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Strategies & Market Trends : The Thread Formerly Known as No Rest For The Wicked -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Tim Luke who wrote (8067)	1/17/1999 5:11:00 PM
From: Junkyardawg	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 90042

DD: Ticker: LVLT News release: Level 3 Communications Acquires Leading Business Internet Service Provider Gains Presence in Key UK Market OMAHA, Neb., Jan. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Level 3 Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq: LVLT - news) announced today that it has acquired BusinessNet Limited, a leading London-based Internet Service Provider (ISP) in a largely stock-for-stock deal. ''The acquisition of BusinessNet significantly accelerates our entry into the UK market,'' said Colin Williams, Level 3 International's chief executive officer. ''They have an established market focus on the financial community, specifically through their IntraCity™ network, offering access to financial and other Internet Protocol (IP) oriented information services. ''The Internet continues to be the fastest growing segment of the telecommunications market especially in the corporate sector. Companies are increasingly using Internet and Extranet platforms to reach their customers,'' said Williams. ''These platforms require levels of capacity that the networks Level 3 is constructing are designed to provide. BusinessNet can help us meet and grow this demand. BusinessNet also brings to Level 3 an experienced team that understands both Internet technologies and the UK's competitive telecommunications market.'' Dr. Sydney O'Hara, chairman of BusinessNet said, ''Coupling Level 3's global reach, network capability and proven management team with our experienced staff, client base and services focused solely on the business community offers a unique opportunity to expand our London customer base to a global field. We are confident that, together with Level 3, we can revolutionize IP-based services in the UK.'' The acquisition of BusinessNet in the UK follows the purchase by Level 3 of ISP miknet Internet Based Services, GmbH in Frankfurt, Germany in September of last year. Williams adds: ''Like miknet, BusinessNet shares Level 3's focus on bringing Internet service to business users. They share our vision of the power and efficiency of an IP-based communications network.'' Level 3 has announced that it is building an international network based on IP technology and that the network will encompass networks in the United States, Europe, and Asia. The company has obtained access on cross-Atlantic cables and has joined with several other telecommunications companies to build a cross-Pacific cable. It is already providing services in the US and expects to begin providing services in Europe in the first quarter of 1999. About BusinessNet BusinessNet is a leading provider of IP based services in the City of London. Services provided include Internet access, secure intranets, interactive voice and video services as well as media streaming. In addition to traditional ISP services, BusinessNet also offers access to financial and other IP oriented information services, which are available through the BusinessNet IntraCity™ network. Founded in 1995, BusinessNet has over 300 corporate clients, and operates from four centers in the City of London. About Level 3 Communications, Inc. Level 3 Communications, Inc., is a communications and information services company that is building the first international network optimized for Internet Protocol technology. The Level 3 Network will combine both local and long distance networks, connecting customers end-to-end across the U.S. and in Europe and Asia. The company expects to complete the U.S. inter-city portion of the network during the first quarter of 2001. In the interim, Level 3 has leased a national network over which it began to offer services in the third quarter of 1998. Level 3 will provide a full range of communications services (including local, long distance, international and Internet services). Level 3's common stock is traded on The Nasdaq National Market (U.S.) under the symbol LVLT. Its World Wide Web address is www.Level3.com. The statements made by Level 3 in this press release may be 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 its target markets. Additional information concerning these and other potential 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.

To: Tim Luke who wrote (8067)	1/17/1999 5:59:00 PM
From: puborectalis	Respond to of 90042

WALTHAM, Mass. (AP) - What a difference a year can make - especially if you're an Internet company. One year ago, Lycos Inc. was considered an on-line weakling, with only about 20 percent of Web users visiting its Website index and its stock price hovering around $17 a share. Since then, Lycos has transformed itself into what analysts consider a close No. 2 to Yahoo. In November, 45 percent of Web users passed through Lycos, and on Friday its stock closed over $87 per share. That stock run-up gave the company - which had net sales of $56 million in fiscal 1998 - a stock market value of $3.8 billion. The secret to Lycos' success? Unlike many Internet companies, it has shown it's ability to make a profit. The company first turned a profit in October 1997 and was in the black for the first half of its 1998 fiscal year, which ended July 31. Since then, an acquisition spree has cost the Internet search service $112 million in losses. Analysts, however, are optimistic about the company's moneymaking prospects. The company started in June 1994, when Lycos search engine technology was invented at Carnegie Mellon University. A year later, Carnegie Mellon licensed the technology and set up Lycos as a business. The company's first big growth spurt came with its $61 million acquisition in February of Tripod, an Internet site aimed at 20-somethings in college or starting their careers. The site was launched by Bo Peabody, a Williams College student, and Richard Sabot, his economics professor. Peabody became a vice president and Sabot a board member of Lycos. Lycos then bought WhoWhere, an Internet ''white pages'' service, for $133 million, followed by its $83 million purchase of the on-line assets of Wired magazine. Those included the HotBot search engine, Wired magazine's Web site and the satirical Web magazine Suck. ''We decided the best way to catch Yahoo was to pursue a network of branded sites, rather than one megasite,'' Peabody told The Boston Globe. Unlike its competitors, Lycos's different Internet services are each targeted to a specific market. Each Lycos property is linked to other Lycos properties. ''This is the whole point about multiple brands,'' said Peabody. ''We don't care if we lose the user if they come to some place we own.'' Lycos revenue comes from on-line advertising, and deals with partners like BarnesandNoble.com., Barnes and Noble's on-line bookseller. BarnesandNoble.com will offer to sell a book on any topic searched by Web surfers using Lycos, and its ads are all over other Lycos sites. ''Lycos is more than an Internet play,'' said Carl Rosendorf, a vice president of marketing at BarnesandNoble.com. ''Lycos is a savvy media company ... I think they're some of the smartest people on the Web.'' For the future, Lycos wants to generate revenue from selling goods through its own on-line store. The Lycos Store opened in December, featuring about 4,000 specialty items from companies such as Wine Enthusiast, Pier 1 Imports, Sharper Image and Floris of London. Its biggest worry now is that its growth will be constricted by a lack of talented workers. ''Massachusetts doesn't have the base that Silicon Valley does in Web companies,'' said Bob Davis, Lycos' chief executive. ''As a result, we have a smaller talent pool.'' Thanks for recommending LYCOS last week...I'm back in ....

To: Tim Luke who wrote (8067)	1/17/1999 6:11:00 PM
From: Glenn	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 90042

quest is interesting too. They are, in my opinion, a very safe utility buy. Selling bandwidth in the fiber arena is a good business. Add some decent product offerings or a buy out rumor, it could heat up in an exciting way. This is the year for telcos. Smiles, Glenn

To: Tim Luke who wrote (8067)	1/17/1999 6:21:00 PM
From: Scott A. Trapp	Respond to of 90042

One of the key questions to find the answer to on LVLT is at what price and date do the management stock options kick in. If you can find this let me know I have been looking and can't track it down. With LVLT you are buying one of the strongest management teams in the industry! I am heavy into this stock since last December when it was traded in the BB as KWIT. As you know Tim this is one of my favorite stocks I have mentioned numerous times to people on SI. What bothers me right now is it is showing a little price weakness. Scott