New Level 3 Service Enables Businesses To Get Faster Internet Access at Half the Cost
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., Sept. 26-- Level 3 Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq: LVLT - news) 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 level3.com.
About Level 3 Communications
Level 3 (Nasdaq: LVLT - news) is a global communications and information services company offering a wide selection of IP-based services including broadband transport, colocation services, submarine transmission services and the industry's first Softswitch* based services. Level 3 offers services primarily to Web-centric companies that deliver their services over the Level 3 Network. The Level 3 Network will include metropolitan networks in 56 U.S. markets and 21 European and Asian markets connected by an approximately 16,000 mile U.S. intercity (long-distance) network, an approximately 4,750 mile European intercity network, both transpacific and transatlantic undersea cables and 6.5 million square feet of gateway and technical space. Level 3 expects to substantially complete the U.S. network and second ring European intercity network by the fourth quarter of 2000. Level 3 currently offers broadband infrastructure services in 38 U.S. markets, five European markets and one Asian market. Its Web address is www.Level3.com.
(*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.
Some of the statements made by Level 3 in this press release are forward-looking in nature. Actual results may differ materially from those projected in forward-looking statements. Level 3 believes that its primary risk factors include, but are not limited to: substantial capital requirements; development of effective internal processes and systems; the ability to attract and retain high quality employees; changes in the overall economy; technology; the number and size of competitors in its markets; law and regulatory policy; and the mix of products and services offered in the company's target markets. 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 release should be evaluated in light of these important factors.
SOURCE: Level 3 Communications, Inc. |
