CenturyLink and Switch SUPERNAP ink strategic agreement

CenturyLink extends its data center reach into Las Vegas

Switch customers gain access to CenturyLink's global hosting portfolio and data center footprint

MONROE, La. and LAS VEGAS, Oct. 21, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --  CenturyLink, Inc. (NYSE: CTL) and Switch SUPERNAP today announced a strategic agreement to establish a new CenturyLink data center presence through Switch's Las Vegas campus while offering Switch customers access to CenturyLink's global data center footprint and portfolio of colocation, cloud, managed services and network services.

CenturyLink, a global leader in cloud and colocation services, operates data centers throughout North America, Europe and Asia. Switch is a privately held company based in Las Vegas where it has a 1.7 million-square-foot data center campus and operates the only Uptime Institute-certified Tier IV Gold carrier-neutral colocation facility in the world.

The strategic agreement benefits customers of both companies:

• CenturyLink adds the Switch SUPERNAP data center campus to its sellable portfolio, allowing its customers to add hosting and colocation space in the Las Vegas market, where CenturyLink employs about 700 people and operates a substantial network services business.
• Switch customers access CenturyLink Cloud services or deploy colocation and managed services through CenturyLink's 57 data centers around the world.

"CenturyLink's agreement with Switch allows us to add the only Tier IV Gold-certified data center of its class to our portfolio, expanding the choice and flexibility we deliver to our customers to include an extremely high-quality option for hosting in the Las Vegas market," said David Meredith, senior vice president, CenturyLink. "We are excited to engage our sales teams and offer data center services in Las Vegas, one of the most connected cities in the world, and to provide Switch's customers with access to the entire breadth of CenturyLink's IT services portfolio and global footprint."

"The relationship with CenturyLink represents another industry-leading addition to our super-scale technology ecosystem. Partnering with CenturyLink, a company that many of our customers already leverage for network services, will benefit the local Las Vegas community and extend a world-class product to the global CenturyLink customer base," said Rob Roy, CEO and founder of Switch. "CenturyLink's hosting options and its consistent global approach to building and operating data centers will provide enhanced offerings for our customers looking to extend to other areas of the globe."

In addition to being the only carrier-neutral colocation facility in the world to earn the Uptime Institute's Tier IV Gold Certification of Operational Sustainability, Switch is also the only colocation facility in North America to hold a Tier IV Certification of Constructed Facility. CenturyLink's data centers also adhere to Uptime Institute standards, earning certifications recently for new facilities in Minneapolis and Toronto.

The agreement with Switch continues CenturyLink's recent data center growth momentum, which includes new data centers in Minneapolis, Toronto, Phoenix and Hong Kong, as well as expansions of data centers in several global markets, including Chicago and Irvine, Calif.

About CenturyLink

CenturyLink is the third largest telecommunications company in the United States and is recognized as a leader in the network services market by technology industry analyst firms. The company is a global leader in cloud infrastructure and hosted IT solutions for enterprise customers. CenturyLink provides data, voice and managed services in local, national and select international markets through its high-quality advanced fiber optic network and multiple data centers for businesses and consumers. The company also offers advanced entertainment services under the CenturyLink^® Prism™ TV and DIRECTV brands. Headquartered in Monroe, La., CenturyLink is an S&P 500 company and is included among the Fortune 500 list of America's largest corporations. For more information, visit www.centurylink.com.

About Switch SUPERNAP

Switch is the super-scale technology solutions company led by inventor and solutionist Rob Roy. As Founder and CEO he holds 218 patents and patents pending that have produced an essential revolution in data center architecture, engineering, technology and operations. His vision also resulted in the creation of CORE, the only $3 trillion telecommunications purchasing cooperative in the world and the highly respected "Truth in Technology" operating ideology. 

The Switch award winning Tier IV Gold SUPERNAP data centers are the recognized world leader in colocation design, development and mission critical operations. Explore SUPERNAP or schedule a tour at www.supernap.com.

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SOURCE CenturyLink, Inc.

Justin Lopinot, 314.628.7053, [email protected], http://www.centurylink.com