Thursday September 10, 8:08 am Eastern Time
Company Press Release
Qwest and Northrop Grumman Team to Provide Data
Network Solution to Airline and Distribution Industries
Frontier Airlines Becomes First Customer
DENVER and BURLINGTON, Ontario--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 10, 1998-- Qwest Communications and Northrop Grumman-Canada, Ltd., have signed an agreement to assist airline carriers and global distribution companies in significantly reducing their data and voice communications costs.
In addition, the two companies announced that Frontier Airlines has been secured as the first customer of the Qwest/Northrop Grumman communications network solution.
By using the Qwest Macro Capacity(SM) Fiber Network, migrating legacy data networks to an Internet Protocol (IP)-based solution, and by carrying data and voice over the same network connection, the companies will be able to offer customers end-to-end network solutions.
''The air travel industry is a $300 billion market, and due to competitive pressures and the cost savings and performance
enhancements of moving to an integrated data and voice over IP network, airlines and Global Distribution Systems (GDS) can't
afford to wait,'' said Lew Wilks, president of Business Markets for Qwest. ''Combining Qwest's Macro Capacity Fiber Network and Northrop Grumman's networking equipment offers our customers a clear, competitive advantage.''
As part of the marketing alliance, Qwest and Northrop Grumman will offer customers:
A broad range of transmission and managed network services, including integrated data and voice over IP; Internet/Intranet solutions; frame relay and ATM access; remote LAN access/dial-up services; network design and consultation; installation, maintenance and 7x24 Network Control Center; End-to-end IP connectivity solutions based upon a single network management system; Mixed protocol support (voice, ALC, SDLC, TCP/IP, etc.) on a common backbone, thereby simplifying network infrastructure and cost;
-- An IP network infrastructure based entirely on open standards;
-- A fully secure enterprise wide network;
-- The ability to maintain an existing investment in legacy equipment and mainframe applications, while moving to IP; and
-- The capability to deliver customized network solutions.
''Northrop Grumman is well versed when it comes to network connectivity within the air travel industry. The alliance of Qwest
with Northrop Grumman provides an exciting alternative for our customers,'' said John Murray, general manager of Northrop
Grumman-Canada, Ltd.
Frontier Airlines' President Sam Addoms said, ''Frontier provides a high quality product for value-conscious consumers and we seek business partners who operate under similar principles. With this in mind, we are extremely pleased with the technologically advanced, low cost service being provided to us by Qwest and Northrop Grumman.''
Interested customers can call the alliance's hot line at 1-888/288-9926 in the U.S.A. and Canada, or at 1-905/333-6032 internationally.
Qwest Communications International Inc. (NASDAQ: QWST - news) is a multimedia communications company and one of the fastest growing companies in America today. Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, Qwest has approximately 6,000 employees and over 80 sales offices worldwide. With its world-class data and multimedia network, marketing expertise, and customer care and billing systems, Qwest is delivering high-quality data, video and voice connectivity securely and reliably to customers around the world. Further information is available at www.qwest.net.
Northrop Grumman-Canada, Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Northrop Grumman Corporation, has over 25 years of experience within the air travel industry, delivering networking solutions to over 160 airlines and GDS' in over 80 countries worldwide. Revenues for the Northrop Grumman Corporation in 1997 were $9.2 billion USD. More information about Northrop Grumman-Canada, Ltd. can be found on the Internet at ngcan.com.
This release may contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. These statements may differ materially from actual future events or results. Readers are referred to the documents filed by Qwest with the SEC, specifically the most recent reports on Form 10-Q, which identify important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, including potential fluctuations in quarterly results, dependence on new product development, rapid technological and market change, failure to complete the network on schedule, volatility of stock price, financial risk management and future growth subject to risks.
The Qwest logo is a registered trademark of Qwest Communications International Inc. in the U.S. and certain other countries. |
