|
|
Wednesday, July 11th 2007
|
|
Level 3 Expands Portfolio with Video Management
and Streaming Services to Enable Formatting and
Delivery of Content to the Internet
DUBLIN, Ireland, July 11, 2007 Level 3 Communications,
Inc. (NASDAQ: LVLT) today announced that its operating
subsidiary has acquired Servecast Limited, a Dublin-based
provider of live and on-demand video management
and streaming services for broadband and mobile
platforms. Level 3 has paid approximately €33
million, the equivalent of approximately $45 million,
in cash to complete the acquisition of Servecast.
Founded in 1998, Servecast offers proven publishing
and distribution tools for video rights holders
to monetize their digital assets. These tools
enable customers to manage, protect, deliver and
track online audio and video content. Servecast
provides an easy-to-use platform that supports
multiple stream rates, languages, currencies and
formats, including Adobe Flash, Real Player,
Windows Media Player and Apple QuickTime.
Servecast's capabilities have been developed for
easy adaptation to emerging video formats and
other content delivery technology.
"Servecast's video and rights management
platform, combined with its streaming services
complement Level 3's existing portfolio of content
delivery capabilities," said Brady Rafuse,
president of Level 3's Content Markets Group and
European Markets Group. "The addition of
these services accelerates our planned development
of this technology. These capabilities will enable
us to manage and distribute online video content
in multiple formats to meet the increasing demand
for high-quality video over the Internet."
"We are excited to be joining Level 3,"
said Darach Deehan, chief executive officer of
Servecast. "We believe Level 3's scale and
capabilities across Europe and North America will
provide our customers an important opportunity
to access new markets."
"We are confident in our ability to continue
offering Servecast's customers high-quality service
as we incorporate these key capabilities into
our portfolio and expand the availability of these
services to additional markets in Europe and into
new markets in North America," said Rafuse.
"This is a strategic capabilities acquisition
that does not require the type of physical integration
associated with our larger, previously announced
metro and backbone transactions."
Level 3 plans to maintain Servecast's headquarters
and broadcast operations center in Dublin, as
well as its data centers in London and Amsterdam.
Servecast's existing streaming server sites throughout
Europe and North America will also be incorporated
into Level 3's Content Delivery Network.
Servecast had approximately $5 million in annual
revenue for 2006. IBI Corporate Finance advised
Servecast in relation to the transaction.
About Level 3 Communications
Level 3 Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: LVLT), an
international communications company, operates
one of the largest Internet backbones in the world
connecting more than 175 metro markets in 16 countries.
The company serves a broad range of wholesale,
enterprise and content customers with a comprehensive
suite of services including: Internet Protocol
(IP) services, broadband transport and infrastructure
services, colocation services, voice and voice
over IP services, content delivery and media distribution
services. These services provide the building
blocks to enable Level 3's customers to meet their
growing demands for advanced communications solutions.
The company's Web address is www.level3.com.
"Level 3 Communications," "Level
3" and the Level 3 Communications logo are
registered service marks of Level 3 Communications,
LLC in the United States and/or other countries.
Any other product, service or company names recited
herein may be trademarks or service marks of their
respective owners. Level 3 services are provided
by wholly owned subsidiaries of Level 3 Communications,
Inc.
Forward-Looking Statement
Some of the statements made in this press release
may be forward- looking in nature. 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 the company'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 stated goals
include, but are not limited to, the company's
ability to: successfully integrate acquisitions;
increase the volume of traffic on the Level 3
network; defend intellectual property and proprietary
rights; develop new products and services that
meet customer demands and generate acceptable
margins; successfully complete commercial testing
of new technology and information systems to support
new products and services; attract and retain
qualified management and other personnel; and
meet all of the terms and conditions of 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 contacts:
| Media: |
Investors: |
Media: Jennifer Daumler
+1 720-888-3356
|
Robin Grey
+1 720-888-2518 |
Kimberly Tulp
+1 720-888-3675 |
Valerie Finberg
+1 720-888-2501 |
|