Carrier Reducing Network Costs with Local Fiber from Level 3
BROOMFIELD, Colo., November 12, 2003 – Level 3 Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq: LVLT) today announced it has executed an agreement to sell metropolitan dark fiber services in Detroit to Sprint (NYSE: FON, PCS), one of the world’s largest communications companies.
Sprint is using Level 3 metropolitan fiber to eliminate the access transport charges it would otherwise pay to a local exchange carrier. Level 3’s metro fiber connects key traffic aggregation points in the Detroit market, including ILEC central offices and voice switching sites. When the fiber is lit, carrier customers like Sprint can hand off traffic directly to local phone companies, without having to lease expensive access circuits at retail rates.
“Our carrier customers can significantly reduce local network expenses by taking advantage of Level 3’s metro dark fiber product,” said Sureel Choksi, Level 3’s president of transport and infrastructure services. “In addition, the fiber allows them to expand local network capacity in the future at a significantly lower unit cost. We are pleased to be working with Sprint, one of the world’s largest and best-known communications companies, and look forward to supporting them as they deliver high-quality voice and data services to their own business and residential customers.”
The deployment of the Detroit area network is part of a nationwide Sprint initiative to broaden the company’s local transport infrastructure into metropolitan areas across the United States. Sprint has announced plans to deliver the capabilities of its all-digital, fiber-optic network deeper into the metro areas of more than 30 U.S. cities before mid-2004.
Level 3 owns and operates a total of 36 metropolitan networks – 27 across the United States and nine in Europe, giving customers access to more than 350 data centers, central offices, telecom hotels and other buildings.
Level 3 dark fiber services give carriers and service providers the infrastructure required to deploy a fiber-optic network in these markets without the burden and cost of network construction.
Level 3’s fiber service includes optical fiber cable, colocation and running line facility space, power, and operation and maintenance of the network.
About Sprint
Sprint is a global integrated communications provider serving more than 26 million customers in over 100 countries. With approximately 70,000 employees worldwide and nearly $27 billion in annual revenues, Sprint is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying state-of-the-art network technologies, including the United States’ first nationwide all-digital, fiber-optic network and an award-winning Tier 1 Internet backbone. Sprint provides local communications services in 39 states and the District of Columbia and operates the largest 100-percent digital, nationwide PCS wireless network in the United States. For more information, visit www.sprint.com.
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.
