Level 3 Teams With Elemental Technologies To Conduct First Real-Time 4K Stream of Sony Content in MPEG-DASH Using HEVC Video Codec

BROOMFIELD, Colo., April 3, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — Level 3 Communications, Inc. (NYSE:LVLT, news, filings) today announced it has teamed up with Elemental Technologies, a leading supplier of software-defined video solutions for content delivery to any device, to conduct demonstrations of the world’s first real-time 4K Ultra HD video stream in MPEG-DASH (Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP) using high-efficiency video coding (HEVC).

With four times the resolution of 1080p HD, 4K video content presents a challenge to traditional compression approaches such as MPEG-2 and advanced video coding (AVC / H.264) in terms of the bandwidth required to deliver a smooth and immersive viewing experience. The HEVC implementation allows for delivery of 4K content at bitrates equivalent to HD content, and pairing it with MPEG-DASH, enables a universal adaptive bitrate streaming solution that works on any platform.

Level 3’s content delivery network provides the performance and scalability required to transmit the 4K video, which will be encoded and packaged by Elemental. The combination of these technologies gives programmers and pay-TV operators a turnkey, scalable way to deliver 4K content simultaneously to millions of viewers across the globe.

“Level 3 is proud to play an integral role in the first demonstration of these exciting video broadcast technologies used together,” said Mark Taylor, vice president of Media and IP Services at Level 3. “What’s more, this is a live stream over our global CDN, which shows our ability to deliver this type of Ultra HD to millions of viewers across the world.”

“The combined Level 3 and Elemental workflow demonstrates the viability of real-time 4K streaming services for content programmers and distributors,” said Keith Wymbs, Chief Marketing Officer for Elemental. “We are pleased to collaborate with Level 3 with our MPEG-DASH and award-winning HEVC implementation to create immersive video experiences.”

The 4K demonstrations will be available during this year’s National Association of Broadcasters Show in Las Vegas, at both Level 3’s outdoor set-up on the patio outside Las Vegas Convention Center’s South Hall and in Elemental’s booth, SU2724. The demonstration includes live playback of a cinematic 4K short captured by Sony Pictures Entertainment’s F55 camera with final rendering on a 65-inch Sony 4K Bravia TV.

For more information on Level 3’s content-based solutions, visit www.level3videocloud.com.

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 over a global services platform anchored by owned fiber networks on three continents and connected by extensive undersea facilities. For more information, please visitwww.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: 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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SOURCE Level 3 Communications, Inc.