Qwest's High-Speed Data and Wireless Networks Exceed Expectations
Of Salt Lake Organizing Committee
DENVER, Feb. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- While viewers watched athletes compete at
world-class levels during the 2002 Olympic Winter Games, Qwest Communications
International Inc.'s (NYSE: Q) wireless and data networks also performed at
world-class levels, helping three billion people share the experience.
Qwest's Olympic telephone network successfully completed approximately
6.5 million calls, while Qwest's wireless network completed approximately
10 million calls in Utah from Feb. 8-24. Qwest was praised by Olympic and
broadcast executives for assuring both of its networks exceeded performance
benchmarks established by the Salt Lake Organizing Committee (SLOC).
"Qwest is extremely proud to say that our network performed even better
than we had expected," said Augie Cruciotti, Qwest's executive vice president
of local networks. "The end of the Olympic Winter Games marked a culmination
of effort by hundreds of dedicated Qwest employees, but at the same time,
we're pleased to announce that the state of Utah will have an excellent
network to accommodate future growth."
Qwest Wireless President Annette Jacobs said, "We are very pleased that
the high-quality performance of our wireless network allowed visitors from
around the world conduct business and contact their friends and family from
Salt Lake City."
Qwest's venue operations center served as the company's Olympic Games hub,
connecting Qwest's state-of-the-art broadband network to all 10 competition
venues, as well as non-competition venues such as the Olympic Village and the
Main Media Center. Qwest's network supported all major sporting, cultural and
business events during the Olympic Games.
Qwest's network performance includes a caller's ability to make clear
calls at any time -- without being blocked by a lack of network resources for
available dial tone. For the duration of the Olympic Winter Games, Qwest had
virtually zero percent blocked calls in Utah on both its telephone and
wireless networks.
Here are what Qwest customers had to say about the company's Olympic
Winter Games' efforts.
-- "We expected Qwest to be flawless but invisible, so that people would
experience the Olympic Games with the most immediacy," said Mitt
Romney, president and CEO of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee. "The
intensive preparation they put in, and the network they built, were
extraordinary. Qwest exceeded all of our expectations."
-- "We are extremely pleased with the performance of Qwest's broadcast
services," said Manolo Romero, president of International Sports
Broadcasting, the host broadcasters for the Olympic Winter Games.
"Qwest has been great to work with and their advanced network helped
us deliver the Olympic Games to the world in a very efficient manner."
-- "Qwest provided NBC with excellent customer service throughout the
Olympic Winter Games," said Ken Fuller, director of transmissions and
broadcast operations at NBC. "Not only did the network perform
extremely well, their attention to customer service and detail
provided NBC with a level of comfort that was critical to support a
production as large as ours."
The 31,000 fiber-mile network was larger than the network at any previous
Olympic Winter Games, and was capable of transporting 388 trillion bits of
data per second, and could support 400,000 voice users at one time.
And while the capabilities weren't necessary, the network featured
instantaneous restoration capabilities -- meaning that if there is a cut in
one of the cables, the network will automatically reroute in less than
50 milliseconds, faster than the blink of an eye. Qwest's network did not
have any fiber cuts during the Olympic Winter Games.
About Qwest
Qwest Communications International Inc. (NYSE: Q) is a leader in reliable,
scalable and secure broadband data, voice and image communications for
businesses and consumers. The Qwest Macro Capacity(R) Fiber Network, designed
with the newest optical networking equipment for speed and efficiency, spans
more than 190,000 miles globally. For more information, please visit the
Qwest Web site at http://www.qwest.com .
This release may contain projections and other forward-looking statements
that involve risks and uncertainties. These statements may differ materially
from actual future events or results. Readers are referred to the documents
filed by Qwest Communications International Inc. (together with its
affiliates, "Qwest", "we" or "us") with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, specifically the most recent reports which identify important risk
factors that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the
forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: potential
fluctuations in quarterly results; volatility of Qwest's stock price; intense
competition in the markets in which we compete; changes in demand for our
products and services; the duration and extent of the current economic
downturn, including its effect on our customers and suppliers; adverse
economic conditions in the markets served by us or by companies in which we
have substantial investments; dependence on new product development and
acceleration of the deployment of advanced new services, such as broadband
data, wireless and video services, which could require substantial expenditure
of financial and other resources in excess of contemplated levels; higher than
anticipated employee levels, capital expenditures and operating expenses;
rapid and significant changes in technology and markets; adverse changes in
the regulatory or legislative environment affecting our business, delays in
our ability to provide interLATA services within our 14-state local service
area; failure to maintain rights-of-way; and failure to achieve the projected
synergies and financial results expected to result from the acquisition of U S
WEST, and difficulties in combining the operations of the combined company.
This release may include analysts' estimates and other information prepared by
third parties for which we assume no responsibility. We undertake no
obligation to review or confirm analysts' expectations or estimates or to
release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect
events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of
unanticipated events.
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mark of, Qwest Communications International Inc. in the U.S. and certain other
countries.
SOURCE Qwest Communications International Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.qwest.com
CONTACT:
Media, Chris Hardman, +1-303-992-2085,
chris.hardman@qwest.com, or Investors, Lee Wolfe,
+1-800-567-7296, IR@qwest.com, both of Qwest Communications
International Inc.
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