11/13/01
Giant Eagle Expands Services With XO Communications
Signs Multi-Year, Multi-Location Contract With Broadband Communications Provider
CLEVELAND, OH - XO Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq: XOXO), one of the nation's fastest growing providers of broadband communications services, today announced an expanded, multi-year, multi-location contract with Giant Eagle, a regional grocery chain operating 212 stores in Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia.
Under the renewed two-year agreement, XO will offer local voice and dedicated long distance services to 58 Giant Eagle locations throughout Ohio. An estimated value of the expanded contract is nearly $1 million for the term and includes the conversion of 32 new Giant Eagle locations to XO service. Additionally, according to Giant Eagle, the company expects to save 25 percent on its telecom costs over the term of the contract.
"Giant Eagle's business partnership with XO for the past three years has been exemplary," said Giant Eagle Network Services Manager Mark Blackburn. "For 65 years, Giant Eagle has successfully built its business by focusing on customer loyalty, value and service. We expect the same kind of commitment from our vendors - which is why Giant Eagle has elected to do more business with XO."
In addition to providing voice communications services for 58 Giant Eagle locations, XO brings an element of service and savings unmatched by competitors. Giant Eagle has the convenience of calling one number to solve its voice communications needs, plus a dedicated, full-time customer service representative to ensure each location receives the level of service it needs from its communications provider.
"In today's telecommunications environment, businesses of all sizes struggle to find a service provider who can simplify the purchasing and management of communications services," said XO Communications Market Sales Organization President Michael Ruley. "We clearly understand our customers' challenges and have made tremendous strides to make it easier for them to focus on their business, not ours."
"Renewing our commitment to XO was the smart thing to do for our stores and for our customers," Blackburn added.
About XO Communications
XO Communications is one of the nation's fastest growing providers of broadband communications services offering a complete set of communications services, including: local and long distance voice, Internet access, Virtual Private Networking (VPN), Ethernet, Wavelength, Web Hosting and Integrated voice and data services.
XO has assembled an unrivaled set of facilities-based broadband networks and Tier One Internet peering relationships in the United States. XO currently offers facilities-based broadband communications services in 63 markets throughout the United States. The Company is also one of North America's largest holders of fixed broadband wireless spectrum, with licenses covering 95 percent of the population of the 30 largest U.S. cities.
About Giant Eagle
At Giant Eagle® we are proud to have been in business over 65 years
It's the 1930's, and times are lean. Frugal homemakers are concerned about prices and caring for families in lean times. In Pittsburgh, Giant Eagle® stores are making their debut, scattered throughout local neighborhoods. They are clean, orderly stores with service counters to assist shoppers. Products like sliced bread and Hostess Twinkies® are new on grocery shelves
Shoppers today use Cookie Cards to treat the kids, with proceeds benefiting local children's hospitals. In some stores, parents have the convenience of the Eagle's Nest, an in store supervised play area staffed with trained childcare supervisors. To accommodate our patrons' busy schedules, we introduced in store banking operations, with flexible hours--another first. At the check-out, customers use banking cards to pay without cash or check--a simple swipe of their card and their personal PIN number.
Over the years, our Giant Eagle® family has made great strides together. From a business originated by five founding fathers, we have grown to a family of employees nearly 35,000 strong, with nineteen different business enterprises and over 200 Giant Eagle® stores.
It takes a great company to achieve success. And it takes great employees to make that possible.
For more information contact:
Lisa Lawless / XO Communications
Media
614-416-1148 or614-419-9319
