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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2017-11-01</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>1</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>LES CASCADES BUILDING</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>EDITH CAVELL STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PORT LOUIS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>O4</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode></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>1 TEMASEK AVENUE #33-01</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>MILLENIA TOWER</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SINGAPORE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>U0</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>039192</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>SINGAPORE</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>1 TEMASEK AVENUE #33-01</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>MILLENIA TOWER</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SINGAPORE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>U0</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>039192</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>SINGAPORE</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</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SINGAPORE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>U0</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>238891</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>SINGAPORE</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>2017-11-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>65031667</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Disposition pursuant to the acquisition of the issuer, Level 3 Communications, Inc. (&quot;Level 3&quot;), by CenturyLink, Inc. (&quot;CenturyLink&quot;) pursuant to an agreement and plan of merger, dated as of October 31, 2016 (the &quot;Merger Agreement&quot;), by and among Level 3, CenturyLink and two indirect wholly owned subsidiaries of CenturyLink. Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, each share of Level 3 common stock was converted into the right to receive $26.50 in cash and 1.4286 shares of CenturyLink common stock.</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, 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>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By: /s/ Johnny Ong Seng Huat, Director, STT Crossing Ltd</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2017-11-03</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By: /s/ Chan Jen Keet, Company Secretary, STT Communications Ltd</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2017-11-03</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By: /s/ Chan Jen Keet, Company Secretary, Singapore Technologies Telemedia Ptd Ltd</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2017-11-03</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By: /s/ Christina Choo Soo Shen, Authorized Signatory, Temasek Holdings (Private) Limited</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2017-11-03</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
