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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): December 14, 1998
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IXC Communications, Inc.
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(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware 0-20803 74-2644120
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(State or other (Commission (I.R.S. Employer
jurisdiction of File Number) Identification No.)
incorporation)
1122 Capital of Texas Highway South, Austin, Texas 78746
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(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code (512) 328-1112
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Not applicable
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(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
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ITEM 5. OTHER EVENTS.
Attached as Exhibit 99.1 and Exhibit 99.2 are press releases issued by
IXC Communications, Inc., which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.
ITEM 7. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS
(c) EXHIBITS
99.1 Press Release dated December 14, 1998
99.2 Press Release dated December 17, 1998
2.
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SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
Date: December 21, 1998
IXC Communications, Inc.
By: /s/ Jeffrey C. Smith
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Jeffrey C. Smith
Senior Vice President,
Secretary and General Counsel
3.
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EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit
Number Description
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99.1 Press Release dated December 14, 1998
99.2 Press Release dated December 17, 1998
4.
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EXHIBIT 99.1
[IXC COMMUNICATIONS, INC. LETTERHEAD] NEWS RELEASE
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IXC FIRST TO CARRY RESEARCH AND COMMERCIAL TRAFFIC ON
NATIONWIDE NEXT GENERATION INTERNET BACKBONE
The Gemini2000 Network's unique architecture will enable
speeds up to 1,000 times faster than today's Internet
AUSTIN, TX - December 14, 1998 - IXC Communications (Nasdaq: IIXC) today
announced that it has activated the first coast-to-coast, next generation
Internet backbone network to carry both commercial and research community
traffic.
IXC's OC-48 network, named Gemini2000, will eliminate Internet congestion and
backlog by offering high-speed communications that are 100 to 1,000 times faster
than today's Internet. The Gemini2000 Network, which is supported by technology
from Cisco Systems, Newbridge and Nortel Networks, is segmented into eight
regions, each containing a central traffic aggregation point, or Core Site. The
New York City, Washington D.C. and San Francisco Core Sites have been activated
and are carrying traffic. By the third quarter of 1999, Core Sites in Atlanta,
Austin, Chicago, Dallas/Ft. Worth and Newark, Delaware will be brought on line.
(A network map is available from IXC.)
The Gemini2000 Network is unlike competitive networks not only because it is the
first to carry dual traffic, but it also incorporates a unique architecture that
ensures quality and performance. The backbone network is designed with a
logical, hierarchical structure for efficient and effective management,
something today's Internet cannot offer. Quality and performance are also
enhanced because, unlike other carriers targeting the R&E community, IXC manages
its own network.
The Gemini2000 Network is further distinguished because it is targeted not just
at a small group of organizations in the R&E community. IXC's new backbone is
aimed at the wide range of business, healthcare and other commercial
organizations that will require a next generation Internet to implement true
multimedia applications - audio, graphics, video and voice - in order to
effectively compete in the next millennium.
IXC also has created The Gemini2000 Program, a multi-organization initiative to
build advanced applications for the new Internet. As part of the program, IXC is
partnering with AppliedTheory Communications, which IXC invested in earlier this
year. Together, the companies are engineering, implementing, managing and
bringing to market a comprehensive set of next generation products and services.
As The Gemini2000 Network's first commercial customer, AppliedTheory is
leveraging its experience within the educational and research
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communities to assist IXC with creating and delivering a cutting-edge virtual
private network for applications such as telemedicine, advanced engineering,
virtual learning environments and a variety of other uses.
"Earlier this year, IXC recognized the importance of having the right team in
place to build a new Internet," said Ben Scott, IXC's chairman and CEO. "As a
result, we made an important investment in AppliedTheory. Today's announcement
demonstrates the value of that investment as well as the strength of IXC's
Internet strategy and its promise for long term success as the public network
for the 21st century."
Berge Ayvazian with the Yankee Group said, "The Gemini2000 initiative positions
IXC at the forefront of the market for high speed Internet backbone services,
and offers unique advantages to ISPs, web portals, corporate, educational,
research and government users of the Internet."
The activation of The Gemini2000 Network has had a significant and immediate
impact on the research and education community's Internet2 project. The network,
which is being reviewed for Internet2 compliance by the National Science
Foundation (NSF), has enabled for the first time, two GigaPoPs to connect with
each other. Detailed in related announcements made today by AppliedTheory and
NYSERNet, IXC and AppliedTheory are working with GigaPoP operator NYSERNet (New
York State Education and Research Network), one of the original architects of
today's commercial Internet, to establish links between New York City and
GigaPoPs across the country. There are an estimated two dozen GigaPoPs being
built as part of the Internet2 project.
"We had many opportunities to partner, but we chose IXC because of their
terrific potential and willingness to innovate. The Gemini2000 Program is the
result of the combined talent of this powerhouse partnership," said Richard
Mandelbaum, CEO of AppliedTheory.
In its compliance review by the NSF and to ensure the progressive development of
a new ubiquitous Internet, The Gemini2000 Network intends to connect the vBNS
network and other special purpose networks certified by the NSF.
"IXC's Gemini2000 network and its Cisco gigabit routers are a potent combination
in bringing the benefits of the Next Generation Internet to R&E and commercial
customers," said Kevin Kennedy, senior vice president of Cisco Service Provider
Line of Business. "IXC is staking a strong claim among the most advanced
networks with its unique architecture and the commitment of Cisco to help them
be the best."
"Nortel Networks is proud to be the supplier of the optical Internet backbone
equipment for IXC Communications' nationwide build," said Greg Mumford,
vice-president and general manager, Optical Networks, Nortel Networks. "Our 10
Gbps systems with Dense-Wavelength Division Multiplexing provides maximum
capacity and reliability to speed communications, with 'always-on' connectivity
and the best level of data integrity."
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The Gemini name was chosen because the NASA missions of Gemini 6 and 7 achieved
the first rendezvous in orbit between two spacecraft on December 15, 1965,
orbiting the earth in parallel six inches apart. On the same day, 33 years later
IXC is announcing the first dual purpose, OC-48 IP backbone that supports both
R&E and commercial Internet traffic. In addition, Gemini, meaning twins, is a
sign of duality that revolves around diversity and change. Those two
characteristics are critical considerations in building a new Internet suitable
for a new millenium.
About IXC
IXC's network-based delivery solutions are designed to address the speed and
capacity requirements of the global communications market. Having completed the
first new coast-to-coast fiber optic network in the United States in more than a
decade, IXC Communications, Inc. is at the forefront of the industry's new class
of emerging domestic and international carriers. IXC offerings include private
line, broadband, Internet and long distance switched and dedicated services. IXC
is a publicly traded company listed on Nasdaq under the symbol IIXC. IXC's Web
site is at www.ixc-comm.com.
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A news conference will be held today at 11:30 am EST at 55 Broad Street (4th
floor) in New York City, accessible live or by call-in at 800-937-3492 or
Webcast at ixc-comm.com on the three announcements from IXC, AppliedTheory and
NYSERNet.
Please see IXC's editorial backgrounder for a glossary of terms used in this
news release.
IXC Media Contacts: IXC Investor Contact:
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Gerard Sandoval Melissa Jackson Greta Wiechman
Account Manager Sr. Mgr. of Public Relations Sr. Manager, Inv. Rel.
(770) 392-8629 (512) 231-5247 (888) 267-9478
[email protected] [email protected] [email protected]
Applied Theory NYSERNet
Kerry Hanna Michael Fox
Director of Marketing Middleberg + Associates
516-466-8422 212-699-2541
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EXHIBIT 99.2
[IXC COMMUNICATIONS, INC. LETTERHEAD] NEWS RELEASE
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IXC PROVIDES CAPACITY TO LEVEL 3 ON MORE THAN 7,000
MILES OF IXC'S NATIONWIDE FIBER OPTIC NETWORK
$70 million leased capacity arrangement enables Level 3
to offer services while building its own infrastructure
AUSTIN, TX - December 17, 1998 - IXC Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: IIXC) today
announced it is providing high-speed capacity on its nationwide fiber optic
network to Level 3 Communications.
Valued at a minimum of $70 million, the agreement calls for IXC to lease OC-12
capacity on an initial 7,355 route miles over a dedicated OC-48 ultra high-speed
communications backbone to Level 3, enabling the carrier to offer services while
building out its own national and local fiber network. IXC, with its more than
9,000 mile network, is one of the few carriers that offers OC-12s, OC-48s and
OC-192s available today on its network.
Today's agreement follows IXC's announcement, earlier this week, that IXC has
activated the first coast-to-coast, next generation Internet Protocol (IP) OC-48
backbone network, called Gemini2000, to carry both commercial and research
community traffic.
"IXC takes pride in offering other carriers, ISPs and CLECs the ubiquitous
high-speed, high-capacity bandwidth they need to meet customer demand for
services," said Ben Scott, IXC's chairman and CEO. "Enabling Level 3 to offer
its customers access to a world-class network while it builds out its own
infrastructure further demonstrates IXC's commitment to providing advanced
communications services wherever they are needed."
The fiber optics being deployed in all stages of IXC's network development
utilize state-of-the-art LS non-zero dispersion shifted fiber on secure rights
of way. IXC's fiber optic network supports the most advanced technology,
including wave division multiplexing, which allows significant increases in the
speed and volume of information carried across the network. The OC-192 equipped
network also supports a full range of advanced communications technologies, such
as synchronous optical network technology (SONET), as well as ATM (asynchronous
transfer mode) and frame relay technologies for advanced data services.
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IXC's network-based delivery solutions are designed to address the speed and
capacity requirements of the global communications market. Having completed the
first new coast-to-coast fiber optic network in the United States in more than a
decade, IXC Communications, Inc. is at the forefront of the industry's new class
of emerging domestic and international carriers. IXC offerings include private
line, broadband, Internet and long distance switched and dedicated services. IXC
is a publicly traded company listed on Nasdaq under the symbol IIXC. IXC's Web
site is at www.ixc-comm.com.
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IXC Media Contact: IXC Investor Contact:
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Melissa Jackson Greta Wiechman
Senior Manager, Public Relations Senior Manager, Investor Relations
(512) 231-5247 (888) 267-9478
[email protected] [email protected]
