Qwest Adds More Services to Multimillion-Dollar Contract with Leading Online Investment Firm Scottrade

Qwest Communications International Inc. (NYSE: Q) today announced it has been awarded an additional multimillion-dollar contract with St. Louis-based Scottrade, Inc., a leading online investment firm. The agreement builds upon the companies’ initial contract for Qwest to connect Scottrade’s 328 branches with Qwest iQ Networking™ service, a wide-area networking (WAN) solution based on multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) technology.

Under the expanded agreement, Scottrade added the Qwest Self-Healing Network Service (SHNS) to provide a failure-resistant telecommunications network. Qwest SHNS is designed to minimize network downtime and is ideally suited to a wide range of multi-location data, video, voice and Ethernet applications. Qwest also provided hardware for Scottrade’s new data center as well as managed and installation services for its existing Qwest iQ Networking services. Combined, these services provide Scottrade with best-in-class business continuity services, which allow the company to provide even more reliable services to customers.

“As the online broker with the largest branch network, Scottrade’s success is based on combining the tools and technology for online investing with the personal touch of our branch locations,” said Ian Patterson, chief information officer of Scottrade. “We looked for a service provider that had the best technical architecture – one with longevity and a commitment to customer service. We’ve found all that and more with Qwest.”

“The Qwest solution for Scottrade is one that is unique and specifically tailored to support the goals of the business,” said Tom Richards, executive vice president, Qwest Business Markets Group. “We understand the needs of a growing and successful company like Scottrade, and we continue to look for ways to be a part of the solution that adds the most value.”

Qwest’s Business Market Group serves hundreds of thousands of business and federal, state and government customers coast-to-coast with a full suite of data, Internet and voice products that run over Qwest’s nationwide fiber-optic MPLS network. Qwest’s innovative technologies, combined with its award-winning customer service, make it one of the nation’s top-tier business and government communications providers.

About Qwest

Qwest offers a unique and powerful combination of managed voice and data solutions for businesses, government agencies and consumers – locally and throughout the country. Customers coast to coast are turning to Qwest’s industry-leading national fiber optic network and its Spirit of Service for quality products and superior customer experience. Qwest is a participant in Networx, the largest communications services contract in the world, to provide leading-edge voice, data and video services. For more information on Qwest, and its various operating subsidiaries, please go to www.qwest.com. For information about the products and services Qwest is offering in the Networx contract, visit www.gsanetworx.com.

About Scottrade

Scottrade is a leader in online investing, serving individual investors who are comfortable making their own investment decisions. Scottrade is unique in the industry because it boasts low commission rates while offering the largest branch network among online brokerages, with 328 local branch offices nationwide. In October, Scottrade was named Highest in Investor Satisfaction by J.D. Power and Associates for the seventh time. Scottrade.com is the online trading site of Scottrade, Inc. and offers customers the convenience of placing many orders online for just $7 per trade. In addition to its online capabilities, Scottrade staffs each easily accessible branch location with a branch manager plus additional brokers and assistants. For more, visit www.scottrade.com.

Contacts

Qwest Communications International Inc.
Media Contact:
Melissa Reffel, 303-965-3424
melissa.reffel {at} qwest(.)com
or
Investor Contact:
Rahn Porter, 800-567-7296
IR {at} qwest(.)com