Level 3 Signs Georgia Deal

BROOMFIELD, Colo. -- Level 3 Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:LVLT - News) today announced that it has signed an agreement with Habersham Electric Membership Corporation (EMC), a sub-recipient of the funding for the North Georgia Network Cooperative (NGN), to interconnect with the organization's regional network, assisting efforts to improve broadband connectivity and network services in the communities and rural areas of northern Georgia.

NGN, whose stakeholders include two rural electric cooperatives, Habersham EMC and Blue Ridge Mountain EMC, was the one of the first recipients of the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP), a part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) in 2009. With more than $41 million in grants and matching funds, NGN's 1000-mile regional fiber-optic network will extend from Atlanta to many northern Georgia communities, reaching over 50,000 homes, businesses, government, education and medical institutions. The agreement will provide rural Georgia markets with direct access to Level 3's advanced network services and expansive international reach. NGN will be the conduit for transporting gigabit speed broadband to and from the Level 3 network.

"Our organization is dedicated to improving broadband connections and network services in north Georgia," said Bruce Abraham, president of NGN. "Along with our regional economic development partners, we believe that our relationship with Level 3 will usher in a new era of advanced applications and connectivity for our rural communities."

Level 3 Communications Inc. (NYSE: LVLT)