Long-Term Debt

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2023

Long-Term Debt [Abstract]

Long-Term Debt

(9) Long-Term Debt:

Chapter 11 Restructuring

The filing of the Chapter 11 Cases constituted an event of default that accelerated substantially all then-outstanding obligations under Old Frontier’s debt agreements and notes as follows:

the amended and restated credit agreement, dated as of February 27, 2017 (as amended, the JPM Credit Agreement);

the 8.000% first lien secured notes due April 1, 2027 (the Original First Lien Notes);

the 8.500% second lien secured notes due April 1, 2026 (the Original Second Lien Notes); and

the unsecured notes and debentures and the secured and unsecured debentures of our subsidiaries.

As of the Effective Date, amounts that were outstanding under the JPM Credit Agreement, the Original First Lien Notes, and the Original Second Lien Notes were repaid in full.

On the Effective Date, pursuant to the terms of the Plan, all of the obligations under Old Frontier’s unsecured senior note indentures were cancelled, and in connection with emergence, we issued 244,401,000 shares of common stock that were transferred to holders of the allowed senior notes claims (as defined under the Plan).

Interest expense for the four months ended April 30, 2021 recorded on our Predecessor statements of income was lower than contractual interest of $450 million because we ceased accruing interest on the Petition Date in accordance with the terms of the Plan and ASC Topic 852.

The activity in long-term debt is summarized as follows:

			For the year ended ‎December 31, 2023
			Principal
	January 1,		Payments		New		December 31,		Interest Rate at
($ in millions)	2023		and Retirements		Borrowings		2023		December 31, 2023 (2)
Secured debt issued by Frontier	$	8,113	$	(15)	$	750	$	8,848	7.001%
Secured debt issued by subsidiaries		100		(53)		1,586		1,633	7.751%
Unsecured debt issued by subsidiaries		750		-		-		750	6.899%
Principal outstanding	$	8,963	$	(68)	$	2,336	$	11,231	7.103%
Less: Debt issuance costs		(28)						(71)
Less: Current portion		(15)						(15)
Less: Debt premium / (discount)		-						(64)
Plus: Unamortized fair value adjustments (1)		190						165
Total Long-term debt	$	9,110					$	11,246

⁽¹⁾ Upon emergence, we adjusted the carrying value of our debt to fair value. The adjustment consisted of the elimination of the existing unamortized debt issuance costs and unamortized discounts and recording a balance of $236 million as a fair value adjustment. The fair value accounting adjustment is being amortized into interest expense using the effective interest method.

⁽²⁾ The interest rates at December 31, 2023 represent a weighted average of multiple issuances. The anticipated repayment date of July 2028 is used for Fiber Term Notes when calculating the weighted average.

Additional information regarding our senior unsecured debt, senior secured debt, and subsidiary debt at December 31, 2023 and 2022 is as follows:

	December 31, 2023				December 31, 2022
	Principal		Interest		Principal	Interest
($ in millions)	Outstanding		Rate		Outstanding	Rate
Secured debt issued by Frontier
Term loan due 10/8/2027	$	1,435	9.220% (Variable)	$	1,450	8.500% (Variable)
First lien notes due 10/15/2027		1,150	5.875%		1,150	5.875%
First lien notes due 5/1/2028		1,550	5.000%		1,550	5.000%
First lien notes due 5/15/2030		1,200	8.750%		1,200	8.750%
First lien notes due 3/15/2031		750	8.625%		-	-
Second lien notes due 5/1/2029		1,000	6.750%		1,000	6.750%
Second lien notes due 11/1/2029		750	5.875%		750	5.875%
Second lien notes due 1/15/2030		1,000	6.000%		1,000	6.000%
IDRB due 5/1/2030		13	6.200%		13	6.200%
Total secured debt issued by Frontier		8,848			8,113
Secured debt issued by subsidiaries
Debentures due 11/15/2031		47	8.500%		100	8.500%
Series 2023-1 Revenue Term Notes Class A-2 due 7/20/2028		1,119	6.600%		-
Series 2023-1 Revenue Term Notes Class B due 7/20/2028		155	8.300%		-
Series 2023-1 Revenue Term Notes Class C due 7/20/2028		312	11.500%		-
Total secured debt issued by subsidiaries		1,633			100
Unsecured debt issued by subsidiaries
Debentures due 5/15/2027		200	6.750%		200	6.750%
Debentures due 2/1/2028		300	6.860%		300	6.860%
Debentures due 2/15/2028		200	6.730%		200	6.730%
Debentures due 10/15/2029		50	8.400%		50	8.400%
Total unsecured debt issued by subsidiaries		750			750
Principal outstanding	$	11,231	7.103% (1)	$	8,963	6.760% (1)

⁽¹⁾ Interest rate represents a weighted average of the stated interest rates of multiple issuances. The anticipated repayment date of July

2028 is used for the Series 2023-1 Revenue Term Notes, classes A-2 B, and C when calculating the weighted average.

Credit Facilities and Term Loans

Revolving Facility

On March 8, 2023, Frontier Holdings entered into an amendment to its Revolving Facility, which, among other things, (i) extends the maturity with respect to the commitments of certain revolving lenders (in addition to certain amendments to springing maturity provisions); (2) amends the financial maintenance covenant for the benefit of the Revolving Facility by increasing the maximum first lien leverage ratio thereunder to 3.50:1.00, with step-downs to: (a) 3.25:1.00 in 2026; and (b) 3.00:1.00 in 2027 and continuing thereafter; and (3) provides for certain amendments to debt incurrence and other restrictive covenants.

The $900 million Revolving Facility will be available on a revolving basis until April 30, 2025 and with respect to certain lenders currently representing $850 million thereunder, the maturity date of the Revolving Facility will be the earliest of (a) April 30, 2028, (b) 91 days prior to the maturity date of the term loan facility, (c) unless such notes have been repaid and/or redeemed in full, the date that is 91 days prior to the stated maturity date of our 5.875% First Lien Notes due 2027, and (d) unless such notes have been repaid and/or redeemed in full, the date that is 91 days prior to the stated maturity date of our 5.000% First Lien Notes due 2028.

At Frontier’s election, the determination of interest rates for the Revolving Facility is based on margins over the alternate base rate or over Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”). The interest rate margin with respect to any SOFR loan under the Revolving Facility is 3.50% or 2.50% with respect to any alternate base rate loans, with a 0% SOFR floor.

Subject to customary exceptions and thresholds, the security package under the Revolving Facility includes pledges of the equity interests in certain of our subsidiaries, which is currently limited to certain specified pledged entities and substantially all personal property of Frontier Video, which same assets also secure our First Lien Notes. The Revolving Facility is guaranteed by the same subsidiaries that guarantee the First Lien Notes. After giving effect to approximately $358 million of letters of credit previously outstanding, we have $542 million of available borrowing capacity under the Revolving Facility.

The Revolving Facility includes customary negative covenants for loan agreements of this type, including covenants limiting Frontier and our restricted subsidiaries’ (other than certain covenants therein which are limited to subsidiary guarantors) ability to, among other things, incur additional indebtedness, create liens on assets, make investments, loans or advances, engage in mergers, consolidations, sales of assets and acquisitions, pay dividends and distributions and make payments in respect of certain material payment subordinated indebtedness, in each case subject to customary exceptions for loan agreements of this type.

The Revolving Facility also includes certain customary representations and warranties, affirmative covenants, and events of default, including, but not limited to, payment defaults, breaches of representations and warranties, covenant defaults, certain events under ERISA, change of control or damage to a material portion of the collateral.

Term Loan Facility

The Term Loan Facility’s maturity date is October 8, 2027. At our election, the determination of interest rates for the Term Loan Facility is based on margins over adjusted Term SOFR or the alternate base rate. The interest rate margin under the Term Loan Facility is 3.75% with respect to any Term SOFR loan or 2.75% with respect to any alternate base rate loan, with a 0.75% Term SOFR floor.

Subject to certain exceptions and thresholds, the security package under the Term Loan Facility includes pledges of the equity interests in certain of our subsidiaries, which as of the issue date is limited to certain specified pledged entities and substantially all personal property of Frontier Video Services Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Frontier Video”), which same assets also secure the First Lien Notes (as defined below). The Term Loan Facility is guaranteed by the same subsidiaries that guarantee the First Lien Notes.

The Term Loan Facility includes customary negative covenants for loan agreements of this type, including covenants limiting Frontier and our restricted subsidiaries’ (other than certain covenants therein which are limited to subsidiary guarantors) ability to, among other things, incur additional indebtedness, create liens on assets, make investments, loans or advances, engage in mergers, consolidations, sales of assets and acquisitions, pay dividends and distributions and make payments in respect of certain material payment subordinated indebtedness, in each case subject to customary exceptions for loan agreements of this type.

The Term Loan Facility also includes certain customary representations and warranties, affirmative covenants and events of default, including, but not limited to, payment defaults, breaches of representations and warranties, covenant defaults, certain events under ERISA, upon the conversion date, unstayed judgments in favor of a third-party involving an aggregate liability in excess of a certain threshold, change of control, upon the conversion date, specified governmental actions having a material adverse effect or condemnation or damage to a material portion of the collateral.

Fiber Securitization Transaction

Secured Fiber Network Revenue Term Notes

On August 8, 2023, our limited-purpose, bankruptcy remote, subsidiary, Frontier Issuer, issued $1.6 billion aggregate principal amount of secured Fiber Term Notes, less $58 million in original issue discounts, consisting of $1.1 billion 6.60% Series 2023-1, Class A-2 term notes, $155 million 8.30% Series 2023-1, Class B term notes and $312 million 11.50% Series 2023-1, Class C term notes, each with an anticipated term ending in July 2028 (such anticipated repayment date, the “ARD”), in an offering exempt from registration under the Securities Act. We intend to use the proceeds from the offering of the Fiber Term Notes for, among other things, general corporate purposes, including potential investments or expenditures, such as capital expenditures and research and development, in line with our fiber expansion and copper migration strategies. In addition, we used a portion of the proceeds to retire and defease certain outstanding indebtedness of our subsidiary Frontier Southwest Incorporated.

The Fiber Term Notes were issued as part of a securitization transaction, pursuant to which the Company’s fiber network assets and associated customer contracts in certain neighborhoods in the Dallas, Texas metropolitan area were contributed to AssetCo, a direct, wholly-owned subsidiary of Frontier Issuer. The Fiber Term Notes are secured by these fiber assets and associated customer contracts. The assets of Frontier Issuer, AssetCo and the other securitization entities are available to satisfy only the obligations owed under the Fiber Term Notes and are not available to any other creditors of the Company or its affiliates. The Fiber Term Notes were issued pursuant to an indenture, dated as of August 8, 2023 (the “Base

Indenture”), as supplemented by the Series 2023-1 Supplement thereto, dated as of August 8, 2023 (the “Series 2023-1 Supplement”), in each case entered into by and among the Issuer, Frontier Dallas TX Fiber 1 LLC (“AssetCo”) and Citibank, N.A. as the indenture trustee (the “Trustee”).

The Base Indenture, together with the Series 2023-1 Supplement and Series 2023-2 Supplement, and any other series supplements to the Base Indenture, are referred to herein as the “Fiber Term Notes Indenture.”

The table below sets forth the material terms of Fiber Term Notes as of December 31, 2023:

Security	Issue Date	Amount Outstanding		Interest Rate (1)	Anticipated Repayment Date	Final Maturity Date
Series 2023-1, Class A-2 term notes	August 8, 2023	$	1,119,000,000	6.60%	July 20, 2028	August 20, 2053
Series 2023-1, Class B term notes	August 8, 2023	$	155,000,000	8.30%	July 20, 2028	August 20, 2053
Series 2023-1, Class C term notes	August 8, 2023	$	312,000,000	11.50%	July 20, 2028	August 20, 2053

⁽¹⁾ If Frontier Issuer has not repaid or refinanced any Fiber Term Note prior to the monthly payment date in July of 2028, additional interest will accrue thereon in an amount equal to the greater of (i) 5.00% per annum and (ii) the excess amount, if any, by which the sum of the following exceeds the interest rate for such note: (A) the yield to maturity (adjusted to a “mortgage-equivalent basis” pursuant to the standards and practices of the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association) on the ARD for such note of the United States Treasury Security having a remaining term closest to 10 years plus (B) 5.00% plus (C) the post-ARD note spread applicable to such Note.

While the Fiber Term Notes are outstanding, scheduled payments of interest are required to be made on the Notes on a monthly basis. From and after the ARD, principal payments will also be required to be made on the Notes on a monthly basis. No principal payments will be due on the Fiber Term Notes prior to the ARD, unless certain rapid amortization or acceleration triggers are activated.

The Fiber Term Notes are subject to a series of covenants and restrictions customary for transactions of this type. These covenants and restrictions include (i) that Frontier Issuer maintains a liquidity reserve account to be used to make required payments in respect of the Notes, (ii) provisions relating to optional and mandatory prepayments, including specified make-whole payments in the case of certain optional prepayments of the Fiber Term Notes prior to the monthly payment date in July 2026, (iii) certain indemnification payments in the event, among other things, that  the transfers of the assets pledged as collateral for the Fiber Term Notes are in stated ways defective or ineffective and (iv) covenants relating to recordkeeping, access to information and similar matters. As provided in the Base Indenture, the Fiber Term Notes are also subject to rapid amortization in the event of a failure to maintain a stated debt service coverage ratio. A rapid amortization may be cured if the debt service coverage ratio exceeds a certain threshold for a certain period of time, upon which cure, regular amortization, if any, will resume. The Fiber Term Notes are also subject to certain customary events of default, including events relating to non-payment of required interest, principal or other amounts due on or with respect to the Fiber Term Notes, failure to comply with covenants within certain time frames, certain bankruptcy events, breaches of specified representations and warranties, failure of security interests to be effective and certain judgments.

Securitized Financing Facility

In connection with the Fiber Term Notes, Frontier Issuer entered into a financing facility for the issuance of up to $500 million in Series 2023-2 Secured Fiber Network Revenue Variable Funding Senior Notes, Class A-1 (the “Variable Funding Notes”).  Frontier Issuer had not drawn on the Variable Funding Notes as of December 31, 2023.

The Variable Funding Notes were issued pursuant to the Base Indenture, as supplemented by the Series 2023-1 Supplement and the Series 2023-2 Supplement, dated as of August 24, 2023 (the “Series 2023-2 Supplement”), in each case entered into by and among Frontier Issuer, AssetCo and the Trustee.

Drawings and certain additional terms related to the Variable Funding Notes are governed by the Class A-1 Note Purchase Agreement, dated as of August 24, 2023 (the “Variable Funding Note Purchase Agreement”), among Frontier Issuer, AssetCo, Frontier Communications Holdings, LLC (as the “Manager”), certain conduit investors, financial institutions and funding agents, and Barclays Bank plc, as administrative agent. The Variable Funding Notes will be governed, in part, by the Variable Funding Note Purchase Agreement and by certain generally applicable terms contained in the Indenture. The initial anticipated repayment date for the Variable Funding Notes is July 2026, and Frontier Issuer and Manager have the option to elect two one-year extensions of the anticipated repayment date. Following the initial anticipated repayment date (and any extensions thereof), additional interest will accrue on the Variable Funding Notes equal to 5.0% per annum.

Defeasance of Notes

During 2023, the Company extinguished $53 million of notes issued by its subsidiary Frontier Southwest Incorporated and transferred assets to an escrow account to pay the future interest and principal on the remaining $47 million of notes, which remain on the Company’s balance sheet as outstanding debt and restricted assets.

Senior Secured Notes

First Lien Notes due 2031

On March 8, 2023, our consolidated subsidiary Frontier Communications Holdings, LLC (“Frontier Holdings”) issued $750 million aggregate principal amount of 8.625% first lien secured notes due 2031 (the “First Lien Notes due 2031”) in an offering pursuant to exemptions from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). We intend to use the net proceeds of the offering to fund capital investments and operating costs arising from our fiber build and expansion of our fiber customer base, and for general corporate purposes.

The First Lien Notes due 2031 are secured by a first-priority lien, subject to permitted liens, by all the assets that secure the issuer’s obligations under its senior secured credit facilities and existing senior secured notes. The First Lien Notes due 2031 were issued pursuant to an indenture, dated as of March 8, 2023, by and among Frontier Holdings, the guarantors party thereto, the grantor party thereto, Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as collateral agent.

First Lien Notes due 2030

On May 12, 2022, our consolidated subsidiary Frontier Communications Holdings, LLC (“Frontier Holdings”) issued $1.2 billion aggregate principal amount of 8.750% First Lien Secured Notes due 2030 (the “First Lien Notes due 2030”) in an offering pursuant to exemptions from the registration requirements of the Securities Act. We intend to use the net proceeds of this offering to fund capital investments and operating costs arising from our fiber build and expansion of our fiber customer base, and for general corporate purposes.

The First Lien Notes due 2030 are secured by a first-priority lien, subject to permitted liens, by all the assets that secure the issuer’s obligations under its senior secured credit facilities and existing senior secured notes. The First Lien Notes due 2030 were issued pursuant to an indenture, dated as of May 12, 2022, by and among Frontier Holdings, the guarantors party thereto, the grantor party thereto, Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as collateral agent.

Second Lien Notes due 2030

On October 13, 2021, New Frontier Issuer issued $1.0 billion aggregate principal amount of 6.000% Second Lien Secured Notes due 2030 (the “Second Lien Notes due 2030”) in an offering pursuant to exemptions from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. We intend to use the net proceeds of this offering to fund capital investments and operating costs arising from our fiber build and expansion of our fiber customer base, and for general corporate purposes.

The Second Lien Notes due 2030 were issued pursuant to an indenture, dated as of October 13, 2021 (the “Second Lien 2030 Indenture”), by and among the Issuer, the guarantors party thereto, the grantor party thereto and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee and as collateral agent.

Second Lien Notes due May 2029

In connection with the DIP financing, on November 25, 2020, Old Frontier issued $1.0 billion aggregate principal amount of 6.750% Second Lien Secured Notes due May 1, 2029 (the “Second Lien Notes due May 2029”).

The Second Lien Notes due May 2029 were issued pursuant to an indenture, dated as of November 25, 2020 (the “Second Lien May 2029 Indenture”), by and among Old Frontier, the guarantors party thereto, the grantor party thereto and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee and as collateral agent.

On the Effective Date, in accordance with the Second Lien May 2029 Indenture and the Plan, New Frontier Issuer entered into a supplemental indenture with Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee, and assumed the obligations under the Second Lien Notes due May 2029 and the Second Lien May 2029 Indenture.

Second Lien Notes due November 2029 or “Takeback Notes”

On April 30, 2021, New Frontier Issuer issued $750 million aggregate principal amount of 5.875% Second Lien Secured Notes due November 2029 (the “Second Lien Notes due November 2029” or the “Takeback Notes”) pursuant to an indenture, dated as of April 30, 2021 (the “Takeback Notes Indenture”), by and among New Frontier Issuer, the guarantors party thereto, the grantor party thereto and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee and as collateral agent. At Old Frontier’s

direction, the Takeback Notes were issued to holders of claims arising under, derived from, based on, or related to the unsecured notes issued by Old Frontier in partial satisfaction of such claims.

The Second Lien Notes due 2030, the Second Lien Notes due May 2029 and the Takeback Notes are collectively referred to as the Second Lien Notes. The Second Lien 2030 Indenture, the Second Lien May 2029 Indenture and the Takeback Notes Indenture are collectively referred to as the Second Lien Notes Indentures. The Second Lien Notes and the First Lien Notes (as defined below) are referred to herein collectively as the “Notes”.

The Second Lien Notes are secured by a second-priority lien, subject to permitted liens, by all the assets that secure New Frontier Issuer’s obligations under the Term Loan Facility, the Revolving Facility, and the First Lien Notes (as defined below).

The Second Lien Notes Indentures contain customary negative covenants, subject to a number of important exceptions and qualifications, including, without limitation, covenants related to incurring additional debt and issuing preferred stock; incurring or creating liens; redeeming and/or prepaying certain debt; paying dividends on stock or repurchasing stock; making certain investments; engaging in specified sales of assets; entering into transactions with affiliates; and engaging in consolidation, mergers and acquisitions. Certain of these covenants will be suspended during such time, if any, that the Second Lien Notes have investment grade ratings by at least two of Moody’s, S&P or Fitch. The Second Lien Notes Indentures also provides for customary events of default which, if any of them occurs, would permit, or require the principal of and accrued interest on the Second Lien Notes to become or to be declared due and payable.

First Lien Notes

In connection with the DIP financing, (a) on October 8, 2020, Old Frontier issued $1,150 million aggregate principal amount of 5.875% First Lien Secured Notes due October 15, 2027 (the “First Lien Notes due 2027”) and (b) on November 25, 2020, Old Frontier issued $1,550 million aggregate principal amount of 5.000% First Lien Secured Notes due May 1, 2028 (the “First Lien Notes due 2028” and, together with the First Lien Notes due 2027, the “First Lien Notes”).

The First Lien Notes due 2027 were issued pursuant to an indenture, dated as of October 8, 2020 (the “2027 First Lien Indenture”), by and among Old Frontier, the guarantors party thereto, the grantor party thereto, JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A., as collateral agent, and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee. The First Lien Notes due 2028 were issued pursuant to an indenture, dated as of November 25, 2020 (the “2028 First Lien Indenture” and, together with the 2027 First Lien Indenture, the “First Lien Indentures”), by and among Old Frontier, the guarantors party thereto, the grantor party thereto, JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A., as collateral agent and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee.

On the Effective Date, in accordance with the Indentures and the Plan, New Frontier Issuer entered into supplemental indentures to the First Lien Indentures with Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee, and assumed the obligations under each series of the First Lien Notes and each of the First Lien Indentures.

The First Lien Notes are secured on a first-priority basis and pari passu with its senior secured credit facilities, subject to permitted liens and certain exceptions, by all the assets that secure our obligations under the Term Loan Facility and the Revolving Facility.

The First Lien Indentures contain customary negative covenants, subject to a number of important exceptions and qualifications, including, without limitation, covenants related to incurring additional debt and issuing preferred stock; incurring or creating liens; redeeming and/or prepaying certain debt; paying dividends on our stock or repurchasing stock; making certain investments; engaging in specified sales of assets; entering into transactions with affiliates; and engaging in consolidation, mergers and acquisitions. Certain of these covenants will be suspended during such time, if any, that the First Lien Notes have investment grade ratings by at least two of Moody’s, S&P or Fitch. The First Lien Notes Indentures also provides for customary events of default which, if any of them occurs, would permit, or require the principal of and accrued interest on the First Lien Notes to become or to be declared due and payable.

Other Obligations

During 2018, we contributed real estate properties with an aggregate fair value of $37 million for the purpose of funding a portion of our contribution obligations to our qualified defined benefit pension plan. The pension plan obtained independent appraisals of the property and, based on these appraisals, the pension plan recorded the contributions at aggregate fair value of $37 million for 2019. We entered into a lease for the contributed properties. The properties are managed on behalf of the pension plan by an independent fiduciary, and the terms of the lease were negotiated with the fiduciary on an arm’s-length basis.

For properties contributed in 2018, leases have initial terms of 20 years at a combined average aggregate annual rent of approximately $5 million.

The contribution and leaseback of the properties were treated as financing transactions and, accordingly, we continue to depreciate the carrying value of the property in our financial statements and no gain or loss was recognized. An obligation of $53 million is included in our consolidated balance sheet within “Other liabilities” as of December 31, 2023 and the liability is reduced annually by a portion of the lease payments made to the pension plan. Under the new lease standard, liabilities for these finance transactions are included in our financing lease liabilities. Refer to Note 11 for additional details.