Level 3 Adds Collaboration Services to its Cloud Connect Ecosystem

-- Blue Jeans Network Is First Cloud-based Collaboration Partner

BROOMFIELD, Colorado, March 12, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Level 3 Communications, Inc. (NYSE: LVLT) today announced it is taking the next step in enabling enterprise cloud adoption by incorporating unified communications and collaboration (UC&C) applications into its robust Cloud Connect ecosystem. As a part of this launch, Level 3 will connect to a variety of UC&C partners, starting with cloud-based video conferencing service provider Blue Jeans Network.

With the rise of the global workforce, telecommuting and BYOD, enterprises are looking for simpler, more cost-effective ways to deploy business-critical collaboration services, such as voice, video collaboration, e-mail, conferencing and contact center. According to Frost & Sullivan, hosted/cloud-based video conferencing services are expected to grow to $344.1 million in revenue by 2019 – up from $113.7 million in 2013 – due to their ability to offer significantly lower costs compared to on-premises solutions, ease of deployment and use, and interoperability across endpoints.   

Through Level 3's Cloud Connect ecosystem, enterprises can now securely access global cloud-based communication services, such as those provided by Blue Jeans Network, via a single multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) network connection.

"Level 3's collaboration solution marries the ubiquitous reach of the public Internet with the inherent security, predictability, control and quality of service benefits of a private network," said Anthony Christie, chief marketing officer for Level 3. "This is the next step to delivering our simple vision to provide application-centric enterprise communications using one network connection. We look forward to adding more collaboration partners like Blue Jeans Network to our Cloud Connect suite of services."

"We built Blue Jeans to enable more effective collaboration anytime, anywhere and from practically any device. Now we're extending the Blue Jeans experience over a private cloud network to Level 3 customers to offer added security, guaranteed quality of service and improved performance," said Stu Aaron, chief commercial officer at Blue Jeans Network. "Enterprises across the globe are demanding easy, interoperable cloud-based video, and we're proud to extend our reach and work with Level 3 to provide that level of service to even more customers."

For more information on Level 3's Cloud Connect UC&C solution, visit http://your.level3.com/bluejeans.  

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 over 60 countries across 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 or get to know us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

© Level 3 Communications, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Level 3, Vyvx, Venuenet+, Level 3 Communications, Level (3) and the Level 3 Logo are either registered service marks or service marks of Level 3 Communications, LLC and/or one of its Affiliates in the United States and elsewhere. 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.

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 tw telecom acquisition; manage risks associated with continued uncertainty in the global economy; increase revenue from its services to realize its targets for financial and operating performance; 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; manage the future expansion or adaptation of its network to remain competitive; defend intellectual property and proprietary rights; 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.

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