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      <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">
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            <td valign="top" width="52%" style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">As
      filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April&#160;11,
      2008.</font></div>
            </td>
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              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Registration
      No. 333-__________</font></div>
            </td>
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            <td valign="top" width="52%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 4px double"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="36%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 4px double"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
          </tr>
      </table>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align="right">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">UNITED
STATES</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Washington,
D.C. 20549</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">FORM
S-8</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">REGISTRATION
STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">__________</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">CenturyTel,
Inc.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-STYLE: italic; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(Exact
name of registrant as specified in its charter)</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div>
      <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
          <tr>
            <td valign="top" width="41%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Louisiana</font></div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="41%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">72-0651161</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
            <td valign="top" width="41%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-STYLE: italic; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">(State
      or other jurisdiction</font></div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="41%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-STYLE: italic; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">(I.R.S.
      Employer</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
            <td valign="top" width="41%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-STYLE: italic; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">of
      incorporation or organization)</font></div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="41%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-STYLE: italic; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Identification
      No.)</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
      </table>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">100
CenturyTel Drive</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Monroe,
Louisiana 71203</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-STYLE: italic; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(Address,
including zip code, of</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-STYLE: italic; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Principal
Executive Offices)</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">CenturyTel,
Inc. 1983 Restricted Stock Plan</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-STYLE: italic; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(Full
title of the plan)</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">__________</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Stacey
W. Goff</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Senior
Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">CenturyTel,
Inc.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">100
CenturyTel Drive</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Monroe,
Louisiana 71203</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(318)
388-9500</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-STYLE: italic; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(Name,
address, including zip code, and telephone number,</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-STYLE: italic; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">including
area code, of agent for service)</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Copy
to:</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Margaret
F. Murphy</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Jones,
Walker, Waechter, Poitevent, Carr&#232;re &amp; Den&#232;gre, L.L.P.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">201
St. Charles Avenue</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">New
Orleans, Louisiana 70170-5100</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">CALCULATION
OF REGISTRATION FEE</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">
      <div>
        <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
            <tr>
              <td valign="bottom" width="25%" style="BORDER-TOP: black 4.5pt double; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
                <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Title
      of securities</font></div>
                <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">to
      be registered</font></div>
              </td>
              <td valign="bottom" width="13%" style="BORDER-TOP: black 4.5pt double; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
                <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Amount</font></div>
                <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">to
      be</font></div>
                <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">registered
      <font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 70%; VERTICAL-ALIGN: super">(1)</font></font></div>
              </td>
              <td valign="bottom" width="13%" style="BORDER-TOP: black 4.5pt double; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
                <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Proposed
      maximum offering price per share</font></div>
              </td>
              <td valign="bottom" width="14%" style="BORDER-TOP: black 4.5pt double; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
                <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Proposed
      maximum aggregate offering price</font></div>
              </td>
              <td valign="bottom" width="13%" style="BORDER-TOP: black 4.5pt double; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
                <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Amount
      of</font></div>
                <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">registration</font></div>
                <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">fee</font></div>
              </td>
            </tr>
            <tr>
              <td align="left" valign="top" width="25%">
                <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font id="TAB2" style="LETTER-SPACING: 9pt">&#160;&#160;&#160;</font>&#160;Common
      Stock, $1 par value per share</font></div>
              </td>
              <td valign="top" width="13%">
                <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">783,000
      Shares</font></div>
              </td>
              <td valign="top" width="13%">
                <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">$31.52<font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 70%; VERTICAL-ALIGN: super">(2)</font></font></div>
              </td>
              <td valign="top" width="14%">
                <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">24,680,160
      <font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 70%; VERTICAL-ALIGN: super">(2)</font></font></div>
              </td>
              <td valign="top" width="13%">
                <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">$970.00<font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 70%; VERTICAL-ALIGN: super">(2)</font></font></div>
              </td>
            </tr>
            <tr>
              <td align="left" valign="top" width="25%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 4px double">
                <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font id="TAB2" style="LETTER-SPACING: 9pt">&#160;&#160;&#160;</font>&#160;1983
      Restricted Stock Plan</font></div>
              </td>
              <td valign="top" width="13%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 4px double"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
              <td valign="top" width="13%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 4px double"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
              <td valign="top" width="14%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 4px double"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
              <td valign="top" width="13%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 4px double"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            </tr>
        </table>
      </div>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
    <div>
      <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="hangingindent" width="100%">
          <tr valign="top">
            <td style="WIDTH: 18pt">
              <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(1)</font></div>
            </td>
            <td>
              <div align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Upon
      a future stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction involving
      Common Stock of the Company and during the effectiveness of this
      Registration Statement, the number of securities registered shall be
      automatically increased to cover the additional securities in accordance
      with Rule 416(a) under the Securities Act of
  1933.</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
      </table>
    </div>
    <div>
      <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="hangingindent" width="100%">
          <tr valign="top">
            <td style="WIDTH: 18pt">
              <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(2)</font></div>
            </td>
            <td>
              <div align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Estimated
      solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to
      Rule 457(c) under the Securities Act of 1933, based on the average of the
      high and low price per share of the Common Stock on the Composite Tape for
      New York Stock Exchange-Listed Stocks on April 10,
  2008.</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
      </table>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">PART
I</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Not
Applicable.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">PART
II</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">INFORMATION
REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div>
      <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="hangingindent" width="100%">
          <tr valign="top">
            <td style="WIDTH: 72pt">
              <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Item
      3.</font></div>
            </td>
            <td>
              <div align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Incorporation
      of Documents by Reference.</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
      </table>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">The
following documents, which have been filed by CenturyTel, Inc. (the &#8220;Company&#8221; or
the &#8220;Registrant&#8221;) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
&#8220;Commission&#8221;), are incorporated herein by reference:</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(a)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;The
Company&#8217;s latest Annual Report on Form 10-K filed pursuant to Section 13 of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the &#8220;Exchange Act&#8221;);</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(b)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;All
other reports filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a)
or 15(d) of the Exchange Act since the end of the fiscal year covered by the
Annual Report referred to in (a) above; and</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(c)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;The
description of the Common Stock of the Company included in Amendment No. 2 on
Form 8-A/A to the Registration Statement on Form 8-A of the Company filed on
November 19, 1999 under the Exchange Act relating to the Common Stock of the
Company.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">All
documents filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Sections 13(a),
13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of this
Registration Statement and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment
hereto that indicates that all securities offered have been sold or that
deregisters all securities then remaining unsold shall, except to the extent
otherwise provided by Regulation S-K or any other rule promulgated by the
Commission, be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration
Statement and to be part hereof from the date of filing of such
documents.&#160;&#160;Any statements contained in a document incorporated or
deemed to be incorporated by reference shall be deemed to be modified or
superseded to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other
document subsequently filed or incorporated by reference herein modifies or
supersedes such statement.&#160;&#160;Any statement so modified or superseded
shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part
of this Registration Statement.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div>
      <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="hangingindent" width="100%">
          <tr valign="top">
            <td style="WIDTH: 72pt">
              <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Item
      4.</font></div>
            </td>
            <td>
              <div align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Description
      of Securities.</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
      </table>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Not
applicable.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div>
      <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="hangingindent" width="100%">
          <tr valign="top">
            <td style="WIDTH: 72pt">
              <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Item
      5.</font></div>
            </td>
            <td>
              <div align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Interests
      of Named Experts and Counsel.</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
      </table>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Not
applicable.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div>
      <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="hangingindent" width="100%">
          <tr valign="top">
            <td style="WIDTH: 93px">
              <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Item
      6.</font></div>
            </td>
            <td width="1144">
              <div align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Indemnification
      of Directors and Officers.</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
      </table>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Section
83 of the Louisiana Business Corporation Law provides, in part, that the Company
may indemnify any of its directors, officers, employees or agents against
expenses (including attorneys&#8217; fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in
settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with any
action, suit or proceeding to which he is or was a party or is threatened to be
made a party (including any action by or in the right of the Company) if such
action arises out of his acts on the Company&#8217;s behalf, and he acted in good
faith not opposed to the Company&#8217;s best interests, and, with respect to any
criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct
was unlawful.&#160;&#160;The Company has the power to obtain and maintain
insurance, or to create a form of self-insurance, on behalf of any person who is
or was acting for the Company, regardless of whether the Company has the legal
authority to indemnify the insured person against such liability.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Article
II, Section 10 of the Company&#8217;s by-laws (the &#8220;indemnification by-law&#8221;) provides
for mandatory indemnification for its current or former directors and officers
to the fullest extent permitted by Louisiana law.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">The
Company&#8217;s Articles of Incorporation authorize the Company to enter into
contracts with its directors and officers providing for indemnification to the
fullest extent permitted by law.&#160;&#160;The Company has entered into
indemnification contracts providing its directors and officers the procedural
and substantive rights to indemnification currently set forth in the
indemnification by-law (&#8220;indemnification contracts&#8221;). The right to
indemnification provided by an indemnification contract applies to all covered
claims, whether such claims arose before or after the effective date of the
contract.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">The
Company maintains an insurance policy covering the liability of its directors
and officers for actions taken in their official capacities.&#160;&#160;The
indemnification contracts provide that, to the extent insurance is reasonably
available, the Company will maintain comparable insurance coverage for each
contracting party as long as he serves as an officer or director and thereafter
for so long as he is subject to possible personal liability for actions taken in
such capacity.&#160;&#160;The indemnification contracts also provide that if the
Company does not maintain comparable insurance, the Company will hold harmless
and indemnify a contracting party to the full extent of the coverage that would
otherwise have been provided for his benefit.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div>
      <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="hangingindent" width="100%">
          <tr valign="top">
            <td style="WIDTH: 72pt">
              <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Item
      7.</font></div>
            </td>
            <td>
              <div align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Exemption
      From Registration Claimed.</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
      </table>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Not
applicable.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div>
      <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="hangingindent" width="100%">
          <tr valign="top">
            <td style="WIDTH: 72pt">
              <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Item
      8.</font></div>
            </td>
            <td>
              <div align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Exhibits.</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
      </table>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">5.1&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Opinion
of Jones, Walker, Waechter, Poitevent, Carr&#232;re &amp; Den&#232;gre,
L.L.P.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">23.1&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Consent
of KPMG LLP.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">23.2&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Consent
of Jones, Walker, Waechter, Poitevent, Carr&#232;re &amp; Den&#232;gre, L.L.P. (included
in Exhibit 5.1).</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">24&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Power
of Attorney (included in the signature pages of this Registration
Statement).</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div>
      <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="hangingindent" width="100%">
          <tr valign="top">
            <td style="WIDTH: 72pt">
              <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Item
      9.</font></div>
            </td>
            <td>
              <div align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Undertakings.</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
      </table>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(a)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;The
undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 72pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(1)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;To
file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made and to the
extent required by the Securities Act of 1933 and the rules and regulations
promulgated thereunder, a post-effective amendment to this registration
statement:</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt; TEXT-INDENT: 72pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(i)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;To
include any prospectus required by section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of
1933;</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt; TEXT-INDENT: 72pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(ii)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;To
reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date
of this registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment
thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change
in the information set forth in this registration
statement.&#160;&#160;Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in
volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered
would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or
high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of
prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the
aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20 percent
change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the &#8220;Calculation of
Registration Fee&#8221; table in the effective registration statement;
and</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt; TEXT-INDENT: 72pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(iii)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;To
include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not
previously disclosed in this registration statement or any material change to
such information in this registration statement;</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-STYLE: italic">Provided, however</font>, that
paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if the information required to
be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in
periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant
pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
that are incorporated by reference in this registration statement.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 72pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(2)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;That,
for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933,
each such post-effective amendment filed for such purposes shall be deemed to be
a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 72pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(3)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;To
remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the
securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the
offering.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(b)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;The
undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any
liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant&#8217;s
annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 that is incorporated by reference in the registration
statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the
securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time
shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(c)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Insofar
as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may
be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant
pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been
advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such
indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is,
therefore, unenforceable.&#160;&#160;In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the
registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling
person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or
proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in
connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in
the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question of whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will
be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">*&#160;&#160;*&#160;&#160;*&#160;&#160;*&#160;&#160;*</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">SIGNATURES</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that
it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all the requirements for
filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed
on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of
Monroe, State of Louisiana, on April 11, 2008.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div>
      <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="91%">
          <tr>
            <td valign="top" width="56%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="31%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">CENTURYTEL,
      INC.</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
            <td valign="top" width="56%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="31%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
            <td valign="top" width="56%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="31%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 4px double">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">By:&#160;&#160;/s/
      Glen F. Post, III</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="56%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="31%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Glen
      F. Post, III</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="56%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="31%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Chairman
      of the Board and</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
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      </font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="31%">
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      Chief Executive Officer</font></div>
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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
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OF ATTORNEY</font></div>
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MEN BY THESE PRESENTS that each person whose signature appears below constitutes
and appoints Glen F. Post, III, R. Stewart Ewing, Jr. and Stacey W. Goff, or any
one of them, his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of
substitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all
capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments)
to this Registration Statement, and to file the same with all exhibits thereto,
and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, granting unto such attorney-in-fact and agent full power and
authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and ratifying
and confirming all that such attorney-in-fact and agent or his substitute or
substitutes may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.</font></div>
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to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement
has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates
indicated.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div>
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          <tr>
            <td valign="top" width="29%" style="BORDER-TOP: black 0.5pt solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
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              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline">Title</font></font></div>
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          </tr>
          <tr>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="29%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; TEXT-DECORATION: underline">/s/ Glen F. Post,
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            <td valign="top" width="28%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Chairman
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      Executive Officer</font></div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="25%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">April
      11, 2008</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="29%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; TEXT-DECORATION: underline">/s/ R. Stewart Ewing,
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              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">R.
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            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="28%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Executive
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              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">(Principal
      Financial Officer)</font></div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="25%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">April
      11, 2008</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="29%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; TEXT-DECORATION: underline">/s/ Neil A.
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            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="28%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Vice
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              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">(Principal
      Accounting Officer)</font></div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="25%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">April
      11, 2008</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="29%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; TEXT-DECORATION: underline">/s/ William R. Boles,
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              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">William
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            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="28%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Director</font></div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="25%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">April
      11, 2008</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="29%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; TEXT-DECORATION: underline">/s/ Virginia
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              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Virginia
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            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="28%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Director</font></div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="25%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">April
      11, 2008</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="29%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline"><font style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline">/</font><font style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline">s/ Calvin
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              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Calvin
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            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="28%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Director</font></div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="25%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">April
      11, 2008</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="29%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; TEXT-DECORATION: underline">/s/ James B.
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              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">James
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            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="28%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Director</font></div>
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            <td valign="top" width="25%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">April
      11, 2008</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="29%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; TEXT-DECORATION: underline">/s/ W. Bruce
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              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">W.
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            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="28%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Director</font></div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="25%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">April
      11, 2008</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="29%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; TEXT-DECORATION: underline">/s/ C. G. Melville,
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              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">C.
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            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="28%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Director</font></div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="25%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">April
      11, 2008</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="29%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; TEXT-DECORATION: underline">/s/ Gregory J.
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            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="28%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Director</font></div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="25%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">April
      11, 2008</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="29%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; TEXT-DECORATION: underline">/s/ Fred R.
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              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Fred
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            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="28%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Director</font></div>
            </td>
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[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "filename": "forms8.htm", "description": "FORM S-8 1983 RESTRICTED STOCK", "secsgml_size_bytes": 76987}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "CENTURYTEL INC", "cik": "0000018926", "assigned-sic": "4813", "irs-number": "720651161", "state-of-incorporation": "LA", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-150188", "film-number": "08751727"}, "business-address": {"street1": "P O BOX 4065", "street2": "100 CENTURYTEL DR", "city": "MONROE", "state": "LA", "zip": "71203", "phone": "3183889000"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "100 CENTURYTEL DR", "street2": "P O BOX 4065", "city": "MONROE", "state": "LA", "zip": "71203"}, "former-company": [{"former-conformed-name": "CENTURY TELEPHONE ENTERPRISES INC", "date-changed": "19920703"}, {"former-conformed-name": "CENTRAL TELEPHONE & ELECTRONICS CORP", "date-changed": "19720512"}]}
forms8.htm
As
      filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 11,
      2008.
Registration
      No. 333-__________
UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D.C. 20549
FORM
S-8
REGISTRATION
STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
__________
CenturyTel,
Inc.
(Exact
name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Louisiana
72-0651161
(State
      or other jurisdiction
(I.R.S.
      Employer
of
      incorporation or organization)
Identification
      No.)
100
CenturyTel Drive
Monroe,
Louisiana 71203
(Address,
including zip code, of
Principal
Executive Offices)
CenturyTel,
Inc. 1983 Restricted Stock Plan
(Full
title of the plan)
__________
Stacey
W. Goff
Senior
Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
CenturyTel,
Inc.
100
CenturyTel Drive
Monroe,
Louisiana 71203
(318)
388-9500
(Name,
address, including zip code, and telephone number,
including
area code, of agent for service)
Copy
to:
Margaret
F. Murphy
Jones,
Walker, Waechter, Poitevent, Carrère & Denègre, L.L.P.
201
St. Charles Avenue
New
Orleans, Louisiana 70170-5100
CALCULATION
OF REGISTRATION FEE
Title
      of securities
to
      be registered
Amount
to
      be
registered
(1)
Proposed
      maximum offering price per share
Proposed
      maximum aggregate offering price
Amount
      of
registration
fee
Common
      Stock, $1 par value per share
783,000
      Shares
$31.52
(2)
24,680,160
(2)
$970.00
(2)
1983
      Restricted Stock Plan
(1)
Upon
      a future stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction involving
      Common Stock of the Company and during the effectiveness of this
      Registration Statement, the number of securities registered shall be
      automatically increased to cover the additional securities in accordance
      with Rule 416(a) under the Securities Act of
  1933.
(2)
Estimated
      solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to
      Rule 457(c) under the Securities Act of 1933, based on the average of the
      high and low price per share of the Common Stock on the Composite Tape for
      New York Stock Exchange-Listed Stocks on April 10,
  2008.
PART
I
Not
Applicable.
PART
II
INFORMATION
REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
Item
      3.
Incorporation
      of Documents by Reference.
The
following documents, which have been filed by CenturyTel, Inc. (the "Company" or
the "Registrant") with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission"), are incorporated herein by reference:
(a)           The
Company's latest Annual Report on Form 10-K filed pursuant to Section 13 of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act");
(b)           All
other reports filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a)
or 15(d) of the Exchange Act since the end of the fiscal year covered by the
Annual Report referred to in (a) above; and
(c)           The
description of the Common Stock of the Company included in Amendment No. 2 on
Form 8-A/A to the Registration Statement on Form 8-A of the Company filed on
November 19, 1999 under the Exchange Act relating to the Common Stock of the
Company.
All
documents filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Sections 13(a),
13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of this
Registration Statement and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment
hereto that indicates that all securities offered have been sold or that
deregisters all securities then remaining unsold shall, except to the extent
otherwise provided by Regulation S-K or any other rule promulgated by the
Commission, be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration
Statement and to be part hereof from the date of filing of such
documents.  Any statements contained in a document incorporated or
deemed to be incorporated by reference shall be deemed to be modified or
superseded to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other
document subsequently filed or incorporated by reference herein modifies or
supersedes such statement.  Any statement so modified or superseded
shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part
of this Registration Statement.
Item
      4.
Description
      of Securities.
Not
applicable.
Item
      5.
Interests
      of Named Experts and Counsel.
Not
applicable.
Item
      6.
Indemnification
      of Directors and Officers.
Section
83 of the Louisiana Business Corporation Law provides, in part, that the Company
may indemnify any of its directors, officers, employees or agents against
expenses (including attorneys' fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in
settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with any
action, suit or proceeding to which he is or was a party or is threatened to be
made a party (including any action by or in the right of the Company) if such
action arises out of his acts on the Company's behalf, and he acted in good
faith not opposed to the Company's best interests, and, with respect to any
criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct
was unlawful.  The Company has the power to obtain and maintain
insurance, or to create a form of self-insurance, on behalf of any person who is
or was acting for the Company, regardless of whether the Company has the legal
authority to indemnify the insured person against such liability.
Article
II, Section 10 of the Company's by-laws (the "indemnification by-law") provides
for mandatory indemnification for its current or former directors and officers
to the fullest extent permitted by Louisiana law.
The
Company's Articles of Incorporation authorize the Company to enter into
contracts with its directors and officers providing for indemnification to the
fullest extent permitted by law.  The Company has entered into
indemnification contracts providing its directors and officers the procedural
and substantive rights to indemnification currently set forth in the
indemnification by-law ("indemnification contracts"). The right to
indemnification provided by an indemnification contract applies to all covered
claims, whether such claims arose before or after the effective date of the
contract.
The
Company maintains an insurance policy covering the liability of its directors
and officers for actions taken in their official capacities.  The
indemnification contracts provide that, to the extent insurance is reasonably
available, the Company will maintain comparable insurance coverage for each
contracting party as long as he serves as an officer or director and thereafter
for so long as he is subject to possible personal liability for actions taken in
such capacity.  The indemnification contracts also provide that if the
Company does not maintain comparable insurance, the Company will hold harmless
and indemnify a contracting party to the full extent of the coverage that would
otherwise have been provided for his benefit.
Item
      7.
Exemption
      From Registration Claimed.
Not
applicable.
Item
      8.
Exhibits.
5.1           Opinion
of Jones, Walker, Waechter, Poitevent, Carrère & Denègre,
L.L.P.
23.1         Consent
of KPMG LLP.
23.2         Consent
of Jones, Walker, Waechter, Poitevent, Carrère & Denègre, L.L.P. (included
in Exhibit 5.1).
24           Power
of Attorney (included in the signature pages of this Registration
Statement).
Item
      9.
Undertakings.
(a)           The
undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:
(1)           To
file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made and to the
extent required by the Securities Act of 1933 and the rules and regulations
promulgated thereunder, a post-effective amendment to this registration
statement:
(i)           To
include any prospectus required by section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of
1933;
(ii)           To
reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date
of this registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment
thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change
in the information set forth in this registration
statement.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in
volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered
would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or
high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of
prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the
aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20 percent
change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the "Calculation of
Registration Fee" table in the effective registration statement;
and
(iii)           To
include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not
previously disclosed in this registration statement or any material change to
such information in this registration statement;
Provided, however
, that
paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if the information required to
be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in
periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant
pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
that are incorporated by reference in this registration statement.
(2)           That,
for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933,
each such post-effective amendment filed for such purposes shall be deemed to be
a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.
(3)           To
remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the
securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the
offering.
(b)           The
undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any
liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant's
annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 that is incorporated by reference in the registration
statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the
securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time
shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(c)           Insofar
as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may
be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant
pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been
advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such
indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is,
therefore, unenforceable.  In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the
registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling
person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or
proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in
connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in
the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question of whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will
be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
*  *  *  *  *
SIGNATURES
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that
it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all the requirements for
filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed
on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of
Monroe, State of Louisiana, on April 11, 2008.
CENTURYTEL,
      INC.
By:  /s/
      Glen F. Post, III
Glen
      F. Post, III
Chairman
      of the Board and
Chief Executive Officer
POWER
OF ATTORNEY
KNOW ALL
MEN BY THESE PRESENTS that each person whose signature appears below constitutes
and appoints Glen F. Post, III, R. Stewart Ewing, Jr. and Stacey W. Goff, or any
one of them, his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of
substitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all
capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments)
to this Registration Statement, and to file the same with all exhibits thereto,
and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, granting unto such attorney-in-fact and agent full power and
authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and ratifying
and confirming all that such attorney-in-fact and agent or his substitute or
substitutes may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement
has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates
indicated.
Signature
Title
Date
/s/ Glen F. Post,
      III
Glen
      F. Post, III
Chairman
      of the Board and
Chief
      Executive Officer
April
      11, 2008
/s/ R. Stewart Ewing,
      Jr.
R.
      Stewart Ewing, Jr.
Executive
      Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
(Principal
      Financial Officer)
April
      11, 2008
/s/ Neil A.
      Sweasy
Neil
      A. Sweasy
Vice
      President and Controller
(Principal
      Accounting Officer)
April
      11, 2008
/s/ William R. Boles,
      Jr.
William
      R. Boles, Jr.
Director
April
      11, 2008
/s/ Virginia
      Boulet
Virginia
      Boulet
Director
April
      11, 2008
/
s/ Calvin
      Czeschin
Calvin
      Czeschin
Director
April
      11, 2008
/s/ James B.
      Gardner
James
      B. Gardner
Director
April
      11, 2008
/s/ W. Bruce
      Hanks
W.
      Bruce Hanks
Director
April
      11, 2008
/s/ C. G. Melville,
      Jr.
C.
      G. Melville, Jr.
Director
April
      11, 2008
/s/ Gregory J.
      McCray
Gregory
      J. McCray
Director
April
      11, 2008
/s/ Fred R.
      Nichols
Fred
      R. Nichols
Director
April
      11, 2008
/s/ Harvey P.
      Perry
Harvey
      P. Perry
Director
April
      11, 2008
/s/ Jim D.
      Reppond
Jim
      D. Reppond
Director
April
      11, 2008
/s/ Joseph R.
      Zimmel
Joseph
      R. Zimmel
Director
April
      11, 2008