Qwest Wins $8.3 Million Contract to Upgrade Voice Network at U.S. Department of Energy Headquarters

Business Wire, Dec 19, 2007

Upgrade Allows DOE to Migrate to IP-based Communications Network

DENVER -- Qwest Communications International Inc. (NYSE: Q) today announced it received an $8.3 million contract from Energy Enterprise Solutions (EES) to upgrade the voice network at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). EES is the principal Information Technology support services provider for DOE headquarters facilities in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.

The upgrade is for the department's dual headquarters located in Washington, D.C. and Germantown, Md. Qwest will transition the federal agency's existing voice switch to a Nortel Communications Server 2100, an IP-enabled communications server that is scalable from 5,000 to 200,000 ports. The switch upgrade allows DOE to maintain existing investments in Time Division Multiplex (TDM)-based voice services while transitioning to full Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) capabilities over a period that is suitable to its needs.

To support the switch upgrade, the contract also includes a Qwest QWave[R] network solution to be deployed between the two DOE headquarter locations. QWave is a fully managed, private, point-to-point service delivered over a state-of-the-art dense wave division multiplexing (DWDM) network at speeds up to 10 gigabits per second (Gbps). In addition, QWave provides DOE with redundancy to protect the network against unexpected failures.

"Network migrations can present numerous challenges in terms of risk, reliability, continuity of operations, and performance," said Diana Gowen, senior vice president and general manager of Qwest Government Services. "Qwest has extensive experience in successfully upgrading both infrastructure and switches and has teamed with Nortel Government Solutions to enable the Department of Energy to meet its communication needs now and for years to come."

In addition to DOE headquarters, Qwest has installed and provisioned voice network modernizations at the department's major facilities in Oak Ridge, Tenn.; Los Alamos, N.M.; and Richland, Wash.

About Qwest

Qwest offers a unique and powerful combination of managed voice and data solutions for businesses, government agencies and consumers - locally and throughout the country. Customers coast to coast are turning to Qwest's industry-leading national fiber optic network and its Spirit of Service[TM] for quality products and superior customer experience. Qwest is a participant in Networx, the largest communications services contract in the world, to provide leading-edge voice, data and video services. For more information on Qwest, and its various operating subsidiaries, please go to www.qwest.com. For information about the products and services Qwest is offering in the Networx contract, visit www.gsanetworx.com.