ednesday October 6, 3:05 am Eastern Time
Company Press Release
AboveNet's Transatlantic Network
Capacity Now More Than 750
Megabits Per Second
As One of the Top Transatlantic IP Network Providers, AboveNet Is Ready to
Provide Superior Internet Connectivity Within Europe and Between U.S. and
Europe
SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 6, 1999-- AboveNet Communications Inc., a
wholly-owned subsidiary of Metromedia Fiber Network, Inc. (Nasdaq:MFNX - news) and the
architect of a global one-hop network that brings together high-bandwidth content sites, ISPs, and
Application Service Providers in centralized co-location facilities, today announced that it has
increased the capacity of its trans-Atlantic link with the addition of an STM-4 line.
This new line is one of the highest bandwidth IP connections to Europe. When combined with
AboveNet's existing STM1 connection, it will bring AboveNet's total connectivity to Europe to more
than 0.75 Gbps. With this extra capacity, AboveNet can support the fast growing demand for
Internet connectivity between Europe and the United States. It will also provide European Internet
users with the same fast, reliable performance that end-users on AboveNet's network in the United
States experience.
In addition, AboveNet announced that it has linked its European Internet Service Exchange (ISX)
facilities together and they are now part of AboveNet's global one-hop network. To connect its
European ISX facilities, AboveNet is using STM-1 lines, which are some of highest capacity lines
available in Europe today. These ISX facilities located in London, Frankfurt, and Vienna are now in
operation. (See related release today.)
Formed through joint ventures with Internet veterans in each country, these independently managed
European ISXs are capable of improving the flow of Internet traffic within their respective countries
as well as between them. Today's news reaffirms AboveNet's commitment in extending its network
to Europe.
According to Paul Steiner, vice-president International-Europe at AboveNet, the English and
German speaking markets served by AboveNet's strategically located European facilities are
generating more than half of the current demand for Internet connectivity in Europe. Internet
connectivity between these countries and between them and the United States has been hampered
by a number of factors including inadequate bandwidth.
``Many networks in Europe are unable to handle high bandwidth applications and surges in Internet
traffic,' said Steiner. ``Those providers bridging the Atlantic are generally using lines that are
obsolete before they become operational. AboveNet is addressing Europe's need for reliable and
scalable bandwidth by aggressively expanding our network capacity and extending our peering
throughout Europe.'
AboveNet has taken additional steps to ensure superior Internet performance within Europe. It is
aggressively establishing peering relationships with leading European ISPs and network providers.
These relationships allow AboveNet to carry content on its network closer to the end user and
thereby avoid congestion on the Internet and reduce the number of ``hops' that content needs to
take to reach its final destination. Within the United Kingdom alone at LINX, the London Internet
Exchange, AboveNet has entered into more than 60 peering agreements with all of the major
European ISPs and telcos.
AboveNet was recently acquired by Metromedia Fiber Network (MFN), the premier provider of
dark fiber in metropolitan areas. MFN, which is expanding into Europe, will play an important role in
AboveNet's European expansion plans because dark fiber, which can be used to carry Internet
traffic, is not readily available to network providers in Europe.
``We are building a truly global network, extending our leadership in the U.S. and the Asia Pacific
region to Europe,' said Dave Rand, AboveNet senior vice-president and chief technology officer.
``With our strong partnerships and teams in Great Britain, Germany and Austria, our world-class
infrastructure, and our access to dark fiber from MFN, AboveNet continues to take the leadership
role in Europe.' |
