ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- American Fiber Systems, Inc. (AFS) today announced that it has been selected by Cable & Wireless, the global telecommunications group, to provide metropolitan dark-fiber in several cities in the United States. Under the terms of the agreement, Cable & Wireless will lease 24 fiber strands on AFS dark-fiber rings in multiple cities in the United States. Each AFS ring ranges from 50 to 75 miles in length. The specific value of the multimillion-dollar agreement was not announced. Cable & Wireless has already begun deploying the metropolitan fiber, which will be completed during 2001. The agreement is part of Cable & Wireless's global, $3.5 billion IP network build program to extend its IP network across the United States, Europe and Asia-Pacific.

"We are pleased to enter into this agreement with American Fiber Systems to accomplish a very important initiative," said Phil Green, senior vice president of Global Network Planning at Cable & Wireless. "Because of American Fiber Systems' flexibility and nationwide coverage, Cable & Wireless can quickly extend our global IP network into additional metropolitan markets in the US."

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