Level 3 Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: LVLT) today announced the launch of a new service for enterprise customers, Managed Session Border Controller (SBC), which enhances network security and provides traffic normalization as enterprises unlock the cost efficiency and scalability of IP voice technology. The new service is being offered in conjunction with Level 3 Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) Trunking using an Acme Packet Net-Net SBC, enabling enterprises to get the protection they need with the added benefits of increased interoperability, quality-of-service management and detailed reporting.

“Our enterprise customers are increasingly reliant upon converged communications solutions, which enable them to combine voice, video and data services over a single platform,” said Sara Baack, senior vice president of Voice Services for Level 3. “By providing managed SBC with our SIP trunking solution, we are enabling enterprises to confidently and securely transition to network platforms that help them capitalize on the benefits of converged communications.

Effectively, our new service establishes a ‘security guard’ at the border of a customer’s IP network that protects against attacks, translates between different communications protocols and helps ensure network traffic efficiency. Working with Acme Packet, a leader in the enterprise SBC market, enables us to further differentiate our SIP trunking solution and offer our enterprise customers a secure, dependable and comprehensive solution in an increasingly interconnected and competitive global marketplace.”

As enterprises continue to adopt IT strategies that mobilize their workforces and improve organizational productivity, it is crucial for them to leverage solutions that facilitate converged communications while simultaneously improving core network functionality and security. By combining Internet and voice services over IP networks, SIP trunking is the perfect launching point for enterprises to realize the benefits of converged network services and ultimately business strategies that capitalize on unified communications.

“Level 3’s Managed SBC service offers customers an outsourced SBC option with all the control, security and interoperability benefits of an Acme Packet Net-Net SBC,” said Dino Di Palma, senior vice president of Worldwide Sales and Business Development at Acme Packet. “Coupled with Level 3’s leading SIP Trunking service, customers can realize the benefits of converged IP securely and reliably, while minimizing capital expenditures.”

Level 3’s new Managed SBC solution offers enterprises the ability to protect their SIP trunking services, applications and infrastructure from a variety of threats to minimize denial-of-service (DoS) interruption. The solution also improves interoperability between legacy voice systems and IP assets so that they work together to ensure a seamless end-user experience. Level 3’s IP infrastructure enables enterprises to converge voice, video and data services to improve application collaboration and network efficiency, while the new managed SBC solution facilitates quick and easy scalability for SIP trunking services as network demand increases. Level 3’s Managed SBC includes procurement, staging and configuration, on-site installation, monitoring, management and maintenance.

For more information on Level 3’s advanced network service solutions, visit www.level3.com.