Qwest to Provide Broadband Service Network for MSN

DENVER, May 22 -- Qwest Communications International Inc. has been awarded a long-term contract to provide a global fiber-optic broadband network for MSN Broadband Internet Access. MSN will use the Qwest network to carry a portion of the Internet traffic of its growing DSL customer base in the United States.

With the agreement, MSN becomes the first nationwide user of Qwest's new Broadband Access Aggregation Service (BAAS), which consolidates customers' Internet traffic from various DSL providers across the US onto Qwest's broadband network. BAAS enables MSN to deliver its MSN Broadband Internet Access service nationwide.