Premium Car and Motorcycle Manufacturer Accelerates Car Dealership Services with Level 3 Content Delivery Network Services

-- Always-on, Real-time Data Access Helps More Than 4,000 Global Dealers Boost Customer Satisfaction

FRANKFURT AM MAIN, Germany and BROOMFIELD, Colorado, Feb. 18, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Level 3 Communications, Inc. (NYSE: LVLT) today announced that BMW, a premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles, is using Level 3 Content Delivery Network (CDN) services to speed the information flow between its Munich headquarters and its more than 4,000 dealers around the world. Level 3's CDN is part of a major BMW infrastructure upgrade project tailored to BMW's precise requirements.

Real-time data boosts customer satisfaction

BMW is using the Level 3 CDN service to send large volumes of high-bandwidth data to its global dealers, replacing the DVD-based distribution that the company used for several years. The solution is designed with a very high level of redundancy to ensure maximum availability at all times. Dealers utilise the information to securely access key information, as well as configure vehicles for customers, apply software patches or upgrade navigation systems. Delivering it in this way further increases dealer and customer satisfaction, while leading to cost savings.

Security and speed

Since changing to the Level 3 CDN, BMW enables its dealers to react much faster to customer requirements. BMW staff uploads the relevant information assets to the Level 3 storage platform. Dealers then connect to the platform following authentication. The solution automatically detects where the dealer is located and will select a server to provide fast and reliable performance. The CDN solution then checks the Web URL and login credentials of the dealer, who can then download the data in seconds.

High-performance global connections

Dealers are essential to BMW's success and to the way the brand is perceived by customers. That is why offering them the best possible service to get the data they need quickly, regardless of the volume, is important. Level 3 has strong local presence, with specialists available in Germany and an exemplary performance and support team across global markets.

"Enabling BMW to significantly improve the dealer and customer experience was a tangible outcome of this project," explains Gerald Rubant, director of sales, Enterprise Business for Germany, Austria & Switzerland at Level 3. "It underscores how our unique combination of customer proximity and global performance is suited to the demands of today's global corporations."

Focus on maximum availability

In addition to this project, Level 3 provided fibre optic cables that connect BMW's headquarters directly to the Level 3 global network, including two additional routers located directly at BMW's premises in Munich. These ensure the highest protection against downtime along with maximum bandwidth at all times to global partners. With its global network, Level 3 provides the bandwidth BMW needs to share large quantities of data with its dealers and business partners globally.

To prepare for the implementation, Level 3 and BMW have installed Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) equipment at BMW's headquarters. This technology increases transmission capacity using existing fibre optic networks.

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: 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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