Complete Level 3 Solution Easy to Install and Use, and Offers Features of Traditional Local and Long Distance Phone Service Including 911

BOSTON, /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ Level 3 Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq: LVLT — News) today announced that it has partnered with broadband provider Speakeasy to offer Level 3’s HomeTone service to its customers. Speakeasy is using HomeTone to provide residential Voice over IP (VoIP) phone service to its customers in 120 markets nationwide. Speakeasy, which announced its entry into the consumer VoIP phone market in late September, is one of the nation’s largest independent broadband service providers.

Using Level 3’s residential VoIP solution, Speakeasy is now offering full-featured, cost-effective, high-quality local and long distance telephone service, including access to emergency services through 911 or E911, under the product name Speakeasy Voice. Speakeasy customers will be able to make and receive unlimited local and long distance phone calls for a low flat rate and can use any existing analog touch-tone telephone (adaptor required) or digital IP telephone.

In addition, Speakeasy is packaging VoIP with its unique VQ Technology to provide customers with a complete «end-to-end» managed, quality broadband phone service. With other VoIP services, call quality can deteriorate while simultaneously downloading a file or even surfing the Internet. VQ Technology enables Speakeasy to prioritize voice traffic over data traffic, so call quality is not affected by other online activities.

«Level 3’s service, combined with our unique service offerings, enables us to quickly and economically meet the exploding demand our customers have for VoIP. When combined with our OneLink™ ’naked DSL’ offering, we have a completely unique national service and can provide our customers with a reliable, high quality, cost-effective alternative to the telephone company,» said Bruce Chatterley, Speakeasy president and CEO. «In addition, Level 3 gives us the broadest nationwide coverage for ’true’ 911 and E911, fully featured voice applications and extensive interconnection with the traditional phone network.»

«We’re pleased that Speakeasy chose Level 3’s HomeTone residential VoIP solution to enter the local and long distance phone service market,» said Donna Lachance, senior vice president of Consumer Voice Services for Level 3. «Since announcing the introduction of consumer-oriented VoIP services in late March of this year, Level 3 has focused on leveraging its extensive softswitch platform and local network infrastructure to deliver what we believe is the most comprehensive range of VoIP services in the industry with the voice quality and security that consumers expect from their phone service.»

A new Yankee Group report expects the U. S. VoIP market to grow from 131,000 subscribers at the end of 2003 to over 1 million subscribers by the end of this year and 17.5 million U.S. households four years from now.

Speakeasy Service, Level 3 Building Blocks

New Speakeasy Voice customers will receive a telephone adaptor and quick-start instructions and from there, they simply plug their phone and DSL modem into the adapter and then are ready to make and receive calls. Speakeasy Voice provides local, long-distance and international calling, as well as many of the popular features such as caller ID, call waiting, last call return, voice mail, directory assistance and more. Additionally, Speakeasy Voice’s 911 service is fully integrated with local Public Safety Answering Points from day one and will provide name, address and phone number information for proper emergency dispatch.

HomeTone supplies these building blocks while enabling Speakeasy to retain the flexibility to manage and control end-user features without the headaches of implementing complex interconnection arrangements.

Speakeasy Voice is available to Speakeasy broadband subscribers for a $40 installation fee with free unlimited calling to the U.S. and Canada for the first three months for customers who sign up for the service by December 31, 2004. Thereafter, Speakeasy Voice service is $29.95 per month. Customers interested in Speakeasy Voice may obtain more information by visiting www.speakeasy.net/residential/voice or by calling 1–800–890–5214.

Level 3 is an industry pioneer in the development of VoIP technology and services. The Level 3 global network, which is optimized end-to-end for Internet Protocol (IP) technology, was built from the ground up with convergence in mind -- that is, to carry voice and data as well as video services. Today the company offers a broad suite of wholesale business and residential IP-based voice solutions over a robust softswitch-based network platform that carries over 30 billion minutes of IP-based voice and data calls every month.

For more information about Level 3’s portfolio of VoIP services, please stop by VON booth #718, or visit www.Level3.com.

About Level 3 Communications

Level 3 (Nasdaq: LVLT — News) is an international communications and information services company. The company operates one of the largest Internet backbones in the world, is one of the largest providers of wholesale dial-up service to ISPs in North America and is the primary provider of Internet connectivity for millions of broadband subscribers, through its cable and DSL partners. The company offers a wide range of communications services over its 23,000 mile broadband fiber optic network including Internet Protocol (IP) services, broadband transport and infrastructure services, colocation services, and patented Softswitch managed modem and voice services. Its Web address is www.Level3.com.

The company offers information services through its subsidiaries, Software Spectrum and (i)Structure. For additional information, visit their respective Web sites at www.softwarespectrum.com and www.i-structure.com.

About Speakeasy

Founded in 1994, Speakeasy is the nation’s largest independent broadband service provider, specializing in residential and small business broadband solutions for those who demand more than just a connection. Speakeasy offers a superior online experience through its private, dedicated nationwide network, intelligent customer service and pioneering technologies and product offerings, including unrestricted WiFi, dedicated loop ADSL and VoIP. Speakeasy owns Gamecloud, which is an infrastructure of servers, content repositories, online services (such as GameDaemons), editorial properties and partners that operate on multiple internet backbones and peering connections in order to deliver the best online gaming experience for broadband enabled customers. Speakeasy broadband is available in most metropolitan areas within the 48 contiguous United States. Those interested in Speakeasy’s services can visit www.speakeasy.net or call 1.800.556.5829.

The Level 3 logo is a registered service mark and HomeTone is a service mark of Level 3 Communications, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. HomeTone services are offered by Level 3 Communications, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Level 3 Communications, Inc.

Forward Looking Statement

Some of the statements made by Level 3 in this press release are forward-looking in nature. Actual results may differ materially from those projected in forward-looking statements. Level 3 believes that its primary risk factors include, but are not limited to: changes in the overall economy relating to, among other things, the September 11 attacks and subsequent events, substantial capital requirements; development of effective internal processes and systems; the ability to attract and retain high quality employees; technology; the number and size of competitors in its markets; law and regulatory policy; and the mix of products and services offered in the company’s target markets. 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 release should be evaluated in light of these important factors.

PORTLAND, Ore. (BUSINESS WIRE) Ontus Telecommunications Corp. (NASDAQ: ONTT), an FCC licensed international and long distance communications carrier, today announced it has signed an agreement that makes Level 3 Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq:LVLT) the underlying Voice over IP (VoIP) provider for its VoIP phone service. Under the new contract, Ontus will use Level 3’s (3)VoIP Enhanced(SM) Local service to round out its suite of voice over the internet telecom service offerings.

«Our agreement with Level 3 enables Ontus to provide our customers with unlimited calling packages and a broad selection of phone functions usually reserved for sophisticated business systems,» commented Kenny MacDonald, President of Ontus. "Level 3 is the only global provider with the experience and infrastructure that will allow us to offer VoIP in the U.S., Canada and other major international markets. We can now reach over 80 percent of the US and Canadian population with the service, with coverage spanning over 300 metropolitan areas.

Ontus Telecommunications Corp through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Ontus Advantage Inc., serves residential and SOHO (small office/home office) customers with VoIP phone services. Ontus Advantage Inc offers a highly cost effective and feature-rich alternative to traditional telephone services. Customers use the service via a simple telephone adaptor enabling continued use of their existing analog telephones. Ontus has contracted with several global-scale multi-level/ network marketing (MLM) companies throughout to bring VoIP services enabled by Level 3’s (3) VoIP Enhanced Local service offering to the MLM’s residential, distributor and SOHO customer base.

Donna Lachance, Senior Vice President of Consumer Voice Services for Level 3 commented, «We are delighted that Ontus has selected Level 3 as the underlying infrastructure provider for their VoIP offering. Ontus is an aggressive player in the field and we look forward to many unique and innovative achievements from Ontus.»

Ontus Advantage’s VoIP

VoIP is the new way to make, receive and manage your phone service. VoIP converts customer phone calls into data that moves through your high-speed cable or DSL internet connection. The advantage is that customers can call or receive calls anywhere at anytime for a fraction of the cost of using the Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS). Customers can utilize VoIP for all state-of-the art phone services including video conferencing, caller ID, call waiting, call forwarding, anonymous call rejection, do not disturb, multi line conferencing, call notify, emergency 911, find me follow me, with the toll quality «pin drop» sound clarity to which customers are accustomed .

Level 3 (3)VoIP Enhanced Local Service

Level 3’s (3)VoIP Enhanced Local service allows companies to enhance and develop voice services using Level 3 provided building blocks, including local phone numbers, interconnection with the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) for local and long distance services, local number portability and E-911 emergency services. Now available in more than 50 U.S. markets, (3)VoIP Enhanced Local service enables companies the flexibility to manage and control the features offered to their customers.

Key Features of (3)VoIP Enhanced Local Service include:

-- Local calling including access to the PSTN

-- Local phone numbers

-- Operator assistance

-- Directory listings and assistance

-- E-911 emergency services

-- Local number portability

(3)VoIP is a service mark of Level 3 Communications, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. (3)VoIP services are offered by Level 3 Communications, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Level 3 Communications, Inc.

About Ontus Telecommunications Corporation

Ontus Telecommunications Corporation markets business quality VoIP phone service domestically and internationally to residential, small office and home office (SOHO) customers. The Company markets its services through innovative and alternative marketing programs. The programs provide an opportunity for any customer to reduce or eliminate their monthly telephone fees, and in some cases generate income from recommending others sign up for the service. Gross margins are expected to be above industry averages due to lower marketing and reduced communication costs by utilizing ONTT’s international network. For additional information, see www.ontus.com.

Forward Looking Statement

This release may be deemed to contain forward-looking statements, which are subject to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements regarding future events and the future financial performance of Ontus Telecommunications Corporation («Ontus») that involve risks and uncertainties. Readers are cautioned that these forward-looking statements are only predictions and may differ materially from actual future events or results due to a variety of factors, including: business and economic conditions and growth trends in the networking industry and in various geographic regions; global economic conditions and uncertainties in the geopolitical environment; overall information technology spending; the growth of the Internet and levels of capital spending on Internet-based systems; variations in customer demand for products and services, including sales to the service provider market; the timing of orders and manufacturing lead times; changes in customer order patterns or customer mix; insufficient, excess or obsolete inventory; variability of component costs; variations in sales channels, product costs or mix of products sold; the ability to successfully acquire businesses and technologies and to successfully integrate and operate these acquired businesses and technologies; increased competition in the networking industry; dependence on the introduction and market acceptance of new product offerings and standards; rapid technological and market change; manufacturing and sourcing risks; product defects and returns; litigation involving patents, intellectual property, antitrust, shareholder and other matters; the ability to recruit and retain key personnel; our ability to manage financial risk; currency fluctuations and other international factors; potential volatility in operating results and other factors listed in Ontus’ most recent reports. Ontus’ results of operations are not necessarily indicative of Ontus’ operating results for any future periods. Any projections in this release are based on limited information currently available to Ontus, which is subject to change. Although any such projections and the factors influencing them will likely change, Ontus will not necessarily update the information, since Ontus will only provide guidance at certain points during the year. Such information speaks only as of the date of this release.