AT&T's Moves Present Puzzle For - The many pieces to complex puzzle include MediaOne, AOL, Time Warner, Excite AtHome and Road Runner.

Byline: Reinhardt Krause, Investor's Daily

Is AT&T Corp. ready to shed its stake in cable Internet service Road Runner to clear a hurdle in its pending merger with MediaOne Group Inc.? The odds are growing that it will, industry sources say. But selling Road Runner may be easier said than done, they add. Federal regulators are taking a close look at the 58 billion AT&T-MediaOne merger. The deal will give AT&T a lock on being the top cable TV operator. It will also give AT&T a pipeline into homes via which it can offer phone, Internet and other services. But one thorny issue is whether the deal gives AT&T too much clout in providing Internet access to consumers through high-speed cable wiring. …