There has been persistent bid gossip surrounding Bolt, Beranek & Newman Inc, but the fever should cool down a little with the news that AT&T Corp is to hitch a ride on the Internet by paying $8m for a stake, size undisclosed, in the Cambridge, Massachusetts company’s BBN Planet subsidiary formed earlier this year to provide managed Internet access and value-added services to business. The two are already partnered on services for reliable, safe access to the Internet for businesses, an alliance forecast to generate $120m of business over three years for Planet (CI No 2,689). The investment was made by East Hanover, New Jersey-based AT&T Ventures, which sees uncommon value in the Planet business now it is securely partnered by its parent, AT&T.
