BELLSOUTH CORPORATION
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 14A
PROXY STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 14(a) OF THE SECURITIES
EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 (AMENDMENT NO. )
Filed by the Registrant þ
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant o
Check the appropriate box:
o Preliminary Proxy Statement
o Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule14a-6(e)(2))
o Definitive Proxy Statement
o Definitive Additional Materials
þ Soliciting Material Pursuant to Rule 14a-12
BELLSOUTH CORPORATION
(Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)
Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
þ No fee required
o Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11.
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Top 10 Business Markets Customer FAQs
1. How does the merger announcement affect my current relationship with my BellSouth account
team?
Prior to the merger, the merger announcement will not affect your current relationship with your
BellSouth account team. Your sales, as well as your service contacts, will remain the same for all
aspects of your account. We remain committed, both before and after the merger, to providing the
superior customer service you expect from us to support your business operations.
2. Will contracts signed with BellSouth be honored in their entirety once the merger is complete?
Prior to the closing of the merger, BellSouth will continue to offer its products and services via
BellSouth contracts under BellSouth terms and conditions. Following the merger, AT&T will continue
to honor our contractual obligations.
3. Will I be required to migrate my BSLD services or my Network VPN over MPLS service to AT&T
after the merger?
AT&T will honor the terms of BellSouth customer contracts. We expect that any proposed changes
that might affect a customers service would not be made without first discussing it with the
customer.
4. Will BellSouth continue to compete against AT&T?
Prior to completion of the merger, the companies must and will continue to operate independently
and BellSouth will continue to compete against AT&T.
5. Does the merger announcement impact wireless offers and Cingular?
Prior to completion of the merger, there will be no impact to our wireless offerings through
Cingular. You should still contact your BellSouth account team for your wireless needs. After the
merger, Cingular Wireless will be wholly owned by the combined company.
6. Will BellSouth continue to launch new products for the remainder of the year?
BellSouth will continue to offer competitive products and services to our business customers and
will introduce new products and enhancements to our existing products this year.
7. Can I request that, if a merger occurs, my current BellSouth contracts be merged or the terms
brought under any existing term I may already have in a contract with BellSouths merged partner?
Pre-merger legal restrictions and general contract law do not allow a company to bind a potential
merger partner with terms and conditions. However, AT&T will continue to honor our customer
contracts post merger.
8. What will happen to the charitable organizations BellSouth supports?
AT&T shares our commitment to serving the communities in which we live and work. AT&Ts chairman
sent a letter to Mr. Ackerman pledging to continue to fund charitable activities, and economic and
educational initiatives throughout the BellSouth nine state region.
9. How does the merger benefit me?
The merger will create a more effective and efficient provider of wireless, broadband, data and
video services. It will increase competition and innovation, thereby giving you more choices in
products and services. Our size will allow us to attract the right content and technology partners
to offer you the best solutions for your needs.
10. When is the merger expected to close?
BellSouth and AT&T are currently expected to complete the merger by the end of 2006. The merger
must be cleared by the U.S. Department of Justice and approved by the Federal Communications
Commission, various State public utility commissions, a few local and foreign economic authorities
and the shareholders for both BellSouth and AT&T. Your account team will continue to update you as
information becomes available. You can also visit our Web site at www.bellsouth.com at any time.
In addition to historical information, this document may contain forward-looking statements
regarding the proposed merger with AT&T. Factors that could prevent or delay completion of the
proposed merger with AT&T, could affect the future results of the merged company and could cause
the merged companys actual results to differ from those expressed in the forward-looking
statements include: (i) our and AT&Ts ability to obtain governmental approvals of the proposed
merger on the proposed terms and contemplated schedule; (ii) the failure of AT&T shareholders to
approve the issuance of AT&T common shares in the merger or the failure of our shareholders to
approve the merger; (iii) the risk that the businesses of AT&T and BellSouth will not be integrated
successfully or as quickly as expected; (iv) the risk that the cost savings and any other synergies
from the merger, including any savings and other synergies
relating to the resulting sole ownership of Cingular Wireless LLC, may not be fully realized or may
take longer to realize than expected; (v) disruption from the merger making it more difficult to
maintain relationships with customers, employees or suppliers; and (vi) those factors contained in
the preliminary proxy statement relating to the proposed merger filed with the SEC.
NOTE: In connection with the proposed merger, AT&T Inc. (AT&T) filed a registration statement on
Form S-4 (Registration No. 333-132904), containing a joint proxy statement/prospectus of AT&T and
BellSouth Corporation (BellSouth), with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) on
March 31, 2006. Investors are urged to read the registration statement and the joint proxy
statement/prospectus contained therein (including all amendments and supplements to it) because it
contains important information. Investors may obtain free copies of the registration statement and
joint proxy statement/prospectus, as well as other filings containing information about AT&T and
BellSouth, without charge, at the SECs Web site ( www.sec.gov ). Copies of AT&Ts filings
may also be obtained without charge from AT&T at AT&Ts Web site ( www.att.com ) or by
directing a request to AT&T Inc. Stockholder Services, 175 E. Houston, San Antonio, Texas 78205.
Copies of BellSouths filings may be obtained without charge from BellSouth at BellSouths Web site
(www.bellsouth.com ) or by directing a request to BellSouth at Investor Relations, 1155
Peachtree Street, N.E., Atlanta, Georgia 30309.
AT&T, BellSouth and their respective directors and executive officers and other members of
management and employees are potential participants in the solicitation of proxies in respect of
the proposed merger. Information regarding AT&Ts directors and executive officers is available in
AT&Ts 2005 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 1, 2006 and AT&Ts proxy
statement for its 2006 annual meeting of stockholders, filed with the SEC on March 10, 2006, and
information regarding BellSouths directors and executive officers is available in BellSouths 2005
Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 28, 2006 and BellSouths proxy statement
for its 2006 annual meeting of shareholders, filed with the SEC on March 3, 2006. Additional
information regarding the interests of such potential participants is included in the registration
statement and joint proxy statement/prospectus contained therein, and other relevant documents
filed with the SEC.