AT&T Inc., the second-largest U.S. wireless carrier, sold $5billion of bonds to help pay back debt maturing this year.

AT&T sold $1.5 billion of 2.4 percent, five-year notes thatyield 148 basis points more than similar-maturity Treasuries, $1.5billion of 3.875 percent, 10-year debt at a spread of 160 basispoints and $2 billion of 5.55 percent, 30-year bonds that pay 185basis points more than benchmarks, according to data compiled byBloomberg. Proceeds may also be used for general corporatepurposes, said a person familiar with the offering, who declined tobe identified because the terms are private.

Corporate bond offerings are showing signs of life, withborrowers from Occidental Petroleum Corp. to San Diego Gas &Electric Co. joining Dallas-based AT&T in tapping the market asyields on investment-grade debt hover at about the lowest onrecord. Sales rose 37.6 percent last week to $13.6 billion afterfalling to the lowest since June during the period ended Aug. 5,Bloomberg data show.