LONDON -- Level 3 Communications (Nasdaq:LVLT) todayannounced that it has signed a definitive agreement with Apollo Submarine CableSystem Ltd., to secure additional transatlantic capacity for its international network.Under the terms of the agreement, Level 3 will purchase 300 Gigabits (30x10G) oftransatlantic capacity (equivalent to the capacity required to make approximately10,000,000 simultaneous Internet Protocol (IP) based calls) and has immediate accessto the capacity. Level 3 also has the right to purchase 300 Gigabits of additionalcapacity, taking the contracted capacity up to a total of 600 Gigabits (60 x 10G).

Level 3 continues to experience rapid customer growth on its network. The Level 3global IP backbone network currently carries over 3.7 petabytes of Internet Protocol(IP) traffic every day (one petabyte is the equivalent of 2,000,000 CDs). IP trafficcarried across Level 3’s transatlantic network has doubled in the last twelve months.

Prior to this transaction, Level 3 had 480 Gigabits of lit transatlantic capacity, withapproximately 85 percent of this currently in service and being utilised. This strategicpurchase gives Level 3 scalable capacity on four diverse routes across the Atlantic,including the Level 3 developed Yellow cable system, and enables connectivity fromthe United States to Continental Europe that is entirely diverse from the New Yorkregion and the United Kingdom.

“We continue to see growth in demand for IP transit and growth on our transatlanticroutes,” said Brady Rafuse, president of Level 3 in Europe. “The purchase increasesthe total available capacity on our transatlantic network to more than 700 Gigabitsimmediately and greater than 1000 Gigabits should we exercise our right. Thisinvestment facilitates the ongoing scalability of our network, guaranteeing supply toaccommodate growth in the medium term,” he added.

Level 3 Communications Inc. (NYSE: LVLT)