EXHIBIT 23.1
 
                       CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS
 
    We consent to the inclusion in this registration statement on Form S-1 (File
No. 333-     ) of our report dated February 20, 1998, except for the information
presented in Note 9 to the financial statements for which the dates are April 8,
1998 and May 4, 1998, on our audits of the consolidated financial statements of
Pathnet, Inc. and its subsidiary as of December 31, 1996 and 1997, and for the
period August 25, 1995 (date of inception) to December 31, 1995, the years ended
December 31, 1996 and 1997 and the period August 25, 1995 (date of inception) to
December 31, 1997. We also consent to the references to our firm under the
captions "Experts" and "Selected Consolidated Financial Data".
 
                                          /s/ COOPERS & LYBRAND L.L.P.
 
McLean, Virginia
May 7, 1998