Under the agreement, Qwest will provide Outback Steakhouse with managed Web hosting, firewall and disaster recovery services out of its facilities in Tampa, Flrodia and Chicago, Illinois.

"Qwest's focus on customer service, paired with its ability to give us a secure and reliable environment for our back-office operations, made them the clear choice for us," says Dusty Williams, CIO of Outback Steakhouse.

Qwest said its services will ensure that Outbacks' network operations run smoothly and its corporate data is monitored and maintained in a safe environment allowing Outback to concentrate on running its business.

"Qwest is pleased to provide Outback with enhanced hosting and disaster recovery services. This offering represents our company's commitment to providing customers, like Outback, with world-class hosting services that suit their business and operational needs," says Clifford S. Holtz, executive vice president of the business markets group at Qwest. "Qwest looks forward to a long-standing relationship with Outback and will work with them to grow their business and demonstrate a valuable customer experience."

Qwest operates eight data center facilities across the United States.