X

Level 3 to buy German ISP

The company agrees to purchase miknet Internet Based Services, bolstering its efforts to build an international network based on IP technology.

2 min read
Level 3 Communications announced today that it has purchased miknet Internet Based Services, a German Internet service provider based in Frankfurt.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

"The merger with miknet accelerates Level 3's German business plan," Colin Williams, Level 3's president and CEO, said in a statement. "They bring an experienced team that understands both the Internet and the competitive telecommunications market. They also share Level 3's focus on bringing Internet service to business users."

Added Robert Mirbaha, a founder of miknet: "We share Level 3's vision of the power and efficiency of a completely Internet Protocol-based communications network. We are confident that, together with Level 3, we can revolutionize IP-based services in Germany."

Level 3 has announced that it is building an international network based on IP technology that will encompass networks in the United States, Asia, and Europe. The company also has negotiated with several cable companies for access on cross-Atlantic cables, and has joined with other telecommunications companies to build a cross-Pacific cable. It expects to begin providing services to several U.S. cities during the third quarter, and to Europe during the first quarter of 1999 .

Today's acquisition comes on the heels of a similar announcement yesterday by Qwest Communications, which is building an 18,449-mile advanced communications network to transmit voice, data, and video. The telecommunications company said it had agreed to buy Internet services company Icon CMT in a $185 million stock deal designed to bolster its bid to expand its multimedia service offerings (See related story).

Miknet, which was founded in 1996, operates its own backbone and offers Internet access to ISPs and large companies.