Rodent Regatta

”BROOMFIELD, Colo., September 9, 2003—Level 3 Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq:LVLT) today announced it has signed a customer agreement with Hughes Network Systems (HNS) to provide interconnect services to the public Internet for SPACEWAY, its next generation satellite platform, launching service in 2004.

Under the terms of the contract, HNS is purchasing (3)CrossRoads Internet access and (3)Center Colocation services from Level 3 in the U.S. The services include connectivity directly to the public Internet for SPACEWAY managed traffic and access to a high-speed terrestrial backbone for operational related information. In addition, HNS plans to colocate several antennas directly on Level 3’s backbone, thereby eliminating costly local loop infrastructure and optimizing the performance of its service.”

There’s a lot to this…

Level 3 has methodically added each of the major providers of Internet services to its customer list. Behind the scenes your traffic winds up on Level 3’s network even though you call, cable modem or DSL your way onto the Internet.

As each company reviews the cost of ”build-it-and-do-it-ourselves,” they discover that Level 3 can carry the packets far faster and far more economically.

[DISCLAIMER: Long Level 3 shares since 1998.]