BROOMFIELD, Colo., Dec.
3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Level 3 Communications, Inc. (NYSE:
LVLT) and tw telecom inc. (NASDAQ: TWTC) today announced
they have entered into a long-term settlement-free Internet traffic
exchange agreement.
(Logo:
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111004/LA77008LOGO)
The settlement-free agreement, commonly referred to as a peering
agreement in the Internet industry, allows the two Internet service
provider networks to exchange data, enabling Internet customers on
one network to send and receive Internet content with customers on
the other network more efficiently and cost-effectively.
As the Internet continues to grow and evolve, Internet service
providers must exchange Internet traffic in a scalable, resilient
and reliable manner, allowing consumers to enjoy the highest
performance and fastest speeds that enable new, innovative
high-bandwidth applications. Broadband consumers now download
much more data than they send, requiring Internet carriers to
dynamically adjust traffic routing and interconnection locations to
maintain a fair and equitable relationship between the two
networks.
The Level 3 and tw telecom peering agreement measures
both the volume of traffic exchanged and the distance over which
that traffic is carried by each network. This approach is called
bit-mile peering. In order to keep the relationship equitable, both
networks carry approximately the same "bit miles" of data. This
model promotes efficient, high-quality service for customers, while
ensuring a balanced cost burden across each network.
"Level 3's primary focus is on providing quality service for
Internet consumers," said Jack
Waters, Level 3's chief technology officer. "We look forward
to working with our peering partners to drive broader adoption of
this bit-mile model to ensure fair and equitable interconnection.
We are also working with providers of traffic-flow monitoring
systems to make the measurement process straightforward and
consistent across the industry."
"tw telecom supports this settlement-free Internet
peering approach based on bit-mile balance as a model that assures
the most efficient interconnection in the evolving Internet," said
Harold Teets, tw telecom
senior vice president of Network and Information Technologies.
"This agreement will support high-quality service for our
respective customers, and will keep the backbone cost burden
balanced between our two networks."
The Level 3 – tw telecom peering agreement also contains
provisions to add capacity and establish new interconnection
locations between the two networks to stay ahead of growing traffic
demand. This approach offers flexibility to each network while
improving performance and reliability for customers and is based on
efficient interconnection principles for non-managed Internet
traffic. The agreement does not cover the exchange of managed
voice traffic.
Please see Level 3's IP Traffic Exchange Policy for more
information.
For more information on Level 3's advanced network and service
offerings, visit www.level3.com.
About tw telecom
tw telecom, headquartered in
Littleton, Colo., is a leading
national provider of managed services, including Business Ethernet,
converged and IP VPN solutions for enterprises throughout the U.S.
and globally. tw telecom also delivers secure, scalable
private connections for transport data networking, Internet access,
voice, VPN, VoIP and security to large organizations and
communications services companies. Employing a resilient fiber
network infrastructure, robust product portfolio and its own
Intelligent Network capabilities, tw telecom delivers
customers overall economic value, an industry-leading quality
service experience, and improved business productivity. Please
visit www.twtelecom.com for more information.
About Level 3 Communications
Level 3 Communications,
Inc. (NYSE: LVLT) provides local, national and global
communications services to enterprise, government and carrier
customers. Level 3's comprehensive portfolio of secure, managed
solutions includes fiber and infrastructure solutions; IP-based
voice and data communications; wide-area Ethernet services; video
and content distribution; data center and cloud-based solutions.
Level 3 serves customers in more than 450 markets in 45 countries
over a global services platform anchored by owned fiber networks on
three continents and connected by extensive undersea facilities.
For more information, please visit www.level3.com
© Level 3 Communications, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Level 3,
Level 3 Communications, Level (3) and the Level 3 Logo either
registered service marks or service marks of Level 3
Communications, LLC and/or one of its Affiliates in the United States and/or other
countries. Any other service names, product names, company
names or logos included herein are the trademarks or service marks
of their respective owners. Level 3 services are provided by
subsidiaries of Level 3 Communications, Inc.
Website Access to Company Information
Level 3
maintains a corporate website at www.level3.com, and you can find
additional information about the company through the Investors
pages on that website at http://lvlt.client.shareholder.com/.
Level 3 uses its website as a channel of distribution of important
information about the company. Level 3 routinely posts financial
and other important information regarding the company and its
business, financial condition and operations on the Investor
Relations web pages.
Visitors to the Investors Relations web pages can view and print
copies of Level 3's SEC filings, including periodic and current
reports on Forms 10-K, 10-Q, 8-K, as soon as reasonably practicable
after those filings are made with the SEC.
Copies of the charters for each of the Audit, Compensation and
Nominating and Governance committees of Level 3's Board of
Directors, its Corporate Governance Guidelines, Code of Ethics,
press releases and analysts and investor conference presentations
are all available through the Investor Relations web pages.
Please note that the information contained on any of Level 3's
web sites is not incorporated by reference in, or considered to be
a part of, any document unless expressly incorporated by reference
in that document.
Forward-Looking Statement
Some statements made in this press release are
forward-looking in nature and 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. 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 the Global Crossing acquisition or otherwise
realize the anticipated benefits thereof; manage risks associated
with continued uncertainty in the global economy; obtain additional
financing, particularly in the event of disruptions in the
financial markets; manage continued or accelerated decreases in
market pricing for communications services; maintain and increase
traffic on its network; develop and maintain effective business
support systems; manage system and network failures or disruptions;
develop new services that meet customer demands and generate
acceptable margins; adapt to rapid technological changes that could
adversely affect the company's competitiveness; defend intellectual
property and proprietary rights; obtain capacity for its network
from other providers and interconnect its network with other
networks on favorable terms; attract and retain qualified
management and other personnel; successfully integrate future
acquisitions; effectively manage political, legal, regulatory,
foreign currency and other risks it is exposed to due to its
substantial international operations; mitigate its exposure to
contingent liabilities; and meet all of the terms and conditions of
its 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.
Contact
Information
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Media:
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Investors:
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Richard
Larris
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Mark
Stoutenberg
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North
America
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+1
720-888-2518
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+1
973-937-0153
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Mark.Stoutenberg@Level3.com
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Richard.Larris@Level3.com
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Bob
Meldrum
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tw
telecom
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+1
303-566-1354
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bob.meldrum@twtelecom.com
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SOURCE Level 3 Communications, Inc.