In a move designed to tighten their existing strategic relationship, Qwest Communications International Inc. and
Microsoft Corp.’s MSN sealed a new long-term contract Monday under which Qwest will provide its global
fiber-optic broadband network for MSN Broadband Internet Access.
The agreement makes MSN the first nationwide user of Qwest’s new Broadband Access Aggregation Service (BAAS), which allows customers
to consolidate Internet traffic from various DSL providers across the U.S. onto Qwest’s broadband network. The traffic will be
consolidated on Qwest’s long-haul backbone.
“This extended relationship will enable us to deliver MSN Broadband nationwide to over 40 million households via Qwest’s broadband
network,” said Ted Kummert, vice president of MSN.
Shaun Gilmore, executive vice president of Global Accounts for Qwest, added, “The bandwidth aggregation service drives additional
traffic onto the Qwest broadband network, and enables Microsoft to continue to expand the availability of its popular MSN Broadband
Internet Access services.
The two companies formed their strategic partnership in 1998, giving Microsoft access to Web-based hosting solutions for its
business customers. The relationship then expanded to allow Microsoft to provide Web hosting, managed software services, virtual
private network and streaming media capability.
The two grew even closer in 2001, when the collapse of NorthPoint Communications, which had provided the DSL services MSN sold to
customers, put the future of MSN’s broadband offerings in doubt. In April 2001, Qwest rode to the rescue with a five-year contract to provide DSL services via MSN. The
deal also called for Qwest to promote high-speed services
on MSN within its 14-state region, and to dissolve its own Qwest.net broadband offering.