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Level 3 to Deliver Live Online Streaming of the Worlda?s Largest Gathering of EVE Online Players and Fans

^{Published on 2011-03-09 18:00:34 - Market Wire}
 

LONDON--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--Level 3 Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: LVLT) today announced it will provide caching and streaming services to support the live online delivery of CCP Gamesa™ seventh annual Fanfest on March 24-26. The event is an international gathering of fans and players of the virtual world of EVE Online, CCPa™s award-winning massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG).

"Level 3 has supported some of the biggest events in entertainment and sports for years, and wea™re pleased to be in a position to bring that expertise in event management and delivery to our work with CCP."

aWith the support of Level 3a™s global network and live event experience, wea™re hoping to make fans feel like theya™re as close to the action as possible, no matter where they are in the world,a said Jn Hrdal, CCP's chief operating officer. aLevel 3 supports EVE Online every day, and in the past theya™ve streamed [ EVE Online Alliance Tournament ], one of the biggest online events in CCP history. Wea™re confident theya™ll again help us deliver a great experience for fans online who cana™t make it to the event in Iceland.a

At Fanfest, EVE Online players from around the world will gather in Reykjavik, Iceland, to hear firsthand the latest announcements and presentations about what lies ahead for the game, enjoy discussion panels and presentations with EVE developers, play against one another, and generally celebrate with other EVE Online fans. Level 3 will deliver all the action live via the Level 3 global CDN platform to online audiences on CCPa™s website, [ http://fanfest.eveonline.com ]. The live feed will be available starting the morning of March 25 and continue until the close of the party on March 26.

aAs the game industrya™s biggest events begin to look more like the biggest events in sports or media, in terms of the audience size and the expectations around the quality of delivery, ita™s important to have a network partner that understands how to achieve excellence from creation to consumption,a said James Heard, president of European Markets at Level 3. aLevel 3 has supported some of the biggest events in entertainment and sports for years, and wea™re pleased to be in a position to bring that expertise in event management and delivery to our work with CCP.a

Level 3 first [ announced ] its contract with Iceland-based CCP in March of 2010. Level 3 currently provides content delivery network (CDN) services, caching, download, origin storage, and its advanced Content Analytics platform for CCPa™s EVE Online title.

For more information on Level 3a™s services for the online game industry, please visit [ www.level3.com/index.cfm?pageID=151 ].

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. 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 managementa™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 3a™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 3a™s ability to obtain additional financing.Additional factors include, but are not limited to, the companya™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 3a™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.