Global (3)CrossRoads EPOP Service Offered in North America and Europe; Asia to be Added by End of Year
Service based on Advanced Version of Ethernet Technology, the Mainstay of Computer Networks for More than Two Decades
BROOMFIELD, Colo., September 26, 2000 – Level 3 Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq:LVLT) today announced a new service that uses advanced Ethernet technology to offer Web-focused businesses faster Internet access at about half the cost of similar services. The company is making the service available to businesses in non-Level 3 data centers, carrier hotels, and other buildings in the United States and Europe with occupants that generate high volumes of Internet traffic.
Level 3 plans to offer the new service in Asia by the end of the year. Leveraging an advanced version of Ethernet technology, the mainstay of computer networks for more than two decades, the new (3)CrossRoads EPOP (Ethernet Point of Presence) service provides one-gigabit per second Internet access.
The service delivers high-speed, cost-effective Internet access over Level 3's metropolitan networks without involving phone companies. As a result, instead of waiting up to six months for a 45 Mbps access line,
(3)CrossRoads EPOP customers can get more than 20 times the access speed in just a few days, and avoid expensive local loop fees.
"(3)CrossRoads EPOP builds upon our recently launched (3)CrossRoads Internet access and transport service," said Brian Horsfield, vice president of Global IP Services for Level 3. "The new service we're announcing today enables Web-centric businesses to use high-speed Ethernet Internet access without colocating in a Level 3 data center. Both services can lower bandwidth costs for Internet companies by as much as 50 percent because of Destination Sensitive Billing, the industry's first pricing based on the destination of Internet traffic, rather than traditional flat rate pricing."
Facilities in Europe and U.S. Equipped with New (3)CrossRoads EPOP Service Telehouse Europe, one of the leading networks of European colocation centers since 1990, is the first of seven current facilities in Europe equipped with (3)CrossRoads EPOP service. One of Level 3's initial (3)CrossRoads EPOP customers colocated in the Telehouse facility in London's Docklands is Alcom Internetix (www.alcom.co.uk), a company that provides businesses with Web hosting and high-speed Internet access services.
"As part of our expansion strategy, Level 3's (3)CrossRoads EPOP service in the Telehouse facility brings us significant performance, cost and resilience advantages," said Stephen Allen, managing director of Alcom Internetix. "Our business customers now benefit from a fast, reliable connection to Level 3's global Tier 1 backbone directly from our Docklands network operation center."
In the United States, Georgia-based BroadRiver Communications, an Internet telephony service provider, is purchasing the new service. BroadRiver Communications (www.radicallysimple.com) is a new connections company making business communications simple by offering voice and data services over one connection with one bill.
"We're excited by the opportunity to connect to Level 3 via its (3)Crossroads EPOP service in Atlanta," said Jay Dowling, vice president of Business Development at BroadRiver Communications. "Level 3 has given us the ability to scale to significantly faster Internet access than if we connected to the Web using a traditional OC3 or even an OC12 metro loop. Not only are we able to avoid costly local loop charges and delays, but we can benefit from the increased price performance of Ethernet technology."
"Before (3)CrossRoads EPOP, Level 3 customers located outside our gateways had to buy dedicated local loops to connect to our backbone. Because local loops are expensive and time consuming to provision, customers outside of our gateways couldn't realize the benefits of our continuously upgradeable IP network," said Liza Hartmann, director of U.S. product marketing for IP Services at Level 3. "By using Ethernet technology over
Level 3 metropolitan fiber, customers in non-Level 3 facilities can now enjoy all the same benefits of our network as customer in our own data centers."
In North America, (3)CrossRoads EPOP service is available today in Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco and San Jose. In Europe, the service is currently being offered from seven facilities in London, Amsterdam and Paris. For more information on (3)CrossRoads EPOP, visit www.level3.com/us/services/crossroads.
(*Softswitches are advanced software based switching systems that enable Level 3 to provide services combining the best features of the Internet and traditional telephone networks.)
(3)CrossRoads and (3)CrossRoads EPOP are service marks of Level 3 Communications, Inc.
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.
