Level 3 Offers New Toll Free VoIP Service
BROOMFIELD, Colo., Jan. 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Level 3 Communications, Inc. today launched a new voice service that enables customers to activate lower cost Voice-over-IP (VoIP) toll-free calling across the U.S.
The new service, called (3)VoIP TOLL FREE, reduces communications costs for businesses requiring a reliable, toll-free, nationwide calling infrastructure, and complements the (3)VoIP MARKETPLACE(SM) local calling service that Level 3 launched in September 2003. Both services complement the international voice termination solution announced yesterday by Level 3.
“We now have a compelling combination of local and toll-free nationwide VoIP calling solutions that give customers the control they need to create new products and services,” said Sureel Choksi, executive vice president of Softswitch Services for Level 3. “And, most importantly, Level 3′s toll-free and local calling solutions enable our customers to develop new services at significantly lower cost and without any loss in quality over comparable traditional services.”
“We believe we have the industry’s most technologically advanced IP network and highest quality portfolio of market-ready VoIP services,” said Jack Waters, CTO and president of Voice Technologies for Level 3. “We expect to further enhance our technological advantages and expand our position as a leading provider of wholesale, IP-based voice products in the coming months and quarters.”
(3)VoIP TOLL FREE and (3)VoIP MARKETPLACE are nationwide and local solutions ideally suited for conferencing service providers, call center operators, voice portals, and other businesses that need cost-effective and reliable local and national calling infrastructure. Raindance Communications , a premier provider of integrated Web and audio conferencing services, is among the initial customers of the new toll-free service. Raindance is launching an innovative new VoIP conferencing platform that incorporates the Level 3 voice network.
“As interest in VoIP conferencing begins to surge, more and more businesses are getting savvy to the promise of enhanced services,” said Todd Vernon, Raindance’s chief technology officer. “Through our development work with Level 3, we’re well positioned to answer the call by delivering a proprietary VoIP platform in the conferencing realm. This is just one of many VoIP-enhanced offerings to come from Raindance.”
The (3)VoIP TOLL FREE and (3)VoIP MARKETPLACE services allow customers to establish a local or toll-free presence on the PSTN. By converting the calls into IP and directing them across Level 3′s MPLS-enabled backbone for delivery at their own IP voice application, customers can leverage the power, scope, and economics of IP networks.
Both the (3)VoIP TOLL FREE and (3)VoIP MARKETPLACE services ride Level 3′s patented softswitch platform, which has successfully processed more than 300 billion minutes in calls to date. The service also utilizes Level 3′s extensive local networks, offering industry-leading geographic coverage.
Both services enable customers to enjoy the following benefits:
— (3)VoIP TOLL FREE coverage supporting the Continental U.S., Hawaii,
Alaska, Gaum, Puerto Rico, CNMI and Canada.
— (3)VoIP TOLL FREE customers now control traditional toll free features
with the benefit of an IP hand-off.
— Design and deliver new applications quickly and cost-effectively
without large capital and network expenses that are associated with
traditional solutions.
— Streamline call flows that enable efficient call routing and
streamlined back-end signaling.
— Gain more control because the routing functionality is taken out of
Level 3′s network and instead is placed with the customer.
— Reduce maintenance costs by deploying and maintaining application
servers at a single location.
Level 3 has been an industry pioneer in the development of Voice over IP. The company rolled out the world’s first carrier-grade IP voice termination service in 1999 and today offers a broad suite of wholesale IP-based voice products. The company also operates the world’s largest softswitch network, carrying IP-based voice and data calls totaling more than 20 billion minutes every month.
Level 3 markets a range of voice services, including (3)VoIP TOLL FREE, (3)Voice(R) Termination, (3)VoIP MARKETPLACE and (3)Tone(SM). The services are offered on a wholesale basis to carriers, PTTs and other voice service providers, and in the case of (3)Tone through local telephone companies, systems integrators, CLECs, and value-added resellers. For more information about Level 3′s VoIP products, visit http://www.level3.com/voice .
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 22,500 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 (3)VoIP TOLL FREE and (3)VoIP MARKETPLACE are service marks of Level 3 Communications, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. (3)Tone is a service mark of Level 3 Enhanced Services, LLC in the United States and/or other countries.
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: changes in the overall economy relating to, among other things, the September 11 attacks and subsequent events, substantial capital requirements; development of effective internal processes and systems; the ability to attract and retain high quality employees; 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.
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Level 3 Communications, Inc.
CONTACT: media, Josh Howell, +1-720-888-2517, or Paul Lonnegren,+1-720-888-6099, or Investors, Robin Grey, +1-720-888-2518, all of Level 3Communications, Inc.
Web site: http://www.softwarespectrum.com/
Web site: http://www.i-structure.com/
Web site: http://www.level3.com/voice
Web site: http://www.level3.com/