LEVEL 3 FINALIZES CONTRACTS RELATED TO CONSTRUCTION FOR RING 1 OF ITS EUROPEAN NETWORK
Initial Network to link London, Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam and Frankfurt
OMAHA - April 29, 1999 – Level 3 Communications International, a unit of Level 3 Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq:LVLT), has finalized contracts relating to construction of Ring 1 of it European Network in France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany and the UK. Ring 1, which is approximately 2,000 miles, will connect Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Brussels and London.
The Network is expected to be ready for service by September 2000. The Ring 1 build is part of the approximately 3,500 mile intercity network that will ultimately connect a minimum of 13 local city networks in Europe. This European network will be linked seamlessly to the Level 3 U.S. network by the Level 3 transatlantic terabit cable system currently under development, also ready for service by September 2000.
"This announcement represents another milestone in the rapid deployment of Level 3's international network," said Colin Williams, president of Level 3 International. "We are building high capacity networks both in Europe and the U.S. and simultaneously constructing the crucially important high capacity transatlantic cable system to link them."
"In Europe, we are seeing massive growth in both demand for capacity and bandwidth-hungry applications. By significantly lowering our cost base we will be able to offer aggressive price reductions between any European and US cities that sit on our network. In turn, this will drive the demand for capacity," said Williams.
The Level 3 Network will be upgradable, typically installing multiple conduits to allow for new generations of fibre to be pulled through. Initially fibre will be only installed in one conduit, thereby allowing for future expansion to deploy the latest fiber technology or to meet increased customer demand. Level 3's international Internet Protocol (IP) network will incorporate local and long distance networks and therefore be capable of providing service end-to-end. In the U.S., the company is building a nearly 16,000 mile intercity, or long distance, network that will connect 50 local U.S. city networks. A total of 21 city networks are planned for cities across Europe and the Pacific Rim. In addition to building a transatlantic submarine cable, the company has purchased capacity on three transatlantic cables and is part of a consortium that is building a transpacific cable.
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.
