Qwest Communications International today announced an agreement to continue providing optical and SONET network services to Internet2, a university-led research and development consortium that includes more than 300 U.S. universities, research institutions, corporations and government agencies working together to create and deploy next-generation Internet technologies. In this latest agreement, Qwest will continue as the backbone transport provider for the Abilene Network -- Internet2's advanced transcontinental backbone -- through September 2007. The new agreement builds on an original agreement executed in April 1998 and subsequently extended for five years in October 2001. Under the extension, the Abilene Network will continue using nearly 10,000 route-miles of Qwest's 10-Gigabit-per-second optical network, providing Internet2 members with advanced, reliable connectivity for ongoing collaboration and innovation. "Thanks to this extended agreement, the Abilene Network will continue to provide the advanced capabilities, performance and bandwidth that our members have come to rely upon as we work together to test, build and deploy the next generation of Internet technology," said Douglas Van Houweling, president and chief executive officer of Internet2. "Qwest remains a reliable and committed partner in meeting the ever-evolving needs of our community." "Qwest is pleased to continue its partnership with Internet2, and to provide the network infrastructure for top research and education institutions worldwide to run next-generation IP applications," said Clifford S. Holtz, executive vice president of Qwest's business markets group. "Internet2 members continually put our network to the test by running applications that require very high bandwidth, and Qwest is pleased to surpass their expectations with our best-in-class network solution." The Abilene Network, which currently connects over three million users, 220 research and education institutions, and 34 state education networks, operates at a speed 15,000 times faster than the average household broadband connection and with a capacity to send 9.7 million five-paragraph e-mails in one second. The network remains one of the most advanced and far-reaching education and research networks globally. Internet2 continues to work with its members to create a new hybrid optical and packet network architecture to accommodate emerging network applications requiring even greater capacity and flexibility. Abilene supports advanced native services, such as IP multicast and IPv6 and provides a transparent view of network performance through the Abilene Observatory measurement collaboration. In recent years, the Abilene Network has played host to numerous successful efforts in the Internet2 Land Speed Record competition, through which various sets of members have set Guinness World Records for the speed of vast amounts of data sent at great distance across the network. Background: Qwest Communications International Inc. (NYSE: Q) is a leading provider of voice, video and data services. With more than 40,000 employees, Qwest is committed to the "Spirit of Service" and providing world-class services that exceed customers' expectations for quality, value and reliability. For more information, please visit the Qwest Web site at www.qwest.com. Led by more than 200 U.S. universities working with industry and government, Internet2 develops and deploys advanced network applications and technologies for research and higher education, accelerating the creation of tomorrow's Internet. Internet2 recreates the partnerships among academia, industry and government that helped foster today's Internet in its infancy. For more information, visit: www.internet2.edu. The Abilene Network is an Internet2 high-performance backbone network that enables the development of advanced Internet applications and the deployment of leading-edge network services to Internet2 universities and research labs across the country. The network has become the most advanced native IP backbone network available to universities participating in Internet2. The Abilene Network supports the development of applications such as virtual laboratories, digital libraries, distance education and tele-immersion, as well as the advanced networking capabilities that are the focus of Internet2. Abilene complements and peers with other high-performance research networks in the United States and internationally. For more information, visit: http://abilene.internet2.edu/.