American Fiber Systems' Nashville, TN Dark-Fiber Network Now Operational.

Business Editors

ROCHESTER, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 5, 2002

Carriers and service providers can immediately lease

dark-fiber broadband capacity

American Fiber Systems (AFS), a leading independent provider of "dark" fiber-optic communication networks for telecommunication carriers, service providers and enterprises, today announced that its Nashville, Tennessee metropolitan dark-fiber network is now operational ("dark" fiber is simply fiber-optic cable without electronic equipment attached).

This means that any company or telecommunications carrier in the Nashville area can lease the AFS network's fiber-optic strands to efficiently and cost-effectively transport huge volumes of data, Internet and voice traffic around the city and out to the world by simply attaching the appropriate electronic equipment. The network is already in use.

The 50-mile AFS dark-fiber ring winds through Nashville's metropolitan area and surrounding communities, connecting the most important points of communications presence. These points include telephone company central offices, long distance company points of presence, high-density office complexes and "carrier hotels" - buildings that house the equipment of multiple communications companies. The network provides immediate, on-network access to the local facilities of Level 3 Communications and to telephone company central offices in the area.

The primary benefit of AFS' network is that it allows carriers, service providers, and enterprise customers to avoid the multimillion-dollar expense of building their own networks or the delays associated with leasing outdated facilities from other carriers, some of whom would also be competitors, according to David M. Baxter, AFS vice president of engineering and operations.

"We are pleased to enable telecommunication companies and businesses in Nashville," said Baxter. "The city is home to a wide range of technology-savvy companies who recognize the value of unlimited bandwidth. We are here to make that bandwidth available at a fixed price."

In addition to Nashville, AFS has also deployed dark-fiber metropolitan networks in Kansas City, Salt Lake City, Minneapolis and Cleveland.

About American Fiber Systems

American Fiber Systems, Inc. is an independent provider of metropolitan dark fiber optic communications networks for carriers and service providers in mid-sized U.S. cities. The company designs, deploys and leases high-fiber-count, full-spectrum, dark-fiber networks nationwide to help solve the bandwidth crisis and enable high-speed communication. Founded in 1999 and based in Rochester, N.Y., the company is funded by Sierra Venture Partners, Lucent Venture Partners, Bay Star Capital and others. For more information, visit the company's Web site at www.americanfibersystems.com.