Qwest Secures $85 Million in Broadband Sales

Multimedia communications firm Qwest today announced it signed two broadband capacity agreements totaling approximately $85 million.

Under terms of the separate agreements, Qwest will provide broadband
capacity to Digital Broadcast Network Corp.(DBN), a new multimedia communications company, and FaciliCom International, a global communications provider, by way of its nationwide Macro Capacity Fiber Network.

“The superior technology and capabilities of the Qwest Macro Capacity
Fiber Network continue to attract top-notch carriers, such as DBN and
FaciliCom,” said Gregory M. Casey, senior vice president of broadband
capacity for Qwest. “Qwest is pleased to provide the capacity to DBN as it
implements its nationwide multimedia strategy, and to FaciliCom to
meet its international and domestic capacity needs.”

To date, more than 8,800 miles of the Qwest Macro Capacity Fiber
Network are activated, including the transcontinental segment that extends
from Los Angeles to New York. Its planned domestic 18,449 mile network is
scheduled to be completed in the second quarter of 1999, and
will serve over 130 cities, representing approximately 80 percent of the
data and voice traffic originating in the United States, the firm said.

Upon completion, Qwest said the network will offer a self-healing system that provides security and reliability by allowing instantaneous rerouting in the event of a fiber cut.

Qwest (NASDAQ: QWST) was up +1 3/8 to 45 5/8 in mid-morning trading today.