Rhythms Files for Chapter 11

Rhythms and its wholly-owned subsidiaries will attempt to reorganize and survive. The CLEC had been looking for a buyer, but appears to have failed to find one before time ran out.

by Thor Olavsrud of internetnews.com [August 3, 2001]

Despite speculation in June of an asset buyout or acquisition of failing national DSL provider Rhythms NetConnections, the company appears to have had little success in that area.

On Thursday it announced that it and all of its wholly-owned U.S. subsidiaries voluntarily filed for reorganization in the Southern District of New York under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.

Like other data competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs), Rhythms was hit hard by the economic slowdown. It has struggled with layoffs, was delisted by the NASDAQ in May, and in June said it would pull out of 150 central offices and disconnect the affected customers by Aug. 13.

Now the company is faced with finding a serious buyer, making a reorganization work, or liquidating the company.

Rhythms said that as of Aug. 1, it had about $133 million in unrestricted cash and cash equivalents. It said it is not seeking debtor-in-possession financing, but instead plans to use its unrestricted cash on hand and future cash from operations to fund its business following the Chapter 11 filing.

"Rhythms has entered into a Voting Agreement with holders of more than 60 percent of the principal amount of the company's notes, establishing an agreed-up process for reorganizing the company or, if that cannot be accomplished, liquidating the company," Rhythms said Thursday.

The company said that when the bankruptcy case begins, it will file a motion to establish an auction procedure for seeking bids for an investment that would allow the company to reorganize or sell its assets.

If holders of at least two-thirds of the company's principal amount of notes agree to become part of the voting agreement, and the company has not received an acceptable "going concern" bid, Rhythms said it has agreed to give its customers 31-days advance notice of termination of service on or before Aug. 10.

Rhythms said that its preferred stockholders will be entitled to share with noteholders in a small portion of any cash recovered, if certain conditions are satisfied. Barring an agreement with preferred stockholders, Rhythms said common stockholders will not participate in the cash recovery.

"Throughout 2001, Rhythms has been restructuring its business model to respond to the ongoing decline in the sector," Rhythms said. "With the assistance of its advisors, the company has explored, and is continuing to explore, several reorganization alternatives. Rhythms believes that its filing today, in conjunction with the agreement reached with the consenting noteholders, will permit the company to implement one of these alternatives in a timely and efficient manner. There can be no assurance that a reorganization can be accomplished."

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