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                                                                    Exhibit 23.1


                       CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS

We hereby consent to the use in this Registration Statement on Form S-1 of our
report dated February 1, 2000 relating to the financial statements of Lexent,
Inc., which appear in such Registration Statement. We also consent to the
references to us under the headings "Experts" in such Registration Statement.

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

New York, NY
February 17, 2000