Source: Lightower Press Release

Lightower Fiber LLC, a leading provider of digital fiber optic networks, announced today that it has acquired KeySpan Communications Corp. (“KeySpan Comm”), expanding the company’s fiber optic network offerings extensively in New York City and Long Island and gaining KeySpan Comm’s capacity  rights in three Trans-Atlantic cable systems.

Lightower Fiber’s assets cover over 3,600 route miles from Albany, NY to Long Island, including the metro areas of Boston, MA, New York, NY, Providence, RI as well as key routes in northern New Jersey and southern Connecticut.

“With the acquisition of KeySpan Comm finalized, Lightower Fiber is better prepared than ever to help our customers manage the growing pressure to increase capacity and decrease backhaul costs,” said Rob Shanahan, CEO of Lightower Fiber.  “Combining KeySpan Comm’s fiber assets with our existing fiber network, which includes the recent acquisition of DataNet Communications Group, establishes a unique Northeast footprint and positions us to be able to meet these needs.  We are prepared to continue our growth strategy through potential acquisitions and organic growth.”

Lightower Fiber will also receive KeySpan Comm’s capacity rights in three Trans-Atlantic cable systems from New York to Paris and London.  With the addition of KeySpan Comm’s network, Lightower Fiber will offer unique fiber optic links between the Trans-Atlantic landing stations and points outside of New York City using routes diverse from Manhattan.

“KeySpan Comm has a long history of providing customized fiber solutions and bandwidth services,” said Jason Cohen, Vice President, KeySpan Communications.  “Joining Lightower Fiber makes perfect sense as it allows us to take these offerings one step further – adding access to Lightower Fiber’s expanded network availability.”

Lightower Fiber LLC is backed by M/C Venture Partners and Wachovia Capital Partners.

Source: Lightower Press Release

Lightower Fiber, LLC, a provider of digital fiber optic networks, announced today that it will acquire 100 percent of the outstanding shares of DataNet Communications Group, Inc. (“DataNet”).  It has also entered into an agreement to acquire KeySpan Communications (“KeySpan Comm”), expanding the company’s fiber optic network offerings throughout the Northeast.  With the addition of DataNet and KeySpan Communications’ fiber assets, Lightower Fiber more than triples its available route miles.

“With the recent establishment of Lightower Fiber as a unique entity, we are pleased that execution of our growth strategy is already well underway,” said Doug Wiest, CEO of Lightower, LLC.  “The combined network of DataNet and KeySpan Communications is an excellent geographic complement to ours, and we are well-positioned to take advantage of the market opportunity for fiber assets and backhaul services.”

The consolidation of assets will extend Lightower Fiber’s network availability to over 3,600 route miles connecting Boston, Albany, Manhattan and Providence.  Customers will benefit from DataNet’s 1,600 route miles throughout New York State’s Hudson Valley region including service to communities in New Jersey and Connecticut and KeySpan Comm’s 1,000 route miles throughout New York City and Long Island, where the network covers both Suffolk and Nassau Counties.  This extensive fiber network footprint now reaches key routes in Orange, Westchester and Rockland Counties in NY, Bergen County, NJ and Fairfield County, CT.

Lightower Fiber will also receive the rights to capacity in KeySpan Comm’s three Trans-Atlantic cable systems from New York to Paris and London.  With the addition of KeySpan Comm’s network, Lightower Fiber will offer unique fiber optic links between the Trans-Atlantic landing stations and points outside of New York City using routes diverse from Manhattan.

“The acquisitions of DataNet and KeySpan Communications build on our already well-established fiber network and solidify our footprint in the Northeast,” said Rob Shanahan, CEO of Lightower Fiber.  “By connecting the three networks, Lightower Fiber is able to provide quicker, more flexible, comprehensive dark fiber and Ethernet backhaul services across a larger multi-state territory to wireless and telecommunications carriers, as well as our enterprise customers across the Northeast.”

“We are excited to join forces with Lightower Fiber,” said John Pinto, COO of DataNet Communications.  “We share a common business philosophy that makes us well-suited to become a substantial force in this industry, enabling us to better support the comprehensive needs of enterprise, telecommunications and wireless customers in the communities we serve.”

Lightower Fiber has completed the acquisition of DataNet Communications and expects to complete regulatory approval for KeySpan Comm in Q2 2008.

DataNet Communications Group, Inc. is a facilities-based provider of native Ethernet and SONET-based services.  Founded in 1999, the company constructed its own fault tolerant, highly reliable fiber optic network to serve the needs of both enterprise and carrier customers throughout the Hudson Valley region of New York.  In recent years the company has expanded its fiber optic network to surrounding areas in New Jersey & Connecticut, further enabling the delivery of advanced broadband services.  DataNet is headquartered in Newburgh, NY.