Supplements Network Buildout in Regional Markets
VANCOUVER, Wash., June 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Electric Lightwave Inc.
(Nasdaq: ELIX), an integrated communications provider, today announced a
$122 million agreement with Qwest Communications International (Nasdaq: QWST)
to purchase bandwidth on a high-speed national fiber optic route in a
multi-year contract to expand Electric Lightwave's digital footprint across
the United States.
Until now, Electric Lightwave has offered integrated telecommunications
services in the Western United States, with limited national data services. As
part of the company's aggressive national data expansion strategy, it will
initially offer high-speed, point-to-point bandwidth, Internet, Frame Relay,
ATM and Transparent LAN Services to business customers in Las Vegas, Denver,
Chicago, Washington D.C., Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, San Diego, Cleveland, New
York City, Philadelphia and Boston by the end of 1998.
"The agreement with Qwest is a bold and significant move for the company
which will include establishing regional sales offices across the country and
illustrates our commitment to the growing data services and broadband
transport markets," said Dave Sharkey, president and chief operating officer.
"Our sales staff ramp-up has accelerated as we continue to reach across the
nation and execute our business expansion plans."
Last week the company announced the completion of an ATM (Asynchronous
Transfer Mode) network upgrade that will provide ultra high-speed transmission
for data services, as well as voice and video and increased bandwidth
efficiency over its own network. This nationwide ATM backbone deployment
enables Electric Lightwave to deliver higher speeds and greater throughput for
data transmission to its business customers.
"This agreement with Electric Lightwave affirms the advanced capabilities
of the Qwest Macro Capacity Fiber Network," said Gregory M. Casey, senior vice
president of broadband capacity at Qwest. "Qwest continues to benefit from
the tremendous demand for broadband capacity while rapidly expanding the
footprint of the Qwest network, which has nearly 9,000 route miles activated
and will quickly grow to 18, 449 route miles in less than a year."
The Qwest Macro Capacity Fiber Network
Qwest's planned domestic 18,449 mile network will serve over 130 cities,
which represent approximately 80 percent of the data and voice traffic
originating in the United States, upon its scheduled completion in the second
quarter of 1999. To date, more than 8,550 miles of the Qwest Macro Capacity
Fiber Network are activated, including the transcontinental segment that
extends from Los Angeles to Sacramento and across to New York. Qwest is also
extending its network 1,400 miles into Mexico with completion slated for late
1998 and has transatlantic capacity to serve Europe.
About Electric Lightwave
Based in Vancouver, Wash., Electric Lightwave Inc. is a full-service
integrated communications provider offering local and long distance telephone
service, videoconferencing, prepaid services, broadband transport, data and
Internet access services to business customers throughout the western United
States. Electric Lightwave's highly-rated Internet backbone recently ranked
third in the nation for "Best Internet Value" by Boardwatch Magazine. Visit
Electric Lightwave on the World Wide Web at http://www.eli.net.
About Qwest
Qwest Communications International Inc. is a multimedia communications
company and one of the fastest growing companies in America today.
Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, Qwest has approximately 6,000 employees and
over 80 sales offices worldwide. With its world-class data and multimedia
network, marketing expertise, and customer care and billing systems, Qwest is
delivering high-quality data, video and voice connectivity securely and
reliably to customers around the world. Further information is available at
http://www.qwest.com.
NOTE: All trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their
respective owners, with no intent to infringe.
SOURCE Electric Lightwave Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.eli.net
CONTACT:
media, Jack Hardy, 360-816-3602, or
jack_hardy@eli.net, or analysts, John Unverferth, 360-816-3217,
or john_unverferth@eli.net, both of Electric Lightwave Inc.
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