TECHNOLOGY - Feb. 12, 2000

The Federal Trade Commission will handle the investigation of America Online Inc.’s proposed $127-billion purchase of Time Warner Inc., an FTC spokesman said in answer to a query. Some mergers are investigated by the FTC and others by the Justice Department. Among the questions the FTC is sure to look at are possible interlocking ties between AOL, Time Warner and No. 1 cable operator and long-distance giant AT&T.; Time Warner is the second-largest cable operator.