ARMONK, N.Y and BROOMFIELD, Colo., February 28, 2008 — Level 3 Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: LVLT) and IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced that the companies recently entered into a long-term patent cross-license agreement.
Under the terms of the agreement, IBM granted Level 3 licenses to IBM’s approximately 42,000 pending and issued patents which cover a broad range of telecommunications services and technologies. In turn, Level 3 granted IBM licenses to those of Level 3’s more than 850 pending and issued patents which cover a broad range of information handling systems. The licenses will last as long as the lives of the respective patents. Other terms of the cross-license agreement were not disclosed.
“We have long admired IBM’s legacy of innovation,” said Jack Waters, chief technology officer of Level 3. “This patent cross-license agreement provides Level 3 the opportunity to take advantage of IBM’s innovation as we continuously expand the range of services we provide our customers.”
“IBM enjoys a widely recognized reputation of innovation and invention for technologies related to telecommunications, networking, media and entertainment,” said Dan Cerutti, IBM’s general manager of intellectual property. “With this cross license, we look forward to deepening our relationship with Level 3, and reaping with them all the benefits of collaboration.”
About IBM
IBM has earned the most U.S. patents for 15 consecutive years and holds approximately 42,000 patents globally. The company has a strong global focus on storage and server networking, serving all major industry segments -- entertainment, publishing, information providers, media networks and advertising. For more information on IBM, please visit www.ibm.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, and 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 made 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 Level 3’s control, which could cause actual events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the statements. The most important factors that could prevent Level 3 from achieving its stated goals include, but are not limited to the company’s ability to: successfully integrate acquisitions; increase the volume of traffic on the network; defend 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 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.
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