Level 3 gateways up and running

Level 3, the next generation telco that announced plans last January to link more than 200 U.S. cities with a new Internet protocol network by 2001, has its first three gateways open for business on a leased network.

The three local sales and operations offices-in Los Angeles, San Diego and Sunnyvale, Calif.-are selling service over 8300 miles of Sonet fiber from Frontier Corp. The company expects to open similar facilities in 12 additional cities by the end of the year. Ultimately, Level 3 plans to have telecom facilities and local IP networks in 50 U.S. cities, according to John Brito, western regional sales vice president.

The California offices sell many of the same products that Level 3 plans to roll out nationally. The Private Line program offers inter-city point-to-point and point-to-multipoint private leased services. Transmission can range from voice-grade to OC-48, said Kathy Perrone, Level 3's vice president of sales.

Level 3 is also selling Managed Modem service in the three regions, a dial-up remote-access network that it manages end to end. By outsourcing connectivity to Level 3, Internet service providers can expand their coverage area without a large capital outlay.

"They can become regional and eventually even national without having to have a presence in those markets themselves," Perrone said.

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