Level 3 Expands Network Capacity in Latin America to Support Business Growth

USA - English

• Latin America - español
• Brazil - Português

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, Nov. 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Level 3 Communications, Inc., (NYSE: LVLT) today announced it has expanded and upgraded its network infrastructure in Latin America to meet growing demand for integrated IP solutions, particularly in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela.

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According to TeleGeography estimates, international Internet traffic growth in Latin America is doubling every two years, which makes Latin America one of the fastest growing regions in the world.

Throughout the year, Level 3 has invested to further increase its high-bandwidth connectivity in the region.

• In Argentina, Level 3 expanded the Metro Ethernet Network Buenos Aires to include network deployments in high-density areas where its customers are located. This project included upgrades to some of the optic rings in the Macro/Microcenter, in addition to the implementation of the MetroE network.
• In Brazil, the extensive national backbone network has also been expanded to meet Level 3's customer needs. A new metro network route has been deployed in Porto Alegre, connecting the most important business centers in the city. Additionally, in Rio de Janeiro, the capacity of the network has been enhanced to meet increasing demands in the Botafogo and Barra neighborhoods.
  Fiber paths in the Curitiba-Sao Paulo-Rio de Janeiro route have also been upgraded, enabling greater availability and stability of the network. New submarine capacity has been added to the Sao Paulo-Rio de Janeiro route, providing increased availability of services, and new IP capacity connecting Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro to the most important hubs in the U.S. and Europe is being implemented as well. 
• In Colombia, responding to increasing demand and economic growth, Level 3 has extended its network coverage.
• In Venezuela, the new urban areas of Chuao and La Salle have been included in the Metro plan with an extensive deployment of fiber solutions, expanding the capacity of Gateway La Urbina, the main site in Caracas.

"Level 3 is committed to expanding its network in the main cities of Latin America where it sees significant opportunities for growth, and we are dedicated to helping our customers improve their business performance," said Hector Alonso, Level 3's regional president for Latin America. "Not only does Level 3 have the network infrastructure to support these increasing market demands, but it also offers a comprehensive portfolio of business communications services that can help enhance the efficiency of our customers."

Level 3 operates an expansive global platform, formed by owned fiber networks on three continents in more than 55 countries and connected by extensive undersea facilities. The company has more than 160,000 kilometers (km) (100,000 miles) of routes between cities, 48,000 km (30,000 miles) of metropolitan routes, 56,000 km (35,000 miles) of routes underwater and over 500 on-net markets.

For more information on Level 3's advanced network and service offerings, visit www.level3.com.

About Level 3 Communications
Level 3 Communications, Inc. (NYSE: LVLT) is a Fortune 500 company that 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 500 markets in 55 countries over a global services platform anchored by owned fiber networks on three continents and connected by extensive undersea facilities. Level 3 services are provided by subsidiaries of Level 3 Communications, Inc. For more information, please visit www.level3.com or get to know us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

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://investors.level3.com/investor-relations/default.aspx. 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; maintain and increase traffic on its network; develop and maintain effective business support systems; manage system and network failures or disruptions; avert the breach of its network and computer system security measures; develop new services that meet customer demands and generate acceptable margins; defend intellectual property and proprietary rights; manage the future expansion or adaptation of its network to remain competitive; manage continued or accelerated decreases in market pricing for communications services; 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.

SOURCE Level 3 Communications, Inc.