AboveNet Announces Next Generation Optical Services for Phoenix

Reception Keynotes Network Expansion

NEW YORK, September 27, 2005 – AboveNet, Inc, a premier metro network access provider of custom fiber connectivity solutions for business, today announced the launch of services in Phoenix with an Enterprise Partnership Reception at the Westin Kierland attended by AboveNet, Nortel*, SRP Telecom, and Sterling Network Services for Phoenix customers.

AboveNet is working with Nortel, SRP Telecom, and Sterling Network Services to deliver enterprise business network solutions to the Fortune 1000 in Phoenix consisting of private fiber network, IP services, disaster recovery and business continuity offerings.

SRP Telecom is a division of the Salt River Project, a provider of water and power to the Phoenix metropolitan area and one of the nation’s largest public utilities. SRP Telecom is a carrier-neutral provider of telecommunications infrastructure products and services to wireline and wireless carriers. SRP Telecom is teaming with AboveNet to provide unparalleled fiber network access in the Phoenix metropolitan market. “SRP has a long history of enabling the essential services necessary to help the Valley of the Sun be a vital place,” said Michael Sherman, Manager of SRP Telecom. “By making our dark fiber capacity available to AboveNet, it will help support the expansion of modern digital broadband services to customers in our service territory. We’ve already demonstrated this in our early involvement with AboveNet here in Phoenix.”

Sterling Network Services is the premier provider of managed data center services, private networks and internet bandwidth in the Southwestern United States. Sterling Network Services provides an exceptionally robust data center environment for customer IT infrastructure, and a broad range of custom solutions for public and private enterprises, making them an ideal Enterprise Partner.

“The formation of this partnership further validates Sterling Network Services’ position that the marketplace is actively seeking comprehensive outsourced network solutions,” said Tony Wanger, managing partner for Sterling Network Services. “As part of the Phoenix Enterprise Partnership, we look forward to offering AboveNet’s clients unparalleled reliability for all of their managed data center and related needs.”

AboveNet’s entry into the Phoenix market is powered by Nortel next-generation optical solutions, including the Optical Metro 5000 series. AboveNet and Nortel have entered into a national co-marketing agreement to meet increasing demands by enterprise customers for high quality, reliable services.

“Nortel’s next-generation optical portfolio provides a robust solution for enterprise customers facing the challenge of addressing their remote storage and business continuity needs,” said Philippe Morin, general manager, Optical Networks, Nortel. “AboveNet’s introduction of managed fiber services into the Phoenix market is a great example of the growing demand for these mission critical enterprise services.”

About AboveNet, Inc.
AboveNet, Inc. provides fiber connectivity solutions for businesses. Its private optical network delivers key network and IP services in and between 14 top U.S. metro markets and London. AboveNet’s network is widely used in demanding markets such as financial services, where the majority of top investment banks and five of the top 10 U.S. banks rely on AboveNet for mission critical services.

This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause or contribute to such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, general economic and business conditions, competition, changes in technology and methods of marketing, and various other factors beyond the Company’s control. This also includes such factors as are described from time to time in the SEC reports filed by AboveNet, Inc. including the most recently filed Forms S-3 and 8-K.

*Nortel, the Nortel logo and the Globemark are trademarks of Nortel Networks.