CenturyLink New Mexico

QWEST PROVIDES FARMINGTON RESIDENTS WITH INCREASED NETWORK CAPACITY AND PROTECTION

Redundant Communications Project Completed Ahead of Schedule

FARMINGTON, N.M., March 10, 2008 – CenturyLink Communications International Inc. (NYSE: Q) today announced the completion of a redundant communications path, providing increased capacity and protection for residents of Farmington and the surrounding area. CenturyLink technicians completed the project more than five weeks ahead of the date the company had promised – March 31.

The redundant communications path means that if the primary fiber is interrupted – or cut – communications traffic will be shifted to the new path, which traverses the CenturyLink network through Colorado. The switch from one path to the other will take place instantaneously and be transparent to customers.

“A strong telecommunications network is essential to a thriving community like San Juan County,” said Loretta A. Armenta, CenturyLink president for New Mexico. “The CenturyLink Network Operations team worked very hard to upgrade the local network to handle the needs of the area for not just today, but tomorrow as well.”

“I’d like to thank CenturyLink for its efforts in providing redundant and diverse telecommunications service to Farmington and San Juan County,” said New Mexico Public Regulation Commission Commissioner Carol K. Sloan.  “Having a highly reliable telecommunications connection is critically important to a growing community. CenturyLink showed its commitment to the people and businesses of the area by completing this project well ahead of schedule.”

State Rep. Thomas Taylor, R-San Juan, said: “The completion of this redundant communications path is a big deal for the Four Corners area. We are grateful that CenturyLink will now bring a new level of communications reliability and economic opportunity to our area.”

Testing of the network began on Feb. 15, with telecommunications traffic being instantly shifted from one path to another – the primary to the protect path – multiple times, with no adverse effect. In addition to completing a redundant communications route, capacity between Albuquerque and Farmington was increased to facilitate future growth.  This increased capacity is mirrored along the protect path through Colorado.