Level 3 Supports Amazon Web Services' New AWS Direct Connect Service

BROOMFIELD, Colorado, August 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

- Enables Private Cloud Option for AWS Where Enterprise Customers Can Increase Bandwidth Throughput, Improve Network Consistency and Reduce Cost

Level 3 Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: LVLT) today announced that it is a solution provider for Amazon Web Services' (AWS) new service, AWS Direct Connect, offering dedicated network connectivity and services to support high-bandwidth customer adoption of  the AWS platform.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110523/LA06722LOGO)

AWS Direct Connect enables enterprises to set up a connection to an AWS region via a dedicated network circuit. Using AWS Direct Connect, enterprises can establish a dedicated connection between AWS and their organization's data center, colocation facility or main office, thereby increasing bandwidth throughput, improving network consistency and reducing network costs.

Enterprise IT departments are increasingly moving applications to cloud-based solutions and looking for additive services to ensure network connectivity is reliable and secure. Level 3's advanced network and cloud services enable an ultra-high availability, end-to-end cloud platform that optimizes business productivity by delivering AWS services over a network that meets the applications' availability, latency and security requirements.

"Enterprise adoption of Amazon Web Services is growing in both scale and complexity.  With this increasing sophistication, many customers want network connectivity options that match their application-specific requirements for performance and security," said Andrew Crouch, president of Sales for Level 3. "AWS Direct Connect customers can leverage Level 3's network to meet the demands of high-end cloud adopters with extensive network reach, bandwidth scale and established connectivity to AWS Direct Connect sites."

AWS provides companies with an infrastructure Web-services platform in the cloud that enables application management to be tailored to the business need, and Level 3's international fiber-optic network is uniquely equipped to help scale in response to enterprise adoption of cloud-based services. With this collaboration, Level 3 can provide end-users 1G (gigabit) and 10G (gigabit) circuits to the AWS cloud at all Direct Connect sites.

For more information on Level 3's advanced network service solutions, visit http://www.level3.com.

About Level 3 Communications

Level 3 Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: LVLT) is a leading international provider of fiber-based communications services. Enterprise, content, wholesale and government customers rely on Level 3 to deliver services with an industry-leading combination of scalability and value over an end-to-end fiber network. Level 3 offers a portfolio of metro and long-haul services, including transport, data, Internet, content delivery and voice. For more information, visit http://www.Level3.com.

© Level 3 Communications, LLC.  All Rights Reserved.  Level 3, Level 3 Communications and the Level 3 Communications 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.  Level 3 services are provided by wholly owned subsidiaries of Level 3 Communications, Inc.  Any other service names, product names, company names or logos included herein are the trademarks or service marks of their respective owners.

Forward-Looking Statement

Some of the statements made in this press release are forward looking in nature. These statements 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. The most important factors that could prevent Level 3 from achieving its stated goals include, but are not limited to:  the current uncertainty in the global financial markets and the global economy; a discontinuation of the development and expansion of the Internet as a communications medium and marketplace for the distribution and consumption of data and video; and disruptions in the financial markets that could affect Level 3's ability to obtain additional financing.  Additional factors include, but are not limited to, the company's ability to:  increase and maintain the volume of traffic on its network; develop effective business support systems; manage system and network failures or disruptions; develop new services that meet customer demands and generate acceptable margins; defend intellectual property and proprietary rights; adapt to rapid technological changes that lead to further competition; attract and retain qualified management and other personnel; successfully integrate acquisitions; and meet all of the terms and conditions of 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.

   
    Contact Information
  
    Media:                                    Investors:
    Jon Paul McLeary                          Mark Stoutenberg
    +1-720-888-3244                           +1-720-888-2518
    JonPaul.McLeary@Level3.com                Mark.Stoutenberg@Level3.com