Long-Term Debt (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2014

Long-Term Debt [Abstract]

Long-Term Debt

			Three months ended
			March 31, 2014						Interest
									Rate at
	December 31,		Payments		New		March 31,		March 31,
($ in thousands)	2013		and Retirements		Borrowings		2014		2014 *
Senior Unsecured Debt	$	8,107,066	$	(14,375)	$	-	$	8,092,691	7.95%
Other Secured Debt		13,550		-		10,706		24,256	3.54%
Rural Utilities Service Loan Contracts		8,930		(104)		-		8,826	6.15%
Total Long-Term Debt	$	8,129,546	$	(14,479)	$	10,706	$	8,125,773	7.94%
Less: Debt (Discount)/Premium		2,037						2,524
Less: Current Portion		(257,916)						(365,625)
	$	7,873,667					$	7,762,672

*  Interest rate includes amortization of debt issuance costs and debt premiums or discounts. The interest rates at March 31, 2014 represent a weighted average of multiple issuances

.

Senior Unsecured Debt

($ in thousands)	March 31, 2014			December 31, 2013
	Principal		Interest	Principal		Interest
	Outstanding		Rate	Outstanding		Rate
Senior Notes and Debentures Due:
5/1/2014		200,000	8.250%		200,000	8.250%
3/15/2015		105,026	6.625%		105,026	6.625%
4/15/2015		96,872	7.875%		96,872	7.875%
10/14/2016 *		445,625	3.035% (Variable)		460,000	3.045% (Variable)
4/15/2017		606,874	8.250%		606,874	8.250%
10/1/2018		582,739	8.125%		582,739	8.125%
3/15/2019		434,000	7.125%		434,000	7.125%
4/15/2020		1,021,505	8.500%		1,021,505	8.500%
7/1/2021		500,000	9.250%		500,000	9.250%
4/15/2022		500,000	8.750%		500,000	8.750%
1/15/2023		850,000	7.125%		850,000	7.125%
4/15/2024		750,000	7.625%		750,000	7.625%
11/1/2025		138,000	7.000%		138,000	7.000%
8/15/2026		1,739	6.800%		1,739	6.800%
1/15/2027		345,858	7.875%		345,858	7.875%
8/15/2031		945,325	9.000%		945,325	9.000%
10/1/2034		628	7.680%		628	7.680%
7/1/2035		125,000	7.450%		125,000	7.450%
10/1/2046		193,500	7.050%		193,500	7.050%
		7,842,691			7,857,066
Subsidiary Senior Notes and Debentures Due:
2/15/2028		200,000	6.730%		200,000	6.730%
10/15/2029		50,000	8.400%		50,000	8.400%
Total	$	8,092,691	7.79% **	$	8,107,066	7.78% **

*      Represents borrowings under the Credit Agreement with CoBank.

**Interest rate represents a weighted average of the stated interest rates of multiple issuances.

Debt Maturities by Year

	Principal
($ in thousands)	Payments
2014 (remaining nine months)	$	245,445
2015	$	262,517
2016	$	348,143
2017	$	610,052
2018	$	583,942
2019	$	434,565