Level 3 Opens New Data Center in North America

-- Global Data Center Network Supports Demanding Requirements for Enterprises and Government Customers to Deliver High-Performing Business Applications

BROOMFIELD, Colorado, Aug. 21, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Level 3 Communications, Inc. (NYSE: LVLT) today announced the expansion of its global data center network with the opening of its newest facility, located at 524 Van Buren Street in Herndon, Virginia. The new facility achieves Level 3's highest rating as a Premier Elite data center by offering fully redundant, high-density power and cooling systems, multi-tier security and direct connectivity to the global Level 3 network. These features provide enterprise and government customers with the necessary capabilities to manage rapid data growth and ensure business continuity – key elements to deliver today's mission-critical business applications in a secure and efficient operating environment.

Level 3 operates more than 350 data centers worldwide, comprised of Premier Elite, Premier Select and Premier facilities. Premier Elite data centers deliver the highest level of service, designed to meet the most stringent operating requirements and connectivity demands of business customers around the world. The Northern Virginia data center is one of three Premier Elite facilities in North America. Additional Premier Elite facilities are located at 200 Paul Avenue in San Francisco and 6805 Pine Street in Omaha. Level 3 operates another 17 Premier Elite data centers throughout Europe and Latin America.

Level 3's global data center footprint offers a streamlined solution with direct connectivity to its high-availability global fiber network, metro market reach and comprehensive services portfolio to provide customers data networking performance across North America, Europe and Latin America. From these locations, customers also have access to the Level 3 Cloud Connect Solutions ecosystem with secure, private connections to public, private and hybrid cloud platforms, including Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure.

"The Northern Virginia market is one of the top three data center markets in the world according to Ovum's global data center tracking information," states Mike Sapien, principal analyst from Ovum Global Enterprise Services. "Enterprise customers are seeing improved economics in using outside data centers, as well as avoidance of the capital to upgrade their aging private data centers. The use of external third-party data centers are necessary to address expanding their global coverage, increased use of cloud services, and improving application performance."

"Cloud-based services and mobile applications are increasingly critical to an organization's ability to focus on core initiatives while driving efficiency and growth. Successful use of these new technologies requires a thoughtful network strategy with direct access to networked data center facilities as a core component," said Paul Savill, senior vice president of Core Product Management for Level 3. "Level 3's Premier Elite data center facilities offer an ideal off-site space to house power-intensive applications, support business continuity, and grow an organization's global IT footprint with minimal capital investment and reduced operating costs."

Additional benefits offered by the Level 3 Premier Elite data center include:

• Global Connectivity – Direct connectivity to the global Level 3 network spanning 500 markets in 60 countries
• Carrier Neutrality – Carrier neutral facility that provides access to multiple global network operators, enabling customers to more effectively manage communications and data management between worldwide partners and locations.
• Cloud Services – Access to Level 3 Cloud Connect Solutions offers private network access to leading cloud services to deliver critical enterprise applications and information with greater performance, security and flexibility than the public Internet or other networks.
• On-site Security – 24 x 7 alarm monitoring and dual-mode secured access systems to address security and compliance requirements.
• Managed Technical Support – Skilled on-site technicians continuously maintain data systems and safeguard access to global carriers and critical cloud-based applications, ensuring efficient response times and adherence to service level agreements.

To learn more about Level 3's data center solutions, visit http://www.level3.com/en/products-and-services/cloud-and-it/data-center-services/data-center-management/.

• Level 3 Data Center Service Matrix: http://www.level3.com/~/media/Images/charts/datacenterlevels.ashx 
• Level 3 Data Center Maps: http://www.level3.com/~/media/Assets/maps/datanetworks_datacentermaps.ashx
• Level 3 Herndon Data Center Video – Virtual Tour: http://your.level3.com/PremierEliteDataCenterHerndonVA?cid=201408

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, 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/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.

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: 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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