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Level 3 Announces Level(3) E-911 Direct(SM) Service

Posted on: Monday, 19 September 2005, 09:00 CDT

BROOMFIELD, Colo., Sept. 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Level 3 Communications , a leading provider of broadband network services, today announced the launch of its Level(3) E-911 Direct(SM) service as part of its suite of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services. The Level(3) E-911 Direct service offering includes both Level 3's fixed location and nomadic VoIP E-911 capabilities, supporting an FCC-compliant E-911 solution for interconnected VoIP providers.

The flexibility of VoIP enables end users to take their phone service with them and use it anywhere there is a broadband Internet connection. As a result, VoIP providers are required to provide their subscribers with a means of updating their address or location information as often as necessary. To offer the nomadic portion of the Level(3) E-911 Direct service, Level 3 is working with multiple VoIP Positioning Centers (VPCs) that are responsible for collecting, updating and reporting subscriber location information. The information provided by the VPCs will allow Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) operators to provide critical location information to emergency responders.

Level(3) E-911 Direct service routes and completes 911 calls with physical location information to the appropriate selective router and PSAP. The Level(3) E-911 Direct service works in conjunction with (3)VoIP Enhanced(SM) Local and (3)VoIP(SM) Local Inbound services to provide local and nationwide IP voice solutions. Using Level(3) E-911 Direct service VoIP providers can achieve compliance with the FCC's mandate for VoIP providers to deliver to their customers E-911 functionality.

"VoIP providers are under pressure to comply with the FCC's regulations, and we are working with our customers and business partners to deliver the infrastructure needed to make E-911 for nomadic VoIP services a reality," said Myrle McNeal, senior vice president of Local Voice Services for Level 3 Communications. "We continue to set the pace for the industry when it comes to delivering VoIP and E-911 enabling services."

Two years ago, Level 3 became one of the first providers to deliver enhanced 911 services for VoIP, and the company continues to strengthen its leadership position by expanding its services. While others are now just beginning to develop their E-911 network assets, today Level 3 has the network connections to PSAPs that serve approximately 67% of all U.S. households, with a projected build-out to 70% by the end of 2005. Having network connections to the PSAPs is a necessary component of the delivery of any nomadic E-911 solution, and Level 3 believes that having its network connectivity already in place provides it with an advantage over its competitors.

In a related announcement today, Vonage, a leading provider of broadband phone service, has become the first customer to select the Level(3) E-911 Direct service to support nomadic VoIP customers. Level 3 anticipates that its nomadic solution will be implemented in the fourth quarter 2005, and the two companies plan to begin deploying E-911 service for Vonage customers in that quarter.

Portfolio of Local Wholesale VoIP Services

Level 3's (3)VoIP Enhanced Local, (3)VoIP Local Inbound and (3)Voice(R) Termination services are wholesale VoIP solutions that provide the essential components required to offer high quality VoIP services. These services provide companies that operate their own switching infrastructure the ability to launch IP-based local and long-distance communications services to residential and business customers via any broadband connection. Level 3's proprietary softswitch platform makes these services efficient, enabling companies to cost effectively speed their deployment of high-quality VoIP services.

(3)VoIP Local Inbound service provides the core elements for customers seeking to integrate an IP solution. These components include network trunking, local numbers, local number portability, and with the launch of Level(3) E-911 Direct, the safety of E-911. Building on these core capabilities, (3)VoIP Enhanced Local service provides additional features such as operator assistance, CNAM (Caller ID with NAMe), directory listings, directory assistance, and bundled long distance termination capabilities.

(3)Voice Termination service provides customers with the ability to terminate U.S. domestic and international voice traffic to any phone number in the world, with the flexibility of using an IP or traditional circuit switched handoff.

About Level 3 Communications

Level 3 is an international communications and information services company. The company operates one of the largest Internet backbones in the world, is one of the largest providers of wholesale dial-up service to ISPs in North America and is the primary provider of Internet connectivity for millions of broadband subscribers, through its cable and DSL partners. The company offers a wide range of communications services over its 23,000-mile broadband fiber optic network including Internet Protocol (IP) services, broadband transport and infrastructure services, colocation services, and patented softswitch managed modem and voice services. Its Web address is http://www.level3.com/.

The company offers information services through its subsidiaries, Software Spectrum and (i)Structure. For additional information, visit their respective Web sites at http://www.softwarespectrum.com/ and http://www.i-structure.com/.

The Level 3 logo and (3)Voice are registered service marks and Level(3) E-911 Direct is a service mark of Level 3 Communications, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. (3)VoIP and (3)VoIP Enhanced are service marks of Level 3 Enhanced Services, LLC in the United States and/or other countries. Level 3 services are offered by wholly owned subsidiaries of Level 3 Communications, Inc.

Forward-Looking Statement

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: developing new products and services that meet customer demands and generate acceptable margins; increasing the volume of traffic on Level 3's network; overcoming the softness in the economy given its disproportionate effect on the telecommunications industry; integrating strategic acquisitions; attracting and retaining qualified management and other personnel; successfully completing commercial testing of new technology and information systems to support new products and services, including voice transmission services; ability to meet all of the terms and conditions of our debt obligations; overcoming Software Spectrum's reliance on financial incentives, volume discounts and marketing funds from software publishers; reducing downward pressure of Software Spectrum's margins as a result of the use of volume licensing and maintenance agreements; and reducing rate of price compression on certain of the Company's existing transport and IP services. 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.

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19990721/LVLTLOGOAP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com

Level 3 Communications

CONTACT: Media, Kirsten Hamling, +1-720-888-1946, or Sarah Rector,+1-303-634-2674, sarah.rector@ogilvypr.com, or Investors, Robin Grey,+1-720-888-2518, or Sandra Curlander, +1-720-888-2501, all of Level 3Communications

Web site: http://www.level3.com/

Source: PRNewswire-FirstCall

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