Imperial College London Increases Bandwidth with AboveNet's Metro–Express Service

LONDON, 3 October, 2005 – AboveNet Communications UK Ltd., a leading provider of fibre connectivity solutions for business and a subsidiary of AboveNet Inc., announced today that it has signed a contract with Imperial College London. AboveNet has supplied Imperial College London, one of the world’s leading science–based universities, with a fully managed single wavelength solution, delivering fast, scalable, reliable connectivity over AboveNet’s private London fibre network.

Connecting the halls of residence to Imperial’s main campus in South Kensington, AboveNet’s 100 Mbps Metro–Express service facilitates the transport of high bandwidth data across AboveNet’s secure, dedicated fibre network. By providing increased speed, scalability and security, the installation formed an integral part of the halls of residence network upgrade.

Matthew Williams, Network & Infrastructure Manager at Imperial College said: “AboveNet’s Metro–Express service offered the most cost–effective and robust solution. This solution delivers premium networking power that meets our immediate networking requirements, yet is flexible and scalable enough to support future growth. We have put in place the foundations for what I believe will be a long lasting relationship.”

Imperial College London, one of the largest higher education institutions in the UK, is another educational sector win for AboveNet, reinforcing a shift seen in the marketplace as universities and colleges move away from traditional telco providers to optical networking providers.

“Imperial College London’s selection of AboveNet’s Metro–Express service is an encouraging reflection of the change in attitude and shift away from the traditional service providers. Our aim is to make AboveNet’s optical solutions available to all industries committed to transporting data on secure and highly scaleable networks,” said John Dowbiggin, AboveNet’s UK Managing Director. “In working with us, Imperial College has taken a step forward in ensuring its future ability to transport its critical content.”

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.

About Imperial College London
Consistently rated in the top three UK university institutions, Imperial College London is a world leading science-–based university whose reputation for excellence in teaching and research attracts students (11,000) and staff (6,000) of the highest international quality.

Innovative research at the College explores the interface between science, medicine, engineering and management and delivers practical solutions that enhance the quality of life and the environment underpinned by a dynamic enterprise culture. Website: www.imperial.ac.uk

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.