Level 3 to go after enterprise

CHICAGO--

Level 3 today announced it plans to go after enterprises with its IP VPN voice and data services, potentially opening up a huge market for the traditionally wholesale services carrier.

Continuing a strategy it used with its VoIP switching services, Level 3 is using channel partners to sell its data networking services indirectly to enterprises, thus eliminating most potential competitive conflicts with its wholesale carrier customers. Level 3 will work primarily with systems integrator looking to make Level 3 services part of an overall IT telecom package. To prep its network, Level 3 is reconfiguring the capabilities of its Ethernet, ATM and frame relay services to account for the lower speed data requirements of individual enterprises.

“For the most part our services have been marketed to the top 300 consumers of data, the carriers,” said Charles Meyers, group vice president of marketing at Level 3. “It became clear to us in order to satisfy our original revenue growth models we would have to find larger markets. That’s why we’ve started from wholesale but have moved indirectly to enterprises. It vastly increases our addressable market share.”