LONDON–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Level 3 Communications, Inc. (NYSE:LVLT, news, filings) today announced a strategic long-term agreement with leading Middle East telecommunications operator Saudi Telecom (STC) to enable international IP and content distribution services in Saudi Arabia and across the Middle East.
The agreement leverages the respective strengths of each company to provide significantly enhanced connectivity and breadth of services to customers connecting to the Middle East. Both US and European CDN customers will have access to a new broadband market in the Middle East and content customers in the Middle East will have the ability to distribute their content across both STC’s and Level 3’s international networks.
“With the largest international network in the Middle East and Africa, Saudi Telecom is the only Middle East operator today that has international connectivity by way of both multiple submarine cable systems and a terrestrial cable system via the recently launched Jeddah-Amman-Damascus-Istanbul (JADI) link,” said Saad Demyati, Saudi Telecom’s vice president of Wholesale Business Unit. “Our relationship with Level 3 allows us to offer the reliable, high-quality global connectivity and end-to-end solutions our customers increasingly demand, with the unique benefit of access to a fully redundant and scalable Tier 1 network.”
In addition, Level 3 is providing STC with increased IP connectivity in the form of multiple 10 Gigabits per second (Gbps) ports at various points of presence (PoPs) across Europe.
“Leveraging STC’s terrestrial connectivity in eight Middle Eastern countries, combined with the broad reach of Level 3’s international IP and CDN networks, we’re able to expand our offerings to new and existing customers around the world,” said James Heard, president of European Markets at Level 3. “We’ve worked hard over the years to build out our international connectivity, and this agreement with STC is an important next step in expanding that connectivity even further into a region where we see a lot of potential for growth.”
Level 3 has a strong history of commitment to Middle East service providers. Through its existing PoP site in Marseille as well as more than 300 other PoP locations across Europe, Level 3 allows for greater connectivity to the Middle East and Africa as well as more reliable and scalable IP network services. To learn more about Level 3’s global services, please visit www.level3.com/index.cfm?pageID=675.
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. Level 3 services are provided by wholly-owned subsidiaries of Level 3 Communications, Inc. For more information, visit www.Level3.com.
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.
About STC
STC Group (Saudi Telecom Company) is the leading telecommunications company in the MENA region and is ranked number 25 globally. The group has more than 100 million subscribers in ten countries, namely Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Kuwait, Turkey, South Africa, Lebanon, Jordan and Bahrain in addition to its presence in the Saudi market, offering the most innovative services in the industry.
STC operates one of the region’s most advanced telecommunications networks. The network spans all corners of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and extends to all neighbouring countries in addition to having investments in terabit-size Submarine cable systems that connect 35 countries across North America, Europe, North Africa, Middle East and South East Asia.
In addition to traditional mobile and fixed services to its retail customers, STC offers a broad portfolio of services including Voice over IP, Internet access, IP data services, broadband transport, and many value added services. STC’s Wholesale customers include local and regional operators and carriers, wireless service providers, ISPs, content providers and regional enterprises.
For more information visit: www.stc.com.sa
Level 3 Communications
Media:
Alexis Hammack, 720-888-2441
alexis.hammack@level3.com
or
Investors:
Mark Stoutenberg, 720-888-2518
mark.stoutenberg@level3.com
Source: Level 3 Communications
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