LEVEL 3 COMMUNICATIONS LAUNCHES STAMFORD GATEWAY FACILITY
STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT, August 17, 1999 – Level 3 Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq: LVLT), today announced that it will begin providing select communications services in the Stamford 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 is currently offering services in 21 U.S. cities and four European cities over a network that uses a combination of company owned facilities and leased network connections. By year-end 1999, Level 3 expects to offer services in 27 U.S. cities and five European cities. When completed, the Level 3 Network will include local networks in 50 U.S. cities and 21 international cities, and be connected to an approximately 16,000 mile U.S. intercity network and an approximately 3,500 mile European network.
The U.S. network will also connect approximately 150 cities in which the company will have a Point of Presence (POP) and can offer long distance services. Level 3 Offers Services in Stamford The Level 3 office and operations, or Gateway facility, is located at 21 Harbor View Street in Stamford. The 23,000 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 12 professionals at the facility. "Level 3's commitment to the Stamford 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 Stamford metropolitan area by providing high quality, reliable and cost effective telecommunications services," said Thomas Moore, Level 3 Stamford city sales director. "The extensive concentration of well known, technically advanced corporate entities in Fairfield County requires the range of products and services that Level 3 is delivering to the marketplace. Our IP-based network enables our customers to take advantage of the many applications being developed for use over the Internet," Moore said. Level 3 is now installing its basic building blocks for current and future communications needs in the Stamford 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 in Stamford
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 in Stamford by Level 3 include the following services:
Private Lines - a point-to-point service makes networking simple by providing a dedicated connection from one company location to another
Colocation - state-of-the-art facilities, network, and support services that provide reliable and secure 24-hour access for mission critical equipment
Internet Access - a full range of Dedicated Internet access services offer high-capacity connections for Internet Service Providers and corporate users
IP CrossRoads - allows content providers and access providers to dramatically improve performance while radically reducing network costs
Dark Fiber - spare capacity provides customers with a viable upgrade path within the Level 3 network
Managed Modem - provides a fully managed dial "Point of Presence" service for both Internet Service Providers and corporate customers
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.
