Sales of VoIP, Internet, Data and Colocation Services to Businesses Enhanced
by Marketing Support, New Online Ordering, Training and Sales Tools
LAS VEGAS, Nev., March 22, 2004 – Level 3 Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq:LVLT) today announced that it has expanded its channel partner program. Now, small and medium-sized businesses can purchase Level 3’s hosted IP voice, Internet access, data and colocation services from telecommunications equipment resellers, value-added resellers, telecommunications solutions providers and carriers throughout the U.S.
“We believe that Level 3 has a unique set of VoIP, data and infrastructure services that will allow channel partners to profitably build and differentiate sustainable businesses,” said Glenn Russo, senior vice president of Channel Programs for Level 3. “Unlike many other programs, our channel partner strategy for enterprise sales gives resellers full ownership of the customer.”
The Level(3)EnabledSM Partner Program is designed to incorporate the best practices found in both traditional agent and reseller programs. In the Level 3 program, partners will control sales, marketing, order placement, customer installation, CPE sales, and first tier customer care and billing.
Level 3 will provide partners with training, billing, set up and provisioning, and second tier Network Operations Center (NOC) support. Partners will have access to a number of resources that facilitate and enhance their partnership with Level 3, including a new partner portal, demand generation and marketing tools, and aggressive sales incentives for their sales and technical staffs.
VonTek, www.vontek.com, a New York-based enhanced service provider, is among the new and growing number of resellers that have joined the Level(3)Enabled Partner Program.
“Joining the Level(3)Enabled Partner Program and selling the company’s (3)ToneSM Business service marks an important milestone for Vontek,” said Jim Burns, Vontek’s chief executive officer. “Together, Level 3’s Partner Program and (3)Tone Business service give us the tools and proven technology to serve small and medium-sized businesses that want the benefits of VoIP without sacrificing the reliability of traditional phone service. It was critical for us to own the customer relationship, and this program – unlike many others – is designed exactly with that in mind.”
Sycle.net, a hosted health care practice management company, recently purchased Vontek’s hosted IP voice solution enabled by Level 3.
“Vontek’s hosted IP voice service is the perfect complement to our existing hosted software solution,” said Ridge Sampson, president of Sycle.net. “The service has already allowed us to provide our customers with incredibly fast sales and support response times regardless of where our employees are physically located. We’re an Application Service Provider, allowing our clients to run their businesses from anywhere – now we can do the same thing.”
“Level 3 has been providing VoIP services since 1999 over what is now the largest and most reliable softswitch network in the world,” said Andrew Crouch, senior vice president of Enterprise Voice Services for Level 3. “In fact, we believe our softswitch network is fast approaching the scale of competing incumbent circuit-switched networks. And we’re doing it with a network that has far greater cost and operational efficiencies – differentiating strengths that provide unique advantages for both our channel partners and their end-user customers.”
In addition to (3)Tone Business service, Level 3’s colocation and Internet AdvantageSM services allow partners to offer complete telecommunications solutions. One partner, Co-location.com Inc., has been reselling Level 3 colocation cabinets, suites, and Internet services since July 2001, and is pleased to join the Level(3)Enabled Partner Program.
“Co-location.com has built its business around reselling Level 3 colocation and Internet services,” said Robert Kiminecz, president of Co-location.com Inc. “Now, with our participation in the Level(3)Enabled Partner Program, we will benefit from the extra resources and support to assist our clients.”
Level(3)Enabled Partner Program – Sales and Marketing Resources
Level 3 recognizes the importance of sales and marketing resources that stimulate customer demand. Level 3 supports partner sales and marketing activities by providing the following resources:
Training
A key element of the Level(3)Enabled Partner Program is the training that Level 3 offers to its partners. Level 3 Partners receive training on Level 3's services immediately upon joining the program. A variety of delivery mechanisms are available, including:
New Partner Portal
Level(3)Enabled Partners can now coordinate the sales process through a new and intuitive Web-based “point-and-click” portal. The online availability of the portal allows Level 3 Partners to easily obtain pricing, for example, or enter and track orders, all at the convenience of partners’ schedules.
The online portal provides partners with a personalized Web application that allows partners to manage their relationship with Level 3 from one central location. This secure interface facilitates every aspect of the partner relationship, including quote requests, order entry, provisioning, reporting, billing feeds, access to a help desk, and access to sales and marketing collateral.
For more information on the Level(3)Enabled Partner Program , please visit www.Level3.com/Partner or stop by booth #517 at the Phone + Channel Partner Conference and Expo being hosted today through March 24 at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
Interested parties can also visit Level 3 next week at booth #615 at the Spring 2004 VON Conference & Expo in Santa Clara, Calif.
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.
