UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON, DC 20549 FORM 8-K CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 Date of report (Date of earliest event reported) September 9, 2005 MCLEODUSA INCORPORATED ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter) DELAWARE ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation) 0-20763 42-1407240 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Commission File Number) (IRS Employer Identification No.) McLeodUSA Technology Park 4200 C. Street SW, P.O. Box 3177 Cedar Rapids, IA 52406-3177 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code) (319) 364-0000 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report) Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below): |_| Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |_| Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |_| Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |_| Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) ITEM 1.01 ENTRY INTO A MATERIAL DEFINITIVE AGREEMENT On September 9, 2005, McLeodUSA Incorporated ("the Company") issued a press release, which is hereby incorporated by reference and attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1, announcing that the Company and certain of its subsidiaries ("Subsidiary Guarantors") had entered into a Fourth Forbearance Agreement, on the same date, among the Company, the Subsidiary Guarantors, certain of the Lenders (as defined below), and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. ("Agent"), as Administrative Agent (the "Fourth Forbearance Agreement"), which is hereby incorporated by reference and attached hereto as Exhibit 10.1. The Fourth Forbearance Agreement relates to (1) the Credit Agreement dated as of May 31, 2000, as amended, among the Company, the lenders party thereto and the Agent (the "Credit Agreement"), (2) the Credit Agreement dated as of April 16, 2002, as amended, among the Company, the lenders party thereto and the Agent (the "Exit Facility" and, together with the Credit Agreement, the "Credit Facilities"; and the lenders under each of the Credit Facilities, the "Lenders") and (3) the Subsidiary Guarantee Agreement dated as of May 31, 2000, as amended and restated as of April 16, 2002, among the Subsidiary Guarantors and the Agent. The Fourth Forbearance Agreement was entered into in connection with the expiration on September 9, 2005 of the Third Forbearance Agreement, entered into as of July 21, 2005, and extends the forbearance period to September 30, 2005. Pursuant to the Fourth Forbearance Agreement, the Lenders have agreed to continue to forbear from exercising any remedies as a result of certain specified defaults under the Credit Facilities anticipated by the Company during the forbearance period, including, without limitation, the failure to make scheduled amortization payments under the Credit Facilities and interest payments under the Credit Agreement. In addition, certain of the Company's accounts will continue to be subject to control agreements and certain restrictions on the sale of certain assets and on the use of cash obtained through the sale of certain assets will continue to be in effect. Theodore J. Forstmann, director and stockholder of the Company, and a General Partner in certain funds affiliated with Forstmann Little & Co. which collectively hold a controlling interest in the Company's voting securities, is a lender party to the Credit Agreement. ITEM 9.01 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS Exhibit No. Description ----------- ----------- 10.1 Fourth Forbearance Agreement, dated as of September 9, 2005, among McLeodUSA Incorporated (the "Borrower"), each of the Subsidiaries of the Borrower listed on Schedule I thereto (the "Subsidiary Guarantors"), the financial institutions named on the signature pages thereto (together with their respective successors and assigns, the "Participant Lenders") and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as agent for the Lenders (the "Administrative Agent") 99.1 Press Release, dated September 9, 2005 SIGNATURES Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized. MCLEODUSA INCORPORATED Dated: September 9, 2005 By: /s/ James E. Thompson ----------------------------- Name: James E. Thompson Title: Group Vice President and General Counsel and Secretary EXHIBIT INDEX Exhibit No. Description ----------- ----------- 10.1 Fourth Forbearance Agreement, dated as of September 9, 2005, among McLeodUSA Incorporated (the "Borrower"), each of the Subsidiaries of the Borrower listed on Schedule I thereto (the "Subsidiary Guarantors"), the financial institutions named on the signature pages thereto (together with their respective successors and assigns, the "Participant Lenders") and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as agent for the Lenders (the "Administrative Agent") 99.1 Press Release, dated September 9, 2005