Qwest Provides Backup Web Services for U.S. Mint's E-Commerce and Information Web Site

DENVER, Dec. 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Qwest Communications International Inc. (NYSE: Q - News) today announced it will provide an immediate backup Web hosting solution for the United States Mint's e-commerce and information Web site at www.usmint.gov . The new contract is in addition to the services Qwest currently provides to the U.S. Dept. of Treasury.

Qwest's disaster-recovery solution will route all of the site's users and information through an alternative location in the event of an emergency. Qwest has hosted the United States Mint's Web site for more than two years and provides network security via a managed firewall service, all hardware and software required for site operation, and a dedicated Qwest support team to manage the site. At the operational level, this includes 24x7 support for all program hardware and operating systems.

"Customers value partnering with providers such as Qwest that are committed to the hosting market," comments Yankee Group's Helen Chan. "With so much upheaval in this space, business customers demand hosting solutions from experienced and committed Web hosting providers that can deliver a full suite of products and services for their online business needs."

"We are pleased to continue to grow our relationship with the U.S. Dept. of Treasury and the United States Mint," said James F.X. Payne, senior vice president and general manager, Qwest government services division. "The opportunity to provide hosting services for a major government Web site establishes Qwest as the hosting provider-of-choice for other agencies, such as the Department of Labor and the Internal Revenue Service."

Qwest Hosting Services offer an integrated portfolio of Internet solutions over an all-optical Internet protocol (IP) network. Customers can choose from a complete spectrum of fully customizable solutions covering domestic and international dedicated hosting, storage services, back-up services, hosting equipment and security services. Qwest's eight CyberCenters are located in Burbank, Calif.; Chicago; Denver; Newark, N.J.; Tampa, Fla.; Sacramento, Calif.; Sterling, Va.; and Sunnyvale, Calif.; all of which connect to the Qwest national broadband network. The CyberCenters are equipped with the industry's most advanced procedures for monitoring, diagnosing and resolving network, operating system, and application problems before they start.

The Qwest CyberCenters that handle federal accounts are specially designed and managed to meet the government's unique security and performance requirements. Voted "Hosting Center of the Year" in a recent InfoWorld reader's choice survey, Qwest also ranked number one for providing application services in a recent America's Network end-user survey.

Qwest Communications International Inc. (NYSE: Q - News) is a leading provider of voice, video and data services to more than 25 million customers. The company's 47,000 employees are committed to the "Spirit of Service" and providing world-class services that exceed customers' expectations for quality, value and reliability. For more information, please visit the Qwest Web site at www.qwest.com .