LONDON, Jan. 14, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Level 3 Communications B.V., an affiliate of Level 3 Communications, Inc., (NYSE: LVLT) today announced that the company has signed a contract with the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA) to install and maintain an IP Virtual Private Network (VPN) to be used by the NATO-Russia Council Cooperative Airspace Initiative (NRC CAI).

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The joint NATO-Russia CAI system was completed in 2009 and the CAI's testing period began to see how well the system worked sharing air traffic information. In December 2011, NRC Foreign Ministers declared the system operational and in 2013, the NRC will have a 24/7 capability to monitor air traffic. More information on CAI and the NRC is available at www.nato-russia-council.info.

The aim of this initiative is to enhance airspace transparency between NATO and Russia, identify any suspicious aircraft activities, and provide early warnings through the monitoring of NATO-Russian airspace. As part of this project, the Level 3 network will connect a range of NATO monitoring facilities and enable real-time display and observation of commercial airspace activities.

"The Level 3 network will connect the NATO CAI units and hence support the improvement of air safety for the thousands of passengers using international flights between NATO and Russian airspace each day, and the millions of inhabitants on the ground," said Dr Rene van der Heiden, Programme Manager and leader of the NRC CAI Operations and Enhancement Support Team.

"The Level 3 network and our IP VPN services are designed for performance, security and productivity, and we are pleased to be selected by NATO to provide IP VPN-based infrastructure between the key locations of the CAI network," said James Heard, Level 3 regional president of EMEA.. "With our services, NATO will be able to exchange air traffic information and direct voice coordination with the security and reliability they need."

For more information on Level 3's advanced network and service offerings, visit www.level3.com.

About the NATO Communications and Information Agency

The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency connects forces, NATO and Nations, where and when required by providing interoperable Communications and Information Systems and services. The NCI Agency is the provider of NATO-wide IT services and state-of-the-art C4ISR capabilities including cyber and missile defence. In strengthening the Alliance, the Agency applies industry best practices and provides a full life-cycle approach: from analysis and concept development, through experimentation and capability development, to operations and maintenance for both missions and exercises. The NCI Agency is a key pillar of NATO Secretary General's Smart Defence and Connected Forces initiatives. For more information visit http://www.ncia.nato.int/Pages/default.aspx.

This information provided by NATO Communications and Information Agency which is solely responsible for its content.

About Level 3 Communications

Level 3 Communications, Inc. (NYSE: LVLT) provides local, national and global communications services to enterprise, government and carrier customers. Level 3's comprehensive portfolio of secure, managed solutions includes fiber and infrastructure solutions; IP-based voice and data communications; wide-area Ethernet services; video and content distribution; data center and cloud-based solutions. Level 3 serves customers in more than 450 markets in 45 countries over a global services platform anchored by owned fiber networks on three continents and connected by extensive undersea facilities. Level 3 services are provided by subsidiaries of Level 3 Communications, Inc. For more information, visit www.level3.com.

Website Access to Company Information

Level 3 maintains a corporate website at www.level3.com, and you can find additional information about the company through the Investors pages on that website at http://lvlt.client.shareholder.com/. Level 3 uses its website as a channel of distribution of important information about the company. Level 3 routinely posts financial and other important information regarding the company and its business, financial condition and operations on the Investor Relations web pages.

Visitors to the Investors Relations web pages can view and print copies of Level 3's SEC filings, including periodic and current reports on Forms 10-K, 10-Q, 8-K, as soon as reasonably practicable after those filings are made with the SEC.

Copies of the charters for each of the Audit, Compensation and Nominating and Governance committees of Level 3's Board of Directors, its Corporate Governance Guidelines, Code of Ethics, press releases and analysts and investor conference presentations are all available through the Investor Relations web pages.

Please note that the information contained on any of Level 3's web sites is not incorporated by reference in, or considered to be a part of, any document unless expressly incorporated by reference in that document.

Forward-Looking Statement

Some statements made in this press release are forward-looking in nature and are based on management'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 3's control, which could cause actual events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the statements. Important factors that could prevent Level 3 from achieving its stated goals include, but are not limited to, the company's ability to: successfully integrate the Global Crossing acquisition or otherwise realize the anticipated benefits thereof; manage risks associated with continued uncertainty in the global economy; obtain additional financing, particularly in the event of disruptions in the financial markets; manage continued or accelerated decreases in market pricing for communications services; maintain and increase traffic on its network; develop and maintain effective business support systems; manage system and network failures or disruptions; develop new services that meet customer demands and generate acceptable margins; adapt to rapid technological changes that could adversely affect the company's competitiveness; defend intellectual property and proprietary rights; obtain capacity for its network from other providers and interconnect its network with other networks on favorable terms; attract and retain qualified management and other personnel; successfully integrate future acquisitions; effectively manage political, legal, regulatory, foreign currency and other risks it is exposed to due to its substantial international operations; mitigate its exposure to contingent liabilities; and meet all of the terms and conditions of its 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 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.

SOURCE Level 3 Communications, Inc.