Level Three Get's Ripped

Om attacks Level3, a company I thought had moved in the right direction, but instead seems to have gotten caught up in the "coat tail" of the "long tail."

Last year the company had made some pretty smart moves, gotten it's marketing and sales act together and really moved back into the space of being the carriers carrier. They went on an acquisition spree, gobbling up carriers like WilTel, Looking Glass and most recently Broadwing.

Their efforts to help Voice companies figure out how to sell VoIP has resulted in the cable guys and other customers adding new users in droves. Their "under the radar" and be supportive approach really won people over, including me. It seems though they haven't won over our pal in SF.

I guess Om and Jim Crowe won't be lunching anytime soon. In my mind, that's what it will take to get the Om-ighty to begin having a different taste in his mouth about Level3.

Comments

[michael t]

I couldn't agree with you more. I don't know if Om lost a ton of money on them, or is the company's stock is kicking his investments butt this year, or he has just lost touch (i doubt that!), but the bias is painfully obvious. He mentions that they should "Clean balance sheet, profits and solid business fundamentals" which is quite silly, considering that they have been more disciplined in regards to these fundamentals than most all of their competitors for several years now, which is obviously how they have survived bankruptcy. Certainly the renegotiations of debt and purchases of these companies that have been through the BK process only add to that. They have moved back to the carriers' carrier business, but much of the business has changed, in terms of who is generating traffic nowadays, and of what type, and how those factors will project into the future, and he continues to miss out on that. I appreciate you objectivity, and hope Om regains his when it come s to companies like this one. At least he’s still happy playing with gadgets! :-) -Michael T