Exhibit 10.16

 

Portions of this exhibit have been omitted and filed separately pursuant to an
application for confidential treatment filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission pursuant to Rule 24b-2 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.

 

Omissions are designated as [***].

 

NINTH AMENDMENT TO COST SHARING AND IRU

AGREEMENT

 

THIS NINTH AMENDMENT TO COST SHARING AND IRU AGREEMENT (this “Ninth Amendment”)
is made and entered into as of the 23rd day of March, 2002, by and between LEVEL
3 COMMUNICATIONS, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, (“Grantor”) and
CABLE & WIRELESS USA, INC., a District of Columbia corporation, (“Grantee”).

 

RECITALS

 

A. Grantor and Grantee entered into that certain Cost Sharing and IRU Agreement
dated May 25, 1999, as amended (collectively, the “Agreement”).

 

B. Grantee desires to obtain an IRU in additional fibers within the building
located at [***] where the Grantor System is located and connecting Grantee’s
facilities to Grantor System.

 

C. Grantor desires to convey to Grantee an IRU in certain additional fibers
located at [***] as further specified herein, subject to and in accordance with
the terms and conditions of the Agreement applicable to Metropolitan Fibers,
except for IRU Term and as otherwise set forth in this Amendment.

 

In consideration of good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency
of which is hereby acknowledged, Grantor and Grantee hereby agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE 1

NEW RISER SEGMENT

 

2.01    Grantor shall construct the Riser Segment identified in Exhibit “A” and
grant to Grantee an exclusive IRU in the number of fibers identified in Exhibit
“A” in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Agreement applicable to
Metropolitan Fibers, except for the IRU Term and as otherwise set forth in this
Amendment. The Term of the IRU in the Grantee Fibers within the Riser Segment
identified in Exhibit “A” shall be five (5) years from the Acceptance Date.

 

2.02    Grantee shall pay to Grantor an initial IRU Contribution in the amount
of $[***] for the Riser Segment identified in Exhibit “A”. The initial IRU
Contribution for such Riser Segment shall be due and payable within five (5)
days after the execution of this Amendment.

 

2.03    Grantee shall pay a remaining IRU Contribution in the amount of $[***]
for the Riser Segment identified in Exhibit “A”. Upon the Acceptance Date for
such Riser Segment, Grantor will send Grantee an invoice for payment of the
remaining IRU Contribution and Grantee shall pay such invoiced amount within
thirty (30) days after receipt of such invoice.

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ARTICLE 3

MISCELLANEOUS

 

3.01    The Recitals are incorporated into this Ninth Amendment by this
reference. Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Ninth Amendment shall
have the respective meanings ascribed to them in the Agreement.

 

3.02    Except as amended by this Ninth Amendment, the original terms and
conditions of the Agreement, as amended, shall continue in full force and effect
and the Agreement, as amended, is hereby ratified and confirmed.

 

3.03    This Ninth Amendment may be executed in counterparts, each of which
shall be deemed an original but together which shall constitute but one and the
same instrument.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Grantor and Grantee have executed this Ninth Amendment as of
the date first above written.

 

LEVEL 3 COMMUNICATIONS, LLC,

a Delaware limited liability company

By:    

Title:

 

Sr. VP – GIS

Date:

 

March 23, 2002

CABLE & WIRELESS USA, INC.,

a District of Columbia corporation

By:    

Title:

 

SVP, GO, Network & Systems

Date:

 

March 14, 2002

 

2

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

EXHIBIT “A”

 

1. Riser Segment Description

 

Location

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  

Fiber

Count

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Type

(On-Net

or Off-

Net)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  

Diverse

or Non-

Diverse to

Riser

Segment

End Point

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  

Riser Segment

Interconnection

Point

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Riser Segment

End Point

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[***]

   [***]   On-Net    Non-Diverse    [***]   [***]

 

2. IRU Contribution

 

Location

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  

Initial IRU

Contribution

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Remaining IRU

Contribution

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Total Fixed Cost to

Grantee

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[***]

   [***]   [***]   [***]

 

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