Qwest and BT Sign On for International Telephone Services

HostReview.com
Monday, January 17, 2005; 03:37 PM

Qwest Communications International Inc. (www.qwest.com) and BT today announced an interconnection agreement to exchange international voice telephone traffic between the two companies. The interconnection agreement enhances the quality and reliability of telephone services used by residential and business customers making international long-distance calls between the United States, the U.K. and other international destinations.

"BT is pleased to expand our range of global wholesale voice partners to include this important new voice interconnect with Qwest Communications," said Peter Morley, general manager product centre, BT Global Services.

Around the world, service providers form a variety of interconnection agreements with other providers to ensure that customers' voice calls can be seamlessly transmitted across the world, over different networks. Qwest has many interconnection agreements in place to help provide worldwide long-distance service.

This particular agreement with BT will continue to allow Qwest customers to make calls to the U.K. International voice traffic between the U.K. and the U.S. is estimated to be more than 4 billion minutes of use per year.

"Qwest is continually focused on providing high-quality, reliable and competitive international voice services to our customers," said Brian Stading, director, long-distance for Qwest. "Today's announcement demonstrates our emphasis on establishing and extending Qwest's direct interconnection agreements with the world's premier international carriers."

BT Group plc is listed on stock exchanges in London and New York. British Telecommunications plc (BT) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BT Group and encompasses virtually all businesses and assets of the BT Group.