LEVEL 3 COMMUNICATIONS LAUNCHES ATLANTA FACILITY
ATLANTA, February 24, 1999 – Level 3 Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq: LVLT), today announced that it will begin providing select telecommunications services in the Atlanta metropolitan area as part of its national city roll-out. Level 3 is building the first international network based on Internet Protocol (IP) technology. When completed, the Level 3 Network will combine both local and long distance networks, connecting customers end-to-end across the U.S. and in Europe and the Pacific Rim.
Level 3 has announced it will construct local city networks that directly serve businesses in 25 U.S. cities by the end of 1999. By 2001, the company has announced that it will also have similar facilities and be offering services over local leased lines in another 25 U.S. cities. Ultimately, the company plans to offer local service capabilities over its own fiber facilities in all 50 U.S. cities.
The company is also currently building an approximately 16,000 mile long distance national network to interconnect these cities. The network will also connect approximately 150 cities where the company can terminate and provide long distance services. Level 3 Offers Services in Atlanta The Level 3 office and operations facility is located at 345 Courtland Street, Atlanta, GA, 30303. The 48,000 square foot facility will house the local sales staff, operational staff and gateway switch equipment, along with additional space for expansion and colocation services. Initially, Level 3 plans to employ approximately 30 professionals at the facility.
"Level 3's commitment to the Atlanta business community is more than our investment in advanced infrastructure, new jobs and contributions to the city's tax base. We are dedicated to becoming a strong corporate citizen, working hard to earn the trust of our customers in the Atlanta metropolitan area by providing high quality, reliable and cost effective telecommunications services," said Jim Intoccio, Level 3 Atlanta city sales director. "Atlanta is a key telecommunications technology center, and as the marketplace continues to evolve, the need for advancement in the telecommunications infrastructure is critical. I am confident that Level 3 can contribute to the city's explosive growth by combining the latest technologies with well established business values," Intoccio said.
Level 3 is now installing its basic building blocks for current and future communications needs in the Atlanta area and cities across the nation. By building a network based on IP technology, Level 3 is positioning itself to take advantage of what it sees as a fundamental technological shift in communications. The company believes that this shift from 100-year-old circuit switching technology to the newer Internet Protocol technology will change the way businesses communicate, and that the shift is as important as that from the telegraph to the telephone, or from the mainframe to the PC.
Initial Services Offered
Level 3 is positioning itself to begin providing businesses with basic, but critical services on a competitive basis. Initially, Level 3 will use leased network capacity and, as its national IP-based network is completed, the company will be able to seamlessly switch customers over to its own network. The initial products being offered to business customers by Level 3 include the following services:
Private Lines - a point-to-point service used to provide communications from one company location to another.
Telephony Colocation - a state-of-the-art network facility of telephone hosting equipment to provide reliable and secure 24-hour access for mission critical equipment.
Internet Services - a full range of Dedicated and Dial-up access services offering high-capacity connections for Service Providers and corporate users.
About Level 3 Communications
Level 3 Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: LVLT), an international communications company, operates one of the largest Internet backbones in the world, connecting 180 markets in 18 countries. The company serves a broad range of wholesale, enterprise and content customers with a comprehensive suite of services including: Internet Protocol (IP) services, broadband transport and infrastructure services, colocation services, voice and voice over IP services, content delivery and media distribution services. These services provide the building blocks to enable Level 3’s customers to meet their growing demands for advanced communications solutions. The company’s Web address is www.Level3.com.
"Level 3 Communications,” "Level 3," the red 3D brackets and the Level 3 Communications logo are registered service marks of Level 3 Communications, LLC in the United States and/or other countries. Level 3 services are provided by wholly owned subsidiaries of Level 3 Communications, Inc. Any other service, product or company names recited herein may be trademarks or service marks of their respective owners.
Forward-Looking Statement
Some of the statements that we make in this press release are forward looking in nature. These statements are based on management’s current expectations or beliefs. These forward looking statements are not a guarantee of performance and are subject to a number of uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside our control, which could cause actual events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the statements. The most important factors that could prevent us from achieving our stated goals include, but are not limited to our ability to: successfully integrate acquisitions; increase the volume of traffic on our network; defend our intellectual property and proprietary rights; develop new products and services that meet customer demands and generate acceptable margins; successfully complete commercial testing of new technology and information systems to support new products and services; attract and retain qualified management and other personnel; and meet all of the terms and conditions of our debt obligations. Additional information concerning these and other important factors can be found within Level 3’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Statements in this press release should be evaluated in light of these important factors. Level 3 is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any such obligation to, update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
