<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0305</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4/A</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2012-05-10</periodOfReport>

    <dateOfOriginalSubmission>2012-05-14</dateOfOriginalSubmission>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000794323</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>LEVEL 3 COMMUNICATIONS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>LVLT</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001271837</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>STT CROSSING LTD</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>ROGERS HOUSE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>5 PRESIDENT JOHN KENNEDY STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PORT LOUIS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>O4</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>04</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>MAURITIUS</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001139158</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>STT COMMUNICATIONS LTD</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>51 CUPPAGE ROAD #09-01 SINGAPORE 229469</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity></rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState></rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode></rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001219573</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SINGAPORE TECHNOLOGIES TELEMEDIA PTE LTD</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>51 CUPPAGE ROAD #09-01 SINGAPORE 229469</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity></rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState></rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode></rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001021944</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>TEMASEK HOLDINGS (PRIVATE) LTD</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>60B ORCHARD ROAD #06-18 TOWER 2</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>THE ATRIUM@ORCHARD SINGAPORE 238891</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity></rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState></rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode></rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2012-05-10</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1328724</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>24.3564</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>51827317</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2012-05-11</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>19854</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>24.2168</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>51847171</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The purpose of this Amended Form 4 is solely to correctly categorize the transactions as open market purchases. All other information disclosed in the reporting person's original Form 4 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 14, 2012 was accurately reported.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Temasek Holdings (Private) Limited (&quot;Temasek&quot;) is the parent of Singapore Technologies Telemedia Pte Ltd, which is the direct parent of STT Communications Ltd (&quot;STTC&quot;), which is the parent of STT Crossing Ltd (&quot;STT Crossing&quot;), the designated filer. Because of the foregoing relationships, the direct and indirect parents of STT Crossing may be deemed to indirectly own the reported securities directly owned by STT Crossing. Temasek disclaims beneficial ownership of such securities except to the extent of its pecuniary interest therein.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Stephen Geoffrey Miller, Director, STT Crossing Ltd</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2012-05-15</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Chan Jen Keet, Company Secretary, STT Communications Ltd</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2012-05-15</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Chan Jen Keet, Company Secretary, Singapore Technologies Telemedia Pte Ltd</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2012-05-15</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Chua Eu Jin, Authorised Signatory, Managing Director - Legal &amp; Regulations and Managing Director - Americas, Temasek International Pte. Ltd.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2012-05-15</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
