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Level 3 Communications Employees Reviews, Feedback, Testimonials

Wholesale internet backbone and network servicesBroomfield, USA5,001-10,000 employees
3.7
3 reviews

About Level 3 Communications

Level 3 Communications was a US-based telecommunications and internet service provider headquartered in Broomfield, Colorado, specializing in fiber-optic networks, IP transit, data center interconnection and managed services. The company built and operated one of the world’s largest fiber backbones, serving carriers, content providers and enterprises with high-capacity connectivity and cloud on-ramps. As an employer prior to its integration, Level 3 emphasized technical expertise in network engineering, operations and peering, offering fast-paced roles that advanced careers in large-scale networking and systems reliability. A notable corporate milestone: Level 3 was acquired by CenturyLink (now Lumen Technologies) in 2017, folding its global fiber assets into a larger communications platform. For professionals, the legacy of Level 3 is a reputation for engineering rigor, complex project delivery and innovations in wholesale internet services. Keywords such as fiber network, IP transit, data center connectivity and wholesale bandwidth capture the company’s historical strengths and help job seekers and industry researchers understand its market footprint.

Detailed Level 3 Communications employee reviews & experience

Employee Testimonials

"I enjoyed the hands-on work and the chance to learn networking inside and out. The teams were tight and you could rely on peers to help when things got busy." Another common line from former staff is, "You will get real responsibility early, which is great if you want to grow fast." You will also hear some frustrations: "Processes could be slow and decisions sometimes felt top-heavy." Overall, employees often praise the technical experience and team spirit, while noting that organizational transitions can be challenging.

Company Culture

The company culture at Level 3 Communications tends to be pragmatic and performance-driven, with a focus on engineering excellence and operational reliability. People who like "getting things done" and working on infrastructure that powers other businesses will feel at home. Collaboration is a core element—cross-functional cooperation between network engineers, sales, and operations is frequent. There is a mix of startup energy in some teams and more corporate processes in others, especially after organizational changes. If you value transparency and technical rigor, the company culture at Level 3 Communications may suit you well.

Work-Life Balance

Many employees say the work-life balance at Level 3 Communications is reasonable but situational. In customer-facing or field roles, you will sometimes handle on-call rotations and early mornings for maintenance windows. Office and engineering roles often have more predictable schedules, and managers usually support flexibility when needed. People who prioritize steady hours report satisfaction, while those in fast-response operational roles warn that busy periods can be intense.

Job Security

Job security is moderate but can vary with industry cycles and company restructuring. Telecommunications and network services are essential businesses, so core operational roles are generally stable. However, changes in ownership, market shifts, or strategic pivots can lead to reorganization. Employees should expect competency-based evaluations and occasional shifts in role definitions when the company adjusts priorities.

Leadership and Management

Leadership is experienced in network and service delivery, and they emphasize reliability and customer commitments. Strategy discussions often revolve around scaling infrastructure and improving service margins. Communication from senior leadership is present but sometimes filtered through multiple layers, which can slow the feedback loop. There is an emphasis on measurable outcomes, and leaders are results-oriented.

Manager Reviews

Manager quality tends to be uneven but generally competent. Many managers are technically skilled and supportive of career development, helping teams navigate complex projects and customer issues. Some managers are more process-focused and can be rigid about procedures, which some employees find stifling. When choosing a role, it helps to talk with potential managers about how they handle workload, feedback, and development.

Learning & Development

Learning opportunities are solid, particularly around networking, routing, and large-scale operations. Internal training, on-the-job mentoring, and access to vendor certifications are common. There is less emphasis on broad soft-skills training compared to technical upskilling. If you want to deepen technical expertise, there are clear pathways; for leadership training, you may need to seek out occasional formal programs or external learning.

Opportunities for Promotions

Promotion opportunities exist but depend on business needs and demonstrated impact. Technical and operational career tracks allow progression from individual contributor to senior specialist roles, and managers promote from within when leadership gaps appear. That said, promotions can be paced and tied to budget cycles or restructuring events, so patience and visibility are important.

Salary Ranges

Salaries are competitive for the telecom sector and vary by role and geography. Entry-level technical roles will generally be market rate for network operations staff, while senior engineering and sales roles command higher compensation. Compensation tends to reflect experience and technical depth, with field roles sometimes including geographic differentials for remote or on-call positions.

Bonuses & Incentives

Bonuses are typically tied to company performance, team targets, and individual metrics. Sales roles have commission structures and incentives based on deals and revenue. For operations and engineering, there may be performance bonuses tied to uptime, incident response, or cost savings. Incentive plans are present but can fluctuate with overall company profitability.

Health and Insurance Benefits

Health and insurance benefits are standard for the industry, including medical, dental, and vision plans with multiple tiers. There are often options for dependent coverage and health savings accounts. Benefits packages may also include basic life insurance and disability coverage. Employees report the plans as adequate and comparable to similar companies in the sector.

Employee Engagement and Events

Engagement efforts include team meetings, occasional offsites, and recognition programs for strong performance. Social events are more frequent at the team level than company-wide. Engagement drives often focus on celebrating reliability milestones and project completions. During transition periods, company-wide events may be scaled back.

Remote Work Support

Remote work support varies by function. Many corporate and engineering roles offer hybrid or fully remote setups depending on team needs. Field and network operations roles require onsite presence. The company has invested in collaboration tools and remote access, but policies can be role-specific and depend on manager approval.

Average Working Hours

Average working hours for most office roles are roughly 40–45 hours per week. Network ops and field technicians may work shifts or on-call rotations that include nights or weekends during incidents. Periodic spikes during major projects or outages can push hours higher temporarily, but these are typically followed by recovery periods.

Attrition Rate & Layoff History

Attrition tends to be moderate with periodic waves tied to restructuring or integration phases. Like many in this sector, there have been rounds of layoffs during strategic realignments or following mergers and acquisitions. Core operational staff see lower voluntary turnover, while corporate and administrative roles can be more fluid.

Overall Company Rating

Overall, working at Level 3 Communications offers solid technical experience, a collaborative culture in many teams, and competitive benefits. You will find real learning opportunities and meaningful responsibility, especially in network and operations roles. However, expect occasional organizational change, variable manager styles, and role-specific demands that may affect work-life balance. For professionals seeking hands-on telecom experience and engineering growth, the company rates positively.

Detailed Employee Ratings

3.3
Work-Life Balance
3
Compensation
3.3
Company Culture
3.7
Career Growth
3.7
Job Security

Filter Reviews

3 reviews found

Employee Reviews (3)

Read authentic experiences from current and former employees at Level 3 Communications

4.0

Senior Network Engineer Review

EngineeringFull-timeHybrid
August 15, 2025

What I liked

Hands-on work with modern fiber and routing gear, supportive manager, strong emphasis on technical training. Level 3 Communications invests in certifications and rotating projects which helped me grow quickly.

Areas for improvement

Promotion cycles can be slow and the org has some bureaucracy. On-call weekends happen and can be long during network incidents.

4.0

Sales Director Review

SalesFull-timeFlexible
July 2, 2025

What I liked

Clear targets, good commission structure and access to a broad international network. Level 3 Communications has strong product-market fit in many regions which makes pitching easier.

Areas for improvement

Sometimes product delivery and engineering alignment lags, which can frustrate customers. Frequent travel is required for enterprise deals.

3.0

Customer Support Representative Review

Customer SupportFull-timeOn-site
April 10, 2025

What I liked

Friendly team and decent initial training. The company has good processes for ticketing and a wide global customer base which made the work interesting.

Areas for improvement

Compensation growth is slow compared to market, KPI pressure is high and communication from middle management could be better. Shift work was tiring at times.