Level 3 tapped for Xbox Live
By Susan Rush
from CED Broadband Direct, July 22, 2002
Microsoft Corp.'s broadband-enabled gaming console
is going online with a little help from Level 3 Communications
Inc.
Under a newly signed deal, Microsoft named Level 3 as a major
provider of network services for its online gaming service, dubbed
Xbox Live, in North America and Europe. Level 3 will provide Center
Colocation, CrossRoads Internet access and Packet MPLS private
network services. Level 3's network infrastructure was chosen
for its scalability, performance and flexibility, according J.
Allard, general manager of Microsoft's Xbox Platform. Financial
terms were not disclosed.
At its launch last fall, the Xbox gaming console came with a
built-in Ethernet port for online game play, and Xbox Live is
designed to take advantage of that built-in port. Microsoft first
unveiled Xbox Live for its Xbox gaming console at the Electronic
Entertainment Expo in May.
Starting this fall, subscribers can pay $49.95 a year to play
against other Xbox gamers online. The cost covers a headset and
voice chat, but not broadband access. Microsoft expects to support
five exclusive games at launch -- Unreal Championship; NFL 2K3;
MechAssault; Whacked and NFL Fever 2003. The company plans to
expand its offering to more than a dozen games by the end of 2003
and at least 50 by the end of 2003.
Microsoft intends to begin its beta program in North America,
but says the service will be available to Xbox owners in Europe
and Japan as well.
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