AboveNet Communications UK Connects IXEurope’s London West Datacentre to Fibre Network

LONDON, February 5, 2004 - AboveNet Communications UK Ltd, the top provider of integrated access services to leading edge enterprises for premium networking power, announced today that it has completed the build of its fibre duct connecting IXEurope’s London West datacentre facility to the rest of the AboveNet dark fibre London network.

The completion of this 1.6Km duct extends the AboveNet London Network from its existing Heathrow ring directly into IXEurope’s datacentre. The duct, built and owned solely by AboveNet, is constructed along a completely different route from those of the ducts already servicing the datacentre, giving IXEurope’s customers the ability to now purchase extensive fibre capacity or IP services on a diverse path.

“We’re excited by the completion of this duct as it now gives AboveNet a true USP (Unique Selling Point) where businesses looking for datacentre space are concerned,” said John Dowbiggin, MD of AboveNet UK “There aren’t many providers in our space that have connected such a major datacentre with their own trench, containing their own duct and fibre. This now gives current and potential customers within IXEurope the opportunity to purchase a truly diverse service and I believe that this will open up huge benefits for both IXEurope and AboveNet well into the future.”

With AboveNet’s fibre now connecting IXEurope’s London West facility, all companies sitting near the AboveNet dark fibre network, which spans the City of London from Heathrow to East India dock in the Docklands, now have a major datacentre accessible to them outside of the City Centre.

Russell Poole, IXEurope UK General Manager, says; “We are very pleased to be working with AboveNet to provide quality assured and scaleable solutions. The great thing about this deal is that everyone benefits - not just our two companies, but most importantly, our entire customer bases along with any business wishing to take IXEurope’s datacentre services here in London West.”

The products and services offered by IXEurope in London West, coupled with the ability to deliver diverse routes into this building now make this a prime facility for businesses looking for a datacentre close to the UK’s Silicon Valley along the M4/A4 corridor or an ideal solution for city-based company’s looking for disaster recovery and distributed datacentre requirements.

About IX Europe
IXEurope provides outsourced datacentre services and hosted solutions management in four countries - UK, Germany, France and Switzerland - through our network of 8 datacentres.

As a specialist in datacentre services, IXEurope offers its customers access to flexible outsourced solutions while they maintain overall control of their projects. By continually focusing on quality, IXEurope gives clients cost effective access to expertise and exceptional service levels.

IXEurope delivers its services to systems integrators and IT consultants; hosting and managed service providers; and network service providers. Working in partnership with our solution providers, IXEurope datacentres house IT and networking systems for global enterprises, financial institutions, government agencies and e-commerce and mid-sized companies. IXEurope’s backers include Banc of America Equity Partners and European Acquisition Capital. For more information please visit the website at www.ixeurope.com

About AboveNet, Inc.
AboveNet, Inc. is the leading provider of network infrastructure services that enable unconstrained information exchange within and between businesses. AboveNet builds and operates an office-to-office, 100-percent optical network enabling customers to create an efficient, cost-effective network that breaks economic and performance barriers imposed in the last mile by complex legacy telecom infrastructures. With the most extensive metropolitan optical network in the world, data centers throughout the US and Europe, top quality managed services and a high-performance IP network, AboveNet is able to offer the most flexible and complete information exchange solutions in the industry.

An aggressive and agile player in the industry, AboveNet provides security, performance, scalability and reliability in a wealth of interconnected services designed to facilitate information exchange. The Company’s metropolitan fiber network provides the foundation for its offerings. This all optical metropolitan network, combined with AboveNet’s portfolio of integrated solutions, allow enterprise customers to rise above legacy networks to create truly customized networks that enable the real-time information exchange when and how it is needed.

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 the Company including the most recently filed Forms S-3, 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K-.