Level 3 announces new agreement with SBC Internet Services - Business - Brief Article

ISP Business, Feb, 2002

Level 3 Communications Inc. has signed a new agreement to provide dial-up Internet access service to SBC Internet Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of SBC Communications Inc. The minimum value of the three-year contact exceeds $100 million.

The agreement was enabled by the closing on Jan. 24, 2002, of Level 3's acquisition of McLeodUSA Inc.'s wholesale dial-up access business assets (formerly Splitrock Services). Under the terms of the new contract, SBC Internet Services is buying (3)Connect Modem dial-up port capacity from Level 3 to serve its dial and roaming DSL Internet customers. This new contract makes Level 3 the largest provider of wholesale Internet access service for SBC Internet Services.

Level 3's softswitch platform now completes more than 350 million dial-up Internet access calls and over 11 billion minutes of online usage per month for its ISP customers over Level 3's 10 Gbps multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) network. MPLS is an Internet protocol (IP) routing technology that allows Level 3 to streamline, simplify and lower the cost structure of its network management and operations. MPLS also gives Level 3 the ability to speed delivery of select classes of network traffic.

Level 3 now offers (3)Connect Modem service in all fifty US states and Europe. Level 3 is enhancing its (3)Connect Modem service by deploying a new technology, called V.92, that will enable SBC Internet Services and other ISPs to provide their customers with new features designed to improve dial-up Internet access service.