DALLAS -- LayerOne Holdings, Inc., the leader in optical transport exchange, today announced the launch of its new optical interconnection platform. The company has deployed best-of-breed, intelligent optical switches in its Dallas, Miami and Chicago Exchanges to aggregate optical networks and actively groom circuits from STS1 SONET to OC-192. Currently, LayerOne's Exchanges are interconnecting networks physically. By creating high-density, optical network interconnection hubs in major metropolitan markets, LayerOne's next-generation optical interconnection solution will dramatically reduce provisioning intervals between multiple network providers. LayerOne Exchanges offer service providers the most intelligent and capital efficient methods to bridge the gap between metro and long-haul networks. "LayerOne's Optical Interconnection Platform is an excellent solution for carriers seeking to provide high-capacity metro and long haul connections to other carriers and service providers," said Patrick Guadalajara, vice president of technology for LayerOne. "The platform enables carriers to connect their network to any service provider who participates in a LayerOne Exchange. Carriers incorporating the solution benefit greatly from the platform's ability to provision and groom circuits to customer specs in a matter of hours." Platform trials and tests began in March 2000 with Sphera Optical Networks. The deployment of its new optical interconnection platform allows LayerOne to provide logical cross connects in each market. Today the platform is carrying traffic for carriers such as Verizon and Global Crossing. LayerOne Inc.