regulators or third parties may raise material issues with regard to our compliance or noncompliance with applicable regulations, and therefore may have a material adverse impact on our competitive position, growth and financial performance. Regulatory considerations that affect or limit our business include (1) United States common carrier requirements not to discriminate unreasonably among customers and to charge just and reasonable rates; (2) general uncertainty regarding the future regulatory classification of and taxation of VOIP telephony, the need to provide VOIP emergency calling services in a manner required by the FCC that is not yet available commercially on a nation-wide basis and the ability to access broadband networks owned and operated by others; if regulators decide that VOIP is a regulated telecommunications service, our VOIP services may be subject to burdensome regulatory requirements and fees, we may be obligated to pay carriers additional interconnection fees and operating costs may increase; (3) general changes in access charges, universal service and regulatory fee payments would affect our cost of providing long distance services; (4) the ultimate regulatory resolution regarding efforts by Telstra in Australia to increase prices and charges and to build a new broadband network that could adversely impact our current DSL network; and (5) general changes in access charges and contribution payments could adversely affect our cost of providing long distance, wireless, broadband, VOIP, local and other services. Any adverse developments implicating the foregoing could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, result of operations and prospects.

Natural disasters may affect the markets in which we operate, our operations and our profitability.

Many of the geographic areas where we conduct our business may be affected by natural disasters, including hurricanes and tropical storms. Hurricanes, tropical storms and other natural disasters could have a material adverse effect on the business by damaging the network facilities or curtailing voice or data traffic as a result of the effects of such events, such as destruction of homes and businesses.

 

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Risks Related to an Investment in the Debt Securities

Our holding company structure may limit your recourse to our subsidiaries’ assets.

Creditors of a holding company, such as the holders of debt securities offered under this prospectus, and the holding company itself (i.e., PRIMUS) generally will have subordinate claims against the assets of a particular subsidiary as compared to the creditors of that subsidiary. Accordingly, the debt securities offered under this prospectus will be structurally subordinated to all existing and future debt and other liabilities of our subsidiaries, including trade payables. As of March 31, 2007, PRIMUS’s subsidiaries had outstanding debt and other liabilities (including trade payables, but excluding intercompany loans) of approximately $775 million. Our right to receive assets of any subsidiary upon the liquidation or reorganization of that subsidiary (and the consequent rights of the holders of the notes to participate in those assets) will be subject to existing liens and security obligations and will be structurally subordinated to the claims of that subsidiary’s creditors. Even if we are recognized as a creditor of that subsidiary as a result of an intercompany loan, such claims would be subordinate to any secured indebtedness of such subsidiary and any indebtedness of such subsidiary that is senior to such claims. PRIMUS has no significant assets other than cash and the stock of, and intercompany loans payable by, their respective subsidiaries. Moreover, our subsidiaries (and PRIMUS) are party to credit facility and indenture arrangements whereby the stock of most of our subsidiaries are pledged to secure such credit facility and indenture obligations and any claims you may have as a debtholder against the stock of the subsidiaries would be subordinate to claims of the lenders under such credit facility or indenture arrangements.

We may not be able to pay interest and principal on the debt securities offered under this prospectus if we do not receive distributions from our subsidiaries.

PRIMUS has no independent operations and no significant assets other than the stock of, and intercompany loans payable by, our operating subsidiaries, and cash. Dividends, intercompany loans and other permitted payments from our direct and indirect subsidiaries, and credit arrangements, are our sources of funds to meet our cash needs, including the payment of expenses and principal and interest on debt securities under this prospectus. Our subsidiaries are legally distinct from us and have no obligations to pay amounts due with respect to the debt securities under this prospectus or to otherwise make funds available to us. Many of our subsidiaries are organized in jurisdictions outside the United States. Their ability to pay dividends, repay intercompany loans or make other distributions may be restricted by, among other things, the availability of funds, the terms of various credit arrangements entered into by them, as well as statutory and other legal restrictions. Additionally, payments from our subsidiaries may result in adverse tax consequences. If we do not receive dividends, distributions and other payments from our subsidiaries, we would be restricted in our ability to pay interest and principal on the debt securities offered under this prospectus and other indebtedness and in our ability to use cash flow from one subsidiary to cover shortfalls in working capital at another subsidiary.

Our ability to repurchase notes with cash upon a change of control may be limited.

In certain circumstances involving a change of control (as defined under relevant outstanding indentures), the holders of outstanding notes may require PRIMUS or its subsidiary obligors to repurchase some or all of the holders’ notes. No assurances can be made that PRIMUS or such obligors will have sufficient financial resources at such time or would be able to arrange financing to pay the repurchase price of the notes in cash. The ability to repurchase the notes in cash in such event may be limited by law, by the indenture or by the terms of other agreements. In addition, a change of control may trigger repayment obligations under the terms of other indebtedness. PRIMUS (and/or its subsidiary obligor) may not have, or be able to raise, sufficient funds to satisfy all of their repayment or repurchase obligations.

If an active trading market for the debt securities does not develop, then the market price of the debt securities may decline or you may not be able to sell your debt securities.

No assurances can be made that any liquid market will develop for the debt securities or that holders of the debt securities will be able to sell their debt securities, and no assurances can be made concerning the price at which the holders will be able to sell their debt securities. Before this offering, there has been no trading market

 

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for the debt securities. Accordingly, no market for the debt securities may develop, and any market that develops may not last. PRIMUS does not intend to apply for listing of the debt securities on any securities exchange or other stock market. The liquidity of the trading market and the trading price of the debt securities may be adversely affected by declines in the trading price of PRIMUS’s common stock and its other public debt securities, by changes in our financial performance or prospects and by changes in the financial performance of or prospects for companies in our industry generally.

Risks Relating to an Investment in PRIMUS Common Stock

Future issuances of common stock could adversely impact our earnings per share and create selling pressure on our common stock, which could adversely affect our stock price.

As of June 15, 2007, we had 120,132,540 outstanding shares of our common stock that were subject to dilution by:

 

•

46.9 million shares of common stock, subject to potential adjustment, issuable upon exchange of our subsidiary’s 5% Exchangeable Senior Notes;

 

•

7.5 million shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of outstanding stock options;

 

•

18.9 million shares issuable upon the conversion of the 2006 Step Up Convertible Notes; and

 

•

8.3 million shares issuable upon conversion of the 2003 Convertible Senior Notes.

We may also issue a significant number of additional shares of common stock as consideration for future acquisitions or other investments or for other purposes. Under this prospectus, we may sell up to an aggregate of $200 million of debt and equity securities from time to time. Future issuances of common stock could adversely impact our earnings per share by diluting our outstanding common stock, which could adversely affect our stock price. Sales of a substantial amount of newly issued common stock in the public market, or the perception that these sales may occur, could adversely affect the market price of our common stock prevailing from time to time in the public market and could impair our ability to raise funds in additional stock offerings.

The market price of our common stock may decline and fluctuate significantly.

In recent years, the market prices for securities of companies in the telecommunications industry have declined substantially and have been highly volatile. Various factors and events may cause the market price of our common stock to decline or fluctuate significantly. Such factors and events include the liquidity of the market for our common stock, variations in our quarterly operating results and our growth strategies, regulatory, technological or other changes (both domestic and international) affecting the telecommunications industry generally, our competitors’ business developments, changes in the cost of telecommunications service or other operating costs and changes in general market conditions.

A small group of our stockholders could exercise influence over our affairs.

As of March 31, 2007, funds affiliated with American International Group, Incorporated (“AIG Entities”) beneficially owned approximately 14.5% of our outstanding common stock, which was acquired through the conversion of their Series C Preferred Stock. As a result of such share ownership, these holders (who we refer to in our SEC Filings as the “Former Series C Holders”) can exercise influence over our affairs through the provisions of a certain Governance Agreement between such holders and us, dated November 4, 2003, that, among other things, provide for their right to nominate a candidate for election by our stockholders to the board of directors and nominate one non-voting board observer, in each case subject to the maintenance of certain minimum ownership levels of our common stock and the board’s right to exercise its fiduciary duties.

In addition, these holders’ significant ownership levels could have an influence on: amendments to our certificate of incorporation; other fundamental corporate transactions such as mergers and asset sales; and the general direction of our business and affairs.

 

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Also, the applicable triggering provisions of our rights agreement with StockTrans, Inc., as Rights Agent, dated December 23, 1998 (as amended, the “Rights Agreement”), contain exceptions with respect to the acquisition of beneficial ownership of our shares by such holders and the other former holders of Series C Preferred Stock. As a result, such holders could gain additional control over our affairs without triggering the provisions of the Rights Agreement.

Finally, other stockholders that have acquired or will acquire a significant portion of our common stock such as three shareholders (excluding the AIG Entities) that have acquired 30.9 million shares, in aggregate, as of December 31, 2006, could potentially exercise influence over our affairs.

Our common stock was delisted from the Nasdaq Capital Market, which could make it more difficult to sell our common stock.

Effective at the open of trading on July 28, 2006, our common stock was delisted from the Nasdaq Capital Market. Since this time, our common stock has traded in the over-the-counter (OTC) market, both on the OTC Bulletin Board and in the National Quotation Bureau “Pink Sheets,” but our common stock is not currently listed or quoted on any recognized national or regional securities exchange or market. As a result, an investor may find it difficult to sell or obtain quotations as to the price of our common stock. Delisting could adversely affect investors’ perception, which could lead to further declines in the market price of our common stock. Delisting will also make it more difficult, time consuming and expensive for us to raise capital through sales of our common stock or securities convertible into our common stock.

Significant future sales of PRIMUS common stock in the public market could create selling pressure on our common stock and lower our stock price or impair future stock offerings.

Significant future sales of PRIMUS common stock in the public market, including the securities represented by or underlying the Exchange Securities (defined below) and/or the shares offered under the Common Stock Resale Registration (defined below) could lower our stock price and impair our ability to raise funds in new stock offerings. There are 22.6 million shares of PRIMUS common stock that were issued upon conversion of our Series C Preferred and are registered for resale on a separate registration statement (the “Common Stock Resale Registration”). Of these shares, 16.5 million shares were beneficially owned by the AIG Entities as of May 31, 2007 and 8.0 million of these shares also are the subject of a Rule 10b5-1 disposition program that could be executed under the Common Stock Resale Registration and/or under Rule 144 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, which disposition program was authorized by such holders on May 21, 2007. Moreover, we have issued a significant amount of PRIMUS common stock and securities convertible or exchangeable for PRIMUS common stock during 2006 and 2007 in exchange for outstanding securities of PRIMUS and its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Exchange Securities”), including the issuance of: 6.0 million shares of PRIMUS common stock that were issued in the 2007 Common Exchange; $56.3 million of PRIMUS’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Primus Telecommunications Holding’s, 5% notes, which are exchangeable for up to 46.9 million shares of PRIMUS common stock at a current conversion price of $1.20 (and for which we may issue up to an additional 12.2 million shares of common stock which may be paid as interest in the form of common stock in lieu of cash interest); and $22.5 million in Debentures outstanding as of the date of this prospectus (after giving effect to the 2007 Common Exchange), which Debentures are convertible for 18.9 million shares of PRIMUS common stock at a current conversion price of $1.187. Sales of a substantial amount of common stock in the public market, or the perception that these sales may occur, could create selling pressure on our common stock and adversely affect the market price of our common stock prevailing from time to time in the public market and could impair our ability to raise funds in additional stock offerings.

Anti-takeover provisions could impede or discourage a third party acquisition.

We are a Delaware corporation and the anti-takeover provisions of Delaware law impose various impediments to the ability of a third party to acquire control of our company, even if a change in control would be beneficial to our existing stockholders. In addition, our board of directors has the power, without stockholder approval, to designate the terms of one or more series of preferred stock and issue shares of preferred stock,

 

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which could be used defensively if a takeover is threatened. We also have adopted a Rights Agreement, commonly known as a “poison pill,” that entitles our stockholders to acquire additional shares of our common stock, or a potential acquirer of our company, at a substantial discount from their market value in the event of an attempted takeover, unless such stockholders’ rights are earlier redeemed or exchanged by us in the discretion of our board of directors. Our by-laws provide for a classified board of directors serving staggered three-year terms and restrictions on who may call a special meeting of stockholders, and our certificate of incorporation prohibits stockholder action by written consent. The indentures governing our outstanding notes and public debt require that we offer to repurchase such debt or notes upon a change of control. Lastly, all options issued under our stock option plans automatically vest upon a change of control. Our incorporation under Delaware law, our board of directors’ ability to create and issue a new series of preferred stock, the acceleration of the vesting of options, the existence of our Rights Agreement, the requirement to repurchase senior notes and the notes, and certain provisions of our certificate of incorporation or by-laws could impede a merger, takeover or other business combination involving our company or discourage a potential acquirer from making a tender offer for our common stock, which, under certain circumstances, could reduce the market value of our common stock.

 

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RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

The following table presents the historical ratios of earnings to fixed charges of the Company for the periods indicated:

 

		Fiscal Year Ended December 31,										Quarter Ended March 31,
		2006		2005		2004		2003		2002		2007		2006
Ratio of earnings to fixed charges (1)		<1		<1		<1		1.91		<1		<1		<1

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(1)

The ratio of earnings to fixed charges is computed by dividing pre-tax income from continuing operations (before adjustment for minority interest in consolidated subsidiaries and loss from equity investees) by fixed charges. Fixed charges consist of interest charges, whether expensed or capitalized, and that portion of rental expense the Company believes to represent interest.

For the years ended December 31, 2006, 2005, 2004 and 2002, earnings were insufficient to cover fixed charges by $243.9 million, $153.5 million, $7.8 million and $25.1 million, respectively. For the quarter ended March 31, 2007 and 2006, earnings were insufficient to cover fixed charges by $7.8 million and $15.5 million, respectively.

DIVIDEND POLICY

We have not paid any cash dividends on our common stock to date. The payment of dividends, if any, in the future is within the discretion of our board of directors and will depend on our earnings, capital requirements and financial condition. Dividends are also restricted by certain of the indentures governing our outstanding notes and may be restricted by other credit arrangements entered into in the future. See “Risks Related to an Investment in our Debt Securities—We may not be able to pay interest and principal on the notes if we do not receive distributions from our subsidiaries.” Our board of directors presently intends to retain all earnings, if any, for use in our business operations, and accordingly, our board of directors does not expect to declare or pay any dividends in the foreseeable future.

SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

The following selected financial data should be read in conjunction with our consolidated and consolidated condensed financial statements, the notes thereto, and with “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” contained in documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus. The statement of operations data for the years ended December 31, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003 and 2002 and the balance sheet data as of December 31, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003 and 2002 have been derived from our consolidated financial statements, which have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, independent registered public accounting firm. The statement of operations data for the three months ended March 31, 2007 and 2006, and the balance sheet data as of March 31, 2007 and 2006, have been derived from the unaudited consolidated condensed financial statements which, in management’s opinion, include all adjustments (consisting of only normal recurring adjustments) necessary for a fair presentation of the information set forth therein. You should not rely on interim results as being indicative of results we may expect for the full year.

 

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Statement of Operations Data:

 

		Year Ended December 31,																				Three Months Ended March 31,
		2006				2005				2004				2003				2002				2007				2006
		(in thousands, except per share amounts)
NET REVENUE		$	1,007,255			$	1,173,018			$	1,337,129			$	1,277,725			$	1,018,464			$	227,945			$	268,521
OPERATING EXPENSES
Cost of revenue (exclusive of depreciation included below)			662,186				778,227				814,400				780,998				665,945				145,096				178,662
Selling, general and administrative			286,189				377,794				391,457				340,424				252,537				68,813				76,262
Depreciation and amortization			47,536				86,562				91,699				85,006				81,553				6,578				17,598
Loss on sale or disposal of assets			16,097				13,364				1,941				804				—				8				1,012
Asset impairment write-down			209,248	*			—				1,624				2,130				22,337				—				—
Total operating expenses			1,221,256				1,255,947				1,301,121				1,209,362				1,022,372				220,495				273,534
INCOME (LOSS) FROM OPERATIONS			(214,001	)			(82,929	)			36,008				68,363				(3,908	)			7,450				(5,013	)
INTEREST EXPENSE			(54,169	)			(53,436	)			(50,523	)			(60,733	)			(68,303	)			(13,439	)			(13,678	)
ACCRETION ON DEBT DISCOUNT			(1,732	)			—				—				—				—				(298	)			(392	)
CHANGE IN FAIR VALUE OF DERIVATIVES EMBEDDED WITHIN CONVERTIBLE DEBT			5,373				—				—				—				—				—				2,523
GAIN (LOSS) ON EARLY EXTINGUISHMENT OR RESTRUCTURING OF DEBT			7,409	*			(1,693	)			(10,982	)			12,945				36,675				(5,959	)			2,613
INTEREST INCOME AND OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE)			3,693				2,282				11,108				(1,659	)			(786	)			1,497				568
FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSACTION GAIN (LOSS)			10,633				(17,628	)			6,588				39,394				8,486				2,975				(2,012	)
INCOME (LOSS) BEFORE INCOME TAXES			(242,794	)			(153,404	)			(7,801	)			58,310				(27,836	)			(7,774	)			(15,391	)
INCOME TAX BENEFIT (EXPENSE)			(4,866	)			(3,808	)			(5,686	)			(5,701	)			3,598				(1,005	)			(1,249	)
INCOME (LOSS) FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS			(247,660	)			(157,212	)			(13,487	)			52,609				(24,238	)			(8,779	)			(16,640	)
INCOME FROM DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS, net of tax			2,287				2,832				2,906				1,259				608				179				942
GAIN ON SALE OF DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS, net of tax			7,415	*			—				—				—				—				5,958				—
INCOME (LOSS) BEFORE EXTRAORDINARY ITEM AND CUMULATIVE EFFECT OF CHANGE IN ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLE			(237,958	)			(154,380	)			(10,581	)			53,868				(23,630	)			(2,642	)			(15,698	)
EXTRAORDINARY ITEM			—				—				—				887				—				—				—
INCOME (LOSS) BEFORE CUMULATIVE EFFECT OF CHANGE IN ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLE			(237,958	)			(154,380	)			(10,581	)			54,755				(23,630	)			(2,642	)			(15,698	)
CUMULATIVE EFFECT OF CHANGE IN ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLE			—				—				—				—				(10,973	)			—				—
NET INCOME (LOSS)			(237,958	)			(154,380	)			(10,581	)			54,755				(34,603	)			(2,642	)			(15,698	)
ACCRETED AND DEEMED DIVIDEND ON CONVERTIBLE PREFERRED STOCK			—				—				—				(1,678	)			—				—				—
INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO COMMON STOCKHOLDERS		$	(237,958	)		$	(154,380	)		$	(10,581	)		$	53,077			$	(34,603	)		$	(2,642	)		$	(15,698	)

 

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		Year Ended December 31,																			Three Months Ended March 31,
		2006				2005				2004				2003			2002				2007				2006
		(in thousands, except per share amounts)
BASIC INCOME (LOSS) PER COMMON SHARE FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS		$	(2.20	)		$	(1.65	)		$	(0.15	)		$	0.74		$	(0.38	)		$	(0.08	)		$	(0.15	)
BASIC INCOME FROM DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS			0.02				0.03				0.03				0.02			0.01				—				—
BASIC GAIN ON SALE OF DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS			0.06				—				—				—			—				0.06				—
EXTRAORDINARY ITEM			—				—				—				0.01			—				—				—
CUMULATIVE EFFECT OF CHANGE IN ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLE			—				—				—				—			(0.17	)			—				—
BASIC INCOME (LOSS) PER COMMON SHARE		$	(2.12	)		$	(1.62	)		$	(0.12	)		$	0.77		$	(0.54	)		$	(0.02	)		$	(0.15	)
DILUTED INCOME (LOSS) PER COMMON SHARE FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS		$	(2.20	)		$	(1.65	)		$	(0.15	)		$	0.55		$	(0.38	)		$	(0.08	)		$	(0.15	)
DILUTED INCOME FROM DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS			0.02				0.03				0.03				0.01			0.01				—				—
DILUTED GAIN ON SALE OF DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS			0.06				—				—				—			—				0.06				—
EXTRAORDINARY ITEM			—				—				—				0.01			—				—				—
CUMULATIVE EFFECT OF CHANGE IN ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLE			—				—				—				—			(0.17	)			—				—
DILUTED INCOME (LOSS) PER COMMON SHARE		$	(2.12	)		$	(1.62	)		$	(0.12	)		$	0.57		$	(0.54	)		$	(0.02	)		$	(0.15	)

Balance Sheet Data:

 

		December 31,																				March 31,
		2006				2005				2004				2003				2002				2007				2006
		(in thousands)
Total assets		$	392,250			$	641,089			$	758,600			$	751,164			$	724,588			$	432,545			$	624,334
Total long-term obligations (including current portion)		$	644,074			$	635,212			$	559,352			$	542,451			$	600,988			$	699,212			$	625,027
Convertible preferred stock		$	—			$	—			$	—			$	—			$	32,297			$	—			$	—
Total stockholders’ deficit		$	(468,255	)		$	(236,334	)		$	(108,756	)		$	(96,366	)		$	(200,123	)		$	(478,448	)		$	(246,504	)

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*	Refer to discussion in Notes 16, 17 and 18 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements incorporated by reference herein for more information.

For a narrative discussion of our results of operations, financial condition, capital resources and liquidity, please refer to “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” which is contained in the Incorporated SEC Filings.

CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures.

Our management evaluated, with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of December 31, 2006 and March 31, 2007. Based on these evaluations, as a result of the material weakness described below, our principal executive officer and our principal financial officer have concluded that, as of the end of the periods covered by these reports, our disclosure controls and procedures were not effective. Disclosure controls and procedures mean

 

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our controls and other procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by us in our reports that we file or submit under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms. Disclosure controls and procedures include, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by us in our reports that we file or submit under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our principal executive officer and principal financial officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

Evaluation of Internal Control Over Financial Reporting.

As part of our compliance efforts relative to Section 404 of Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, management assessed the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2006. In making this assessment, management used the criteria set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (“COSO”) in Internal Control-Integrated Framework. Based on the assessment, management identified a material weakness in our internal control over accounting for income taxes. The material weakness in internal control related to a lack of personnel with adequate expertise in income tax accounting matters, a lack of documentation, insufficient historical analysis and ineffective reconciliation procedures. These deficiencies represent a material weakness in internal control over financial reporting on the basis that there is more than a remote likelihood that a material misstatement in the Company’s interim or annual financial statements due to errors in accounting for income taxes could occur and would not be prevented or detected by its internal control over financial reporting. Because of this material weakness in internal control over financial reporting, management concluded that, as of December 31, 2006, our internal control over financial reporting was not effective based on the criteria set forth by COSO.

Changes in Internal Control.

Our principal executive officer and our principal financial officer have concluded that there have been no changes in our internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the quarter ended March 31, 2007, that have materially affected, or is reasonably likely to affect materially, our internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, the material weakness in internal control over financial reporting described in the preceding two paragraphs remained unchanged during the quarter ended March 31, 2007.

USE OF PROCEEDS

Except as described in any prospectus supplement, we currently intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of our securities under this prospectus for the repurchase, repayment or redemption of outstanding debt and for working capital and other general corporate purposes.

DESCRIPTION OF DEPOSITARY SHARES

We may offer fractional shares of preferred stock rather than full shares of preferred stock, and, in that event, will issue receipts for depositary shares. Each of these depositary shares will represent a fraction, which will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement, of a share of the applicable series of preferred stock.

The shares of any series of preferred stock underlying any depositary shares that we may sell under this prospectus will be deposited under a deposit agreement between us and a depositary selected by us. Subject to the terms of the deposit agreement, each holder of a depositary share will be entitled, in proportion to the applicable fraction of a share of the preferred stock underlying the depositary share, to all of the rights, preferences and privileges, and be subject to the qualifications and restrictions, of the preferred stock underlying that depositary share.

 

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The depositary shares will be evidenced by depositary receipts issued under a deposit agreement. Depositary receipts will be distributed to the holders of the depositary shares that are sold in the applicable offering. A form of deposit agreement, including a form of depositary receipt, has been filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, and supplements to those forms containing other terms of any depositary shares that we sell under this prospectus will be incorporated by reference into the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part from reports we file in the future with the SEC. The following description of the material terms of the deposit agreement, the depositary shares and the depositary receipts is only a summary. We urge you to read the prospectus supplements relating to any depositary shares that are sold under this prospectus, as well as the complete deposit agreement and depositary receipt.

Form. Pending the preparation of definitive depositary receipts, the depositary may, upon our written order, issue temporary depositary receipts substantially identical to the definitive depositary receipts but not in definitive form. These temporary depositary receipts entitle their holders to all of the rights of definitive depositary receipts. Temporary depositary receipts will then be exchangeable for definitive depositary receipts at our expense.

Dividends and Other Distributions. The depositary will distribute all cash dividends or other cash distributions received with respect to the underlying preferred stock to the record holders of depositary shares in proportion to the number of depositary shares owned by those holders.

If there is a distribution other than in cash, the depositary will distribute property received by it to the record holders of depositary shares in proportion to the number of depositary shares owned by those holders, unless the depositary determines that it is not feasible to do so. If this occurs, the depositary may, with our approval, sell the property and distribute the net proceeds from the sale to those holders in proportion to the number of depositary shares owned by them.

Withdrawal of Underlying Preferred Stock. Except as otherwise provided in a prospectus supplement, holders may surrender depositary receipts at the principal office of the depositary and, upon payment of any unpaid amount due to the depositary, be entitled to receive the number of whole shares of underlying preferred stock and all money and other property represented by the related depositary shares. We will not issue any partial shares of preferred stock. If the holder delivers depositary receipts evidencing a number of depositary shares that represent more than a whole number of shares of preferred stock, the depositary will issue a new depositary receipt evidencing the excess number of depositary shares to the holder.

Redemption of Depositary Shares. If the preferred stock underlying any depositary shares we may sell under this prospectus is subject to redemption, the depositary shares will be redeemed from the proceeds received by the depositary resulting from any such redemption, in whole or in part, of that underlying preferred stock. The redemption price per depositary share will be equal to the applicable fraction of the redemption price per share payable with respect to the underlying preferred stock. Whenever we redeem shares of underlying preferred stock that are held by the depositary, the depositary will redeem, as of the same redemption date, the number of depositary shares representing the shares of underlying preferred stock so redeemed. If fewer than all of the depositary shares are to be redeemed, the depositary shares to be redeemed will be selected by lot or proportionately, as may be determined by the depositary.

Voting. Upon receipt of notice of any meeting at which holders of the preferred stock underlying any depositary shares that we may sell under this prospectus are entitled to vote, the depositary will mail the information contained in the notice to the record holders of the depositary shares. Each record holder of the depositary shares on the record date, which will be the same date as the record date for the underlying preferred stock, will be entitled to instruct the depositary as to the exercise of the voting rights pertaining to the amount of the underlying preferred stock represented by the holder’s depositary shares. The depositary will then try, as far as practicable, to vote the number of shares of preferred stock underlying those depositary shares in accordance with those instructions, and we will agree to take all reasonable actions which may be deemed necessary by the depositary to enable the depositary to do so. The depositary will not vote the underlying preferred stock to the extent it does not receive specific instructions with respect to the depositary shares representing such preferred stock.

 

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Conversion of Preferred Stock. If the prospectus supplement relating to any depositary shares that we may sell under this prospectus states that the underlying preferred stock is convertible into our common stock or other securities, the following will apply. The depositary shares, as such, will not be convertible into any of our securities. Rather, any holder of the depositary shares may surrender the related depositary receipts to the depositary with written instructions to instruct us to cause conversion of the preferred stock represented by the depositary shares into or for whole shares of our common stock or other securities, as applicable. Upon receipt of those instructions and any amounts payable by the holder in connection with the conversion, we will cause the conversion using the same procedures as those provided for conversion of the underlying preferred stock. If only some of a holder’s depositary shares are converted, a new depositary receipt or receipts will be issued to the holder for any depositary shares not converted.

Amendment and Termination of the Deposit Agreement. The form of depositary receipt evidencing the depositary shares and any provision of the deposit agreement may at any time be amended by agreement between us and the depositary. However, any amendment which materially and adversely alters the rights of the holders of depositary shares will not be effective until 90 days after notice of that amendment has been given to the holders. Each holder of depositary shares at the time any amendment becomes effective shall be deemed to consent and agree to that amendment and to be bound by the deposit agreement as so amended. The deposit agreement may be terminated by us or by the depositary only if all outstanding depositary shares have been redeemed or converted into any other securities into which the underlying preferred stock is convertible or there has been a final distribution, including to holders of depositary receipts, of the underlying preferred stock in connection with our liquidation, dissolution or winding up.

Charges of Depositary. We will pay all charges of the depositary, except for taxes and governmental charges and other charges as are expressly provided for in the deposit agreement to be for the account of the holders of depositary shares or persons other than ourselves who may deposit any underlying preferred stock with the depositary.

Reports. The depositary will forward to holders of depositary receipts all notices and reports from us that we deliver to the depositary and that we are required to furnish to the holders of the underlying preferred stock.

Limitation on Liability. Neither we nor the depositary will be liable if either of us is prevented or delayed by law or any circumstance beyond our control in performing our respective obligations under the deposit agreement. Our obligations and those of the depositary will be limited to performance of our respective duties under the deposit agreement without, in our case, negligence or bad faith or, in the case of the depositary, negligence or willful misconduct. We and the depositary may rely upon advice of counsel or accountants, or upon information provided by persons presenting the underlying preferred stock for deposit, holders of depositary receipts or other persons believed by us in good faith to be competent and on documents believed to be genuine.

Resignation and Removal of Depositary. The depositary may resign at any time by delivering notice to us of its election to resign. We may remove the depositary at any time. Any resignation or removal will take effect upon the appointment of a successor depositary and its acceptance of the appointment. The successor depositary must be appointed within 60 days after delivery of the notice of resignation or removal and must be a bank or trust company having its principal office in the United States and having a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000.

DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

The following description, together with the additional information we include in any applicable prospectus supplements, summarizes the material terms and provisions of the debt securities that we may offer under this prospectus. While the terms we have summarized below will generally apply to any future debt securities we may offer under this prospectus, the particular terms of any debt securities that may be offered will be described in more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement. The terms of any debt securities offered under a prospectus supplement may differ from the terms described below.

 

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We will issue the senior notes under the senior indenture which will be entered into with the trustee named in the senior indenture. We will issue the subordinated notes under the subordinated indenture which will be entered into with the trustee named in the subordinated indenture. We have filed forms of these documents as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. We use the term “indentures” to refer to both the senior indenture and the subordinated indenture.

The indentures will be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939. We use the term “indenture trustee” to refer to either the senior trustee or the subordinated trustee, as applicable.

The following summaries of material provisions of the senior notes, the subordinated notes and the indentures are subject to, and qualified in their entirety by reference to, all the provisions of the indenture applicable to a particular series of debt securities. We urge you to read the applicable prospectus supplements related to the debt securities that we sell under this prospectus, as well as the complete indentures that contain the terms of the debt securities. Except as we may otherwise indicate, the terms of the senior indenture and the subordinated indenture are identical.

General

We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement the terms relating to a series of debt securities, including:

 

•

the issuer or issuers of the securities;

 

•

the title;

 

•

the principal amount being offered, and, if a series, the total amount authorized and the total amount outstanding;

 

•

any limit on the amount that may be issued;

 

•

whether or not we will issue the series of debt securities in global form and, if so, the terms and who the depositary will be;

 

•

the maturity date;

 

•

the principal amount due at maturity, and whether the debt securities will be issued with any original issue discount;

 

•

whether and under what circumstances, if any, we will pay additional amounts on any debt securities held by a person who is not a United States person for tax purposes, and whether we can redeem the debt securities if we have to pay such additional amounts;

 

•

the annual interest rate, which may be fixed or variable, or the method for determining the rate, the date interest will begin to accrue, the dates interest will be payable and the regular record dates for interest payment dates or the method for determining such dates;

 

•

whether or not the debt securities will be secured or unsecured, and the terms of any secured debt;

 

•

the terms of the subordination of any series of subordinated debt;

 

•

the place where payments will be payable;

 

•

restrictions on transfer, sale or other assignment, if any;

 

•

our right, if any, to defer payment of interest and the maximum length of any such deferral period;

 

•

the date, if any, after which, the conditions upon which, and the price at which we may, at our option, redeem the series of debt securities pursuant to any optional or provisional redemption provisions, and any other applicable terms of those redemption provisions;

 

•

provisions for a sinking fund purchase or other analogous fund, if any;

 

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•

the date, if any, on which, and the price at which we are obligated, pursuant to any mandatory sinking fund or analogous fund provisions or otherwise, to redeem, or at the holder’s option to purchase, the series of debt securities;

 

•

whether the indenture will restrict our ability and/or the ability of our subsidiaries to: incur additional indebtedness; issue additional securities; create liens; pay dividends and make distributions in respect of our capital stock and the capital stock of our subsidiaries; redeem capital stock; place restrictions on our subsidiaries’ ability to pay dividends, make distributions or transfer assets; make investments or other restricted payments; sell or otherwise dispose of assets; enter into sale-leaseback transactions; engage in transactions with stockholders and affiliates; issue or sell stock of our subsidiaries; or effect a consolidation or merger;

 

•

whether the indenture will require us to maintain any interest coverage, fixed charge, cash flow-based, asset-based or other financial ratios;

 

•

a discussion of any material or special United States federal income tax considerations applicable to the debt securities;

 

•

information describing any book-entry features;

 

•

the procedures for any auction and remarketing, if any;

 

•

the denominations in which we will issue the series of debt securities, if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof;

 

•

if other than dollars, the currency in which the series of debt securities will be denominated; and

 

•

any other specific terms, preferences, rights or limitations of, or restrictions on, the debt securities, including any events of default that are in addition to those described in this prospectus or any covenants provided with respect to the debt securities that are in addition to those described above, and any terms which may be required by us or advisable under applicable laws or regulations or advisable in connection with the marketing of the debt securities.

DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

The following description, together with the additional information we include in any applicable prospectus supplements, summarizes the material terms and provisions of the warrants that we may offer under this prospectus, which consist of warrants to purchase common stock, preferred stock, depositary shares and/or debt securities in one or more series. Warrants may be offered independently or together with common stock, preferred stock, depositary shares and/or debt securities offered by any prospectus supplement, and may be attached to or separate from those securities. While the terms we have summarized below will generally apply to any future warrants we may offer under this prospectus, we will describe the particular terms of any warrants that we may offer in more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement. The terms of any warrants we offer under a prospectus supplement may differ from the terms we describe below.

We will issue the warrants under a warrant agreement which we will enter into with a warrant agent to be selected by us. We have filed forms of the warrant agreements and the related warrant certificates for each type of warrant we may offer under this prospectus as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. We use the term “warrant agreement” to refer to any of these warrant agreements. We use the term “warrant agent” to refer to the warrant agent under any of these warrant agreements. The warrant agent will act solely as an agent of ours in connection with the warrants and will not act as an agent for the holders or beneficial owners of the warrants.

The following summaries of material provisions of the warrants and the warrant agreements are subject to, and qualified in their entirety by reference to, all the provisions of the warrant agreement applicable to a particular series of warrants. We urge you to read the applicable prospectus supplements related to the warrants that we sell under this prospectus, as well as the complete warrant agreements that contain the terms of the warrants.

 

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General

We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement the terms relating to a series of warrants. If warrants for the purchase of debt securities are offered, the prospectus supplement will describe the following terms, to the extent applicable:

 

•

the offering price and the aggregate number of warrants offered;

 

•

the currencies in which the warrants are being offered;

 

•

the designation, aggregate principal amount, currencies, denominations and terms of the series of debt securities that can be purchased if a holder exercises a warrant;

 

•

the designation and terms of any series of debt securities with which the warrants are being offered and the number of warrants offered with each such debt security;

 

•

the date on and after which the holder of the warrants can transfer them separately from the related series of debt securities;

 

•

the principal amount of the series of debt securities that can be purchased if a holder exercises a warrant and the price at which and currencies in which such principal amount may be purchased upon exercise;

 

•

the terms of any rights to redeem or call the warrants;

 

•

the date on which the right to exercise the warrants begins and the date on which such right expires;

 

•

federal income tax consequences of holding or exercising the warrants; and

 

•

any other specific terms, preferences, rights or limitations of, or restrictions on, the warrants.

Warrants for the purchase of debt securities will be in registered form only.

If warrants for the purchase of common stock, preferred stock or depositary shares are offered, the prospectus supplement will describe the following terms, to the extent applicable:

 

•

the offering price and the aggregate number of warrants offered;

 

•

the total number of shares that can be purchased if a holder of the warrants exercises them and, in the case of warrants for preferred stock or depositary shares, the designation, total number and terms of the series of preferred stock that can be purchased upon exercise or that are underlying the depositary shares that can be purchased upon exercise;

 

•

the designation and terms of any series of preferred stock or depositary shares with which the warrants are being offered and the number of warrants being offered with each share of common stock, preferred stock or depositary share;

 

•

the date on and after which the holder of the warrants can transfer them separately from the related common stock or series of preferred stock or depositary shares;

 

•

the number of shares of common stock or preferred stock or depositary shares that can be purchased if a holder exercises the warrant and the price at which such common stock, preferred stock or depositary shares may be purchased upon exercise, including, if applicable, any provisions for changes to or adjustments in the exercise price and in the securities or other property receivable upon exercise;

 

•

the terms of any rights to redeem or call, or accelerate the expiration of, the warrants;

 

•

the date on which the right to exercise the warrants begins and the date on which that right expires;

 

•

federal income tax consequences of holding or exercising the warrants; and

 

•

any other specific terms, preferences, rights or limitations of, or restrictions on, the warrants.

 

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Warrants for the purchase of common stock, preferred stock or depositary shares will be in registered form only.

A holder of warrant certificates may exchange them for new certificates of different denominations, present them for registration of transfer and exercise them at the corporate trust office of the warrant agent or any other office indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement. Until any warrants to purchase debt securities are exercised, the holder of the warrants will not have any of the rights of holders of the debt securities that can be purchased upon exercise, including any rights to receive payments of principal, premium or interest on the underlying debt securities or to enforce covenants in the applicable indenture. Until any warrants to purchase common stock, preferred stock or depositary shares are exercised, holders of the warrants will not have any rights of holders of the underlying common stock, preferred stock or depositary shares, including any rights to receive dividends or to exercise any voting rights, except to the extent set forth under “—Warrant Adjustments” below.

Exercise of Warrants

Each holder of a warrant is entitled to purchase the principal amount of debt securities or number of shares of common stock, preferred stock or depositary shares, as the case may be, at the exercise price described in the applicable prospectus supplement. After the close of business on the day when the right to exercise terminates (or a later date if we extend the time for exercise), unexercised warrants will become void.

A holder of warrants may exercise them by following the general procedure outlined below:

 

•

delivering to the warrant agent the payment required by the applicable prospectus supplement to purchase the underlying security;

 

•

properly completing and signing the reverse side of the warrant certificate representing the warrants; and

 

•

delivering the warrant certificate representing the warrants to the warrant agent within five business days of the warrant agent receiving payment of the exercise price.

If you comply with the procedures described above, your warrants will be considered to have been exercised when the warrant agent receives payment of the exercise price, subject to the transfer books for the securities issuable upon exercise of the warrant not being closed on such date. After you have completed those procedures and subject to the foregoing, we will, as soon as practicable, issue and deliver to you the debt securities, common stock, preferred stock or depositary shares that you purchased upon exercise. If you exercise fewer than all of the warrants represented by a warrant certificate, a new warrant certificate will be issued to you for the unexercised amount of warrants. Holders of warrants will be required to pay any tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with transferring the underlying securities in connection with the exercise of the warrants.

Amendments and Supplements to the Warrant Agreements

We may amend or supplement a warrant agreement without the consent of the holders of the applicable warrants to cure ambiguities in the warrant agreement, to cure or correct a defective provision in the warrant agreement, or to provide for other matters under the warrant agreement that we and the warrant agent deem necessary or desirable, so long as, in each case, such amendments or supplements do not materially adversely affect the interests of the holders of the warrants.

Warrant Adjustments

Unless the applicable prospectus supplement states otherwise, the exercise price of, and the number of securities covered by, a common stock warrant, preferred stock warrant or depositary share warrant will be adjusted proportionately if we subdivide or combine our common stock, preferred stock or depositary shares, as applicable. In addition, unless the prospectus supplement states otherwise, if we, without payment for:

 

•

issue capital stock or other securities convertible into or exchangeable for common stock or preferred stock, or any rights to subscribe for, purchase or otherwise acquire any of the foregoing, as a dividend or distribution to holders of our common stock or preferred stock;

 

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•

pay any cash to holders of our common stock or preferred stock other than a cash dividend paid out of our current or retained earnings or other than in accordance with the terms of the preferred stock;

 

•

issue any evidence of our indebtedness or rights to subscribe for or purchase our indebtedness to holders of our common stock or preferred stock; or

 

•

issue common stock or preferred stock or additional stock or other securities or property to holders of our common stock or preferred stock by way of spinoff, split-up, reclassification, combination of shares or similar corporate rearrangement,

then the holders of common stock warrants, preferred stock warrants and depositary share warrants, as applicable, will be entitled to receive upon exercise of the warrants, in addition to the securities otherwise receivable upon exercise of the warrants and without paying any additional consideration, the amount of stock and other securities and property such holders would have been entitled to receive had they held the common stock, preferred stock or depositary shares, as applicable, issuable under the warrants on the dates on which holders of those securities received or became entitled to receive such additional stock and other securities and property.

Except as stated above, the exercise price and number of securities covered by a common stock warrant, preferred stock warrant and depositary share warrant, and the amounts of other securities or property to be received, if any, upon exercise of those warrants, will not be adjusted or provided for if we issue those securities or any securities convertible into or exchangeable for those securities, or securities carrying the right to purchase those securities or securities convertible into or exchangeable for those securities.

Holders of common stock warrants, preferred stock warrants and depositary share warrants may have additional rights under the following circumstances:

 

•

certain reclassifications, capital reorganizations or changes of the common stock, preferred stock or depositary shares, as applicable;

 

•

certain share exchanges, mergers, or similar transactions involving us and which result in changes of the common stock, preferred stock or depositary shares, as applicable; or

 

•

certain sales or dispositions to another entity of all or substantially all of our property and assets.

If one of the above transactions occurs and holders of our common stock, preferred stock or depositary shares are entitled to receive stock, securities or other property with respect to or in exchange for their securities, the holders of the common stock warrants, preferred stock warrants and depositary share warrants then outstanding, as applicable, will be entitled to receive upon exercise of their warrants the kind and amount of shares of stock and other securities or property that they would have received upon the applicable transaction if they had exercised their warrants immediately before the transaction.

LEGAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

We can issue securities in registered form or in the form of one or more global securities. We describe global securities in greater detail below. We refer to those persons who have securities registered in their own names on the books that we or any applicable trustee or depositary or warrant agent maintain for this purpose as the “holders” of those securities. These persons are the legal holders of the securities. We refer to those persons who, indirectly through others, own beneficial interests in securities that are not registered in their own names, as “indirect holders” of those securities. As we discuss below, indirect holders are not legal holders, and investors in securities issued in book-entry form or in street name will be indirect holders.

Book-Entry Holders

We may issue securities in book-entry form only, as we will specify in the applicable prospectus supplement. This means securities may be represented by one or more global securities registered in the name of

 

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a financial institution that holds them as depositary on behalf of other financial institutions that participate in the depositary’s book-entry system. These participating institutions, which are referred to as participants, in turn, hold beneficial interests in the securities on behalf of themselves or their customers.

Only the person in whose name a security is registered is recognized as the holder of that security. Global securities will be registered in the name of the depositary. Consequently, for global securities, we will recognize only the depositary as the holder of the securities, and we will make all payments on the securities to the depositary. The depositary passes along the payments it receives to its participants, which in turn pass the payments along to their customers who are the beneficial owners. The depositary and its participants do so under agreements they have made with one another or with their customers; they are not obligated to do so under the terms of the securities.

As a result, investors in a global security will not own securities directly. Instead, they will own beneficial interests in a global security, through a bank, broker or other financial institution that participates in the depositary’s book-entry system or holds an interest through a participant. As long as the securities are issued in global form, investors will be indirect holders, and not holders, of the securities.

Street Name Holders

We may terminate a global security or issue securities that are not issued in global form. In these cases, investors may choose to hold their securities in their own names or in “street name.” Securities held by an investor in street name would be registered in the name of a bank, broker or other financial institution that the investor chooses, and the investor would hold only a beneficial interest in those securities through an account he or she maintains at that institution.

For securities held in street name, we or any applicable trustee or depositary will recognize only the intermediary banks, brokers and other financial institutions in whose names the securities are registered as the holders of those securities, and we or any such trustee or depositary will make all payments on those securities to them. These institutions pass along the payments they receive to their customers who are the beneficial owners, but only because they agree to do so in their customer agreements or because they are legally required to do so. Investors who hold securities in street name will be indirect holders, not holders, of those securities.

Legal Holders

Our obligations, as well as the obligations of any applicable trustee or third party employed by us or a trustee, run only to the legal holders of the securities. We do not have obligations to investors who hold beneficial interests in global securities, in street name or by any other indirect means. This will be the case whether an investor chooses to be an indirect holder of a security or has no choice because we are issuing the securities only in global form.

For example, once we make a payment or give a notice to the holder, we have no further responsibility for the payment or notice even if that holder is required, under agreements with its participants or customers or by law, to pass it along to the indirect holders but does not do so. Similarly, we may want to obtain the approval of the holders to amend an indenture, to relieve us of the consequences of a default or of our obligation to comply with a particular provision of an indenture, or for other purposes. In such an event, we would seek approval only from the holders, and not the indirect holders, of the securities. Whether and how the holders contact the indirect holders is up to the holders.

Special Considerations For Indirect Holders

If you hold securities through a bank, broker or other financial institution, either in book-entry form because the securities are represented by one or more global securities or in street name, you should check with your own institution to find out:

 

•

how it handles securities payments and notices;

 

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whether it imposes fees or charges;

 

•

how it would handle a request for the holders’ consent, if ever required;

 

•

whether and how you can instruct it to send you securities registered in your own name so you can be a holder, if that is permitted in the future;

 

•

how it would exercise rights under the securities if there were a default or other event triggering the need for holders to act to protect their interests; and

 

•

if the securities are global securities, how the depositary’s rules and procedures will affect these matters.

Global Securities

A global security is a security which represents one or any other number of individual securities held by a depositary. Generally, all securities represented by the same global securities will have the same terms.

Each security issued in book-entry form will be represented by a global security that we issue to, deposit with and register in the name of a financial institution or its nominee that we select. The financial institution that we select for this purpose is called the depositary. Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, The Depository Trust Company, New York, New York, known as DTC, will be the depositary for all global securities issued under this prospectus.

A global security may not be transferred to or registered in the name of anyone other than the depositary, its nominee or a successor depositary, unless special termination situations arise. We describe those situations below under “—Special Situations When a Global Security Will Be Terminated.” As a result of these arrangements, the depositary, or its nominee, will be the sole registered owner and holder of all securities represented by a global security, and investors will be permitted to own only beneficial interests in a global security. Beneficial interests must be held by means of an account with a broker, bank or other financial institution that in turn has an account with the depositary or with another institution that does. Thus, an investor whose security is represented by a global security will not be a holder of the security, but only an indirect holder of a beneficial interest in the global security.

If the prospectus supplement for a particular security indicates that the security will be issued as a global security, then the security will be represented by a global security at all times unless and until the global security is terminated. If termination occurs, we may issue the securities through another book-entry clearing system or decide that the securities may no longer be held through any book-entry clearing system.

Special Considerations For Global Securities

As an indirect holder, an investor’s rights relating to a global security will be governed by the account rules of the investor’s financial institution and of the depositary, as well as general laws relating to securities transfers. We do not recognize an indirect holder as a holder of securities and instead deal only with the depositary that holds the global security.

If securities are issued only as a global security, an investor should be aware of the following:

 

•

An investor cannot cause the securities to be registered in his or her name, and cannot obtain non-global certificates for his or her interest in the securities, except in the special situations we describe below;

 

•

An investor will be an indirect holder and must look to his or her own bank or broker for payments on the securities and protection of his or her legal rights relating to the securities, as we describe above;

 

•

An investor may not be able to sell interests in the securities to some insurance companies and to other institutions that are required by law to own their securities in non-book-entry form;

 

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•

An investor may not be able to pledge his or her interest in the global security in circumstances where certificates representing the securities must be delivered to the lender or other beneficiary of the pledge in order for the pledge to be effective;

 

•

The depositary’s policies, which may change from time to time, will govern payments, transfers, exchanges and other matters relating to an investor’s interest in the global security. We and any applicable trustee have no responsibility for any aspect of the depositary’s actions or for its records of ownership interests in the global security. We and the trustee also do not supervise the depositary in any way;

 

•

The depositary may, and we understand that DTC will, require that those who purchase and sell interests in the global security within its book-entry system use immediately available funds, and your broker or bank may require you to do so as well; and

 

•

Financial institutions that participate in the depositary’s book-entry system, and through which an investor holds its interest in the global security, may also have their own policies affecting payments, notices and other matters relating to the securities. There may be more than one financial intermediary in the chain of ownership for an investor. We do not monitor and are not responsible for the actions of any of those intermediaries.

Special Situations When A Global Security Will Be Terminated

In a few special situations described below, a global security will terminate and interests in it will be exchanged for physical certificates representing those interests. After that exchange, the choice of whether to hold securities directly or in street name will be up to the investor. Investors must consult their own banks or brokers to find out how to have their interests in securities transferred to their own name, so that they will be direct holders. We have described the rights of holders and street name investors above.

A global security will terminate when the following special situations occur:

 

•

if the depositary notifies us that it is unwilling, unable or no longer qualified to continue as depositary for that global security and we do not appoint another institution to act as depositary within 90 days;

 

•

if we notify any applicable trustee that we wish to terminate that global security; or

 

•

if an event of default has occurred with regard to securities represented by that global security and has not been cured or waived.

The prospectus supplement may also list additional situations for terminating a global security that would apply only to the particular series of securities covered by the prospectus supplement. When a global security terminates, the depositary, and not we or any applicable trustee, is responsible for deciding the names of the institutions that will be the initial direct holders.

 

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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We may sell the securities through underwriters or dealers, through agents, or directly to one or more purchasers. The prospectus supplement will describe the terms of the offering of the securities, including:

 

•

the name or names of any underwriters, if any, and the respective amounts underwritten by each underwriter;

 

•

the purchase price of the securities and the proceeds we will receive from the sale;

 

•

any over-allotment options under which underwriters may purchase additional securities from us;

 

•

any agency fees or underwriting discounts or commissions and other items constituting agents’ or underwriters’ compensation;

 

•

any initial public offering price;

 

•

any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers; and

 

•

any securities exchange or market on which the securities may be listed.

The only underwriters of the securities offered by a prospectus supplement will be the underwriters named in that prospectus supplement.

If underwriters are used in the sale, they will acquire the securities for their own account and may resell them from time to time in one or more transactions at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of sale. The obligations of the underwriters to purchase the securities will be subject to the conditions set forth in the applicable underwriting agreement. We may offer the securities to the public through underwriting syndicates represented by managing underwriters or by underwriters without a syndicate. Subject to certain conditions, the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all the securities of the series offered by the prospectus supplement. Any public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers may change from time to time. We may use underwriters with whom we have a material relationship. We will describe in the prospectus supplement, naming the underwriter, the nature of any such relationship.

We may sell securities directly or through agents we designate from time to time. We will name any agent involved in the offering and sale of securities and we will describe any commissions we will pay the agent in the prospectus supplement.

Unless the prospectus supplement states otherwise, our agent will act on a best-efforts basis for the period of its appointment.

We may authorize agents or underwriters to solicit offers by certain types of institutional investors to purchase securities from us at the public offering price set forth in the prospectus supplement pursuant to delayed delivery contracts providing for payment and delivery on a specified date in the future. We will describe the conditions to these contracts and the commissions we must pay for solicitation of these contracts in the prospectus supplement.

We may provide agents and underwriters with indemnification against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or contribution with respect to payments that the agents or underwriters may make with respect to such liabilities. Agents and underwriters may engage in transactions with, or perform services for, us in the ordinary course of business.

All securities we offer, other than common stock, will be new issues of securities with no established trading market. Any underwriters may make a market in these securities, but will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. We cannot guarantee the liquidity of the trading markets for any securities.

 

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Any underwriter may engage in overallotment, stabilizing transactions, short covering transactions and penalty bids in accordance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act. Overallotment involves sales in excess of the offering size, which create a short position. Stabilizing transactions permit bids to purchase the underlying security so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum. Short covering transactions involve purchases of the securities in the open market after the distribution is completed to cover short positions. Penalty bids permit the underwriters to reclaim a selling concession from a dealer when the securities originally sold by the dealer are purchased in a covering transaction to cover short positions. Those activities may cause the price of the securities to be higher than it would otherwise be. If commenced, the underwriters may discontinue any of the activities at any time.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We file annual, quarterly and special reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC, which are available at our website at www.primustel.com/docs/aboutus.html under Corporate Governance. You may read and copy any reports, statements or other information filed by us at the SEC’s public reference room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. You can request copies of these documents by contacting the SEC and paying a fee for the copying costs. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the public reference room. You also may inspect copies of these materials at the reading room of the library of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., 1735 K Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20006. Our SEC filings are also available to the public from commercial document retrieval services and at the SEC’s web site at “http://www.sec.gov.”

We “incorporate by reference” into this prospectus certain information we file with the SEC, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to another document we filed with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be a part of, and is in fact an important part of, this prospectus, and information that we file later with the SEC will automatically update and supersede the information filed earlier. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future filings we make with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, until the offering of securities covered by this prospectus is completed, except that we do not incorporate by reference any additional documents or information furnished and not filed with SEC:

 

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Current Reports on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on April 2, 2007, May 3, 2007, May 24, 2007, June 1, 2007 (the “June 1 8-K”) and June 8, 2007;

 

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Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2007, filed on May 15, 2007;

 

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Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A as filed with the SEC on April 30, 2007, excluding the information contained in such proxy statement under the captions “Compensation Committee Report on Executive Compensation,” “Compensation Discussion and Analysis” and “Report of the Audit Committee,” which are not incorporated by reference in this prospectus; and

 

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PRIMUS Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006, as amended and superseded in part by the June 1 8-K, excluding the information contained in such filing under the caption “Stock Price Performance Graph,” which is not incorporated by reference in this prospectus.

We will furnish without charge to you, upon written or oral request, a copy of any or all of the documents described above, except for exhibits, unless the exhibits are specifically incorporated by reference into the prospectus. You should direct your requests to: Primus Telecommunications Group, Incorporated, 7901 Jones Branch Drive, Suite 900, McLean, VA 22102.

 

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FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

Certain statements included or incorporated by reference into this prospectus and elsewhere concerning the Company constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such statements are based on current expectations, and are not strictly historical statements. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements set forth in this prospectus and elsewhere regarding, among other things:

 

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expectations of future growth, creation of shareholder value, revenue, foreign revenue contributions and net income, as well as income from operations, margins, earnings per share, cash flow and cash sufficiency levels, working capital, network development, customer migration and related costs, spending on and success with new product initiatives, including the development of broadband Internet, VOIP, wireless, local, data and hosting services, traffic development, capital expenditures, selling, general and administrative expenses, income tax expense, fixed asset and goodwill impairment charges, service introductions and cash requirements;

 

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increased competitive pressures, declining usage patterns, and our new product initiatives, bundled service offerings, the pace and cost of customer migration onto our networks, the effectiveness and profitability of the new products;

 

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financing, refinancing, de-leveraging and/or debt repurchase, restructuring, exchange or tender plans or initiatives, and potential dilution of existing equity holders from such initiatives;

 

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liquidity and debt service forecasts;

 

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assumptions regarding currency exchange rates;

 

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timing, extent and effectiveness of cost reduction initiatives and management’s ability to moderate or control discretionary spending;

 

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management’s plans, goals, expectations, guidance, objectives, strategies, and timing for future operations, acquisitions, product plans, performance and results;

 

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management’s assessment of market factors and competitive developments, including pricing actions and regulatory rulings; and

 

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ability to generate net cash proceeds over the next two years from the disposition of selective assets without material impairment to profitability.

Factors and risks that could cause actual results or circumstances to differ materially from those set forth or contemplated in forward looking statements include those set forth in “Risk Factors” as well as, without limitation:

 

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changes in business conditions causing changes in the business direction and strategy by management;

 

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heightened competitive pricing and bundling pressures in the markets in which the Company operates;

 

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accelerated decrease in minutes of use on wireline phones;

 

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fluctuations in the exchange rates of currencies, particularly of the USD relative to foreign currencies of the countries where the Company conducts its foreign operations;

 

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adverse interest rate developments affecting our variable interest rate debt;

 

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difficulty in maintaining or increasing customer revenues and margins through our new product initiatives and bundled service offerings, and difficulties in migrating and provisioning broadband and local customers to DSL networks;

 

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inadequate financial resources to promote and to market the new product initiatives;

 

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fluctuations in prevailing trade credit terms or revenues due to the adverse impact of, among other things, further telecommunications carrier bankruptcies or adverse bankruptcy related developments affecting our large carrier customers;

 

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•

the possible inability to raise additional capital when needed, on attractive terms, or at all;

 

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possible claims under our existing debt instruments which could impose constraints and limit our flexibility;

 

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the inability to reduce, repurchase, refinance, exchange, tender for or restructure debt significantly, or in amounts sufficient to conduct regular ongoing operations;

 

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the impact of the delisting of our common stock from the Nasdaq Capital Market which may impair our ability to raise capital;

 

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further changes in the telecommunications or Internet industry, including rapid technological changes, regulatory and pricing changes in our principal markets and the nature and degree of competitive pressure that we may face;

 

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adverse tax or regulatory rulings from applicable authorities;

 

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enhanced broadband, DSL, Internet, wireless, VOIP, date and hosting and local and long distance voice telecommunications competition;

 

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changes in financial, capital market and economic conditions;

 

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changes in service offerings or business strategies, including the need to modify business models if performance is below expectations;

 

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difficulty in retaining existing long distance wireline and dial-up ISP customers;

 

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difficulty in migrating or retaining customers associated with acquisitions of customer bases, or integrating other assets;

 

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difficulty in selling new services in the marketplace;

 

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difficulty in providing broadband, DSL, local, VOIP, data and hosting or wireless services;

 

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changes in the regulatory schemes or requirements and regulatory enforcement in the markets in which we operate;

 

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restrictions on our ability to execute certain strategies or complete certain transactions as a result of our inexperience with new product initiatives, or limitations imposed by available cash resources, our capital structure or debt covenants;

 

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risks associated with our limited DSL, Internet, VOIP, data and hosting and wireless experience and expertise, including effectively utilizing new marketing channels such as interactive marketing employing the Internet;

 

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entry into developing markets;

 

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aggregate margin contribution from the new products are not sufficient in amount or timing to offset the margin decline in our legacy long distance voice and dial-up ISP businesses;

 

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the possible inability to hire and/or retain qualified executive management, sales, technical and other personnel;

 

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risks associated with international operations;

 

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dependence on effective information systems;

 

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possible claims for patent infringement on products or processes employed in providing our services;

 

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dependence on third parties for access to their networks to enable us to expand and manage our global network and operations and to offer broadband, DSL, local, VOIP and wireless services, including dependence upon the cooperation of incumbent carriers relating to the migration of customers;

 

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dependence on the performance of our global standard asynchronous transfer mode and Internet-based protocol (ATM+IP) communications network;

 

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adverse regulatory rulings or actions affecting our operations, including the imposition of taxes and fees, the imposition of obligations upon VOIP providers to provide enhanced 911 (E911) services and restricting access to broadband networks owned and operated by others; and

 

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the potential further elimination or limitation of a substantial amount or all of our United States or foreign operating loss carryforwards due to future significant issuances of equity securities, changes in ownership or other circumstances, which carryforwards would otherwise be available to reduce future taxable income.

As such, actual results or circumstances may vary materially from such forward-looking statements or expectations. Readers are also cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements which speak only as of the date these statements were made. We are not necessarily obligated to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

You are advised, however, to consult the discussion of risks and uncertainties under “Risk Factors” in this prospectus and under “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Liquidity and Capital Resources—Short- and Long-Term Liquidity Considerations and Risks” and “Business—Legal Proceedings” in our Form 10-K and Form 10-Q (or the Incorporated SEC Filings) filed with the SEC. See “Where You Can Find More Information.” These are the principal factors that we think could cause our actual results to differ materially from expected results, but other factors could also adversely affect our business and the value of your investment in our securities.

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

Cooley Godward LLP, Reston, Virginia, has passed upon legal matters for us regarding the validity of the securities offered hereby.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements, the related financial statement schedule, and management’s report on the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting incorporated in this prospectus by reference from the Primus Telecommunications Group, Incorporated and subsidiaries’ Current Report on Form 8-K filed on June 1, 2007 have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their reports, which are incorporated herein by reference (which reports (1) express an unqualified opinion on the consolidated financial statements and financial statement schedule and include an explanatory paragraph regarding the Company’s adoption of a new accounting standard, (2) express an unqualified opinion on management’s assessment regarding the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, and (3) express an adverse opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting because of a material weakness), and have been so incorporated in reliance upon the reports of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

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WE HAVE AUTHORIZED NO ONE TO GIVE ANY INFORMATION OR TO MAKE ANY REPRESENTATIONS NOT CONTAINED IN THIS PROSPECTUS. YOU SHOULD RELY ONLY ON THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS PROSPECTUS OR INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE HEREIN. YOU MUST NOT RELY ON ANY UNAUTHORIZED INFORMATION.

THIS PROSPECTUS DOES NOT OFFER TO SELL OR BUY ANY SECURITIES IN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE IT IS UNLAWFUL. YOU SHOULD NOT ASSUME THAT THE INFORMATION IN THIS PROSPECTUS IS ACCURATE AS OF ANY DATE OTHER THAN THE DATE ON THE FRONT OF THIS PROSPECTUS.

 

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