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AOL to Discontinue Dial-Up Internet Service on September 30, 2025

The shutdown forces a dwindling dial-up user base to seek costlier or limited alternatives in rural, infrastructure-poor areas.

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The AOL website on a computer screen in Cali, Colombia, May 21st, 2013.
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Overview

  • AOL confirmed it will end its legacy dial-up Internet service on September 30, 2025, and retire its AOL Dialer software and AOL Shield browser optimized for older systems.
  • The company said the discontinuation affects only the dial-up component and does not impact free AOL email or other non-dial-up benefits in subscribers’ plans.
  • Census Bureau data shows roughly 160,000–175,000 U.S. households relied solely on dial-up in 2023, though AOL representatives suggest the number of active customers is far lower.
  • Remaining dial-up users, many in areas without reliable broadband infrastructure, face challenges transitioning to alternative connections that can be more expensive or technically constrained.
  • Subscribers have just over a month to arrange access through satellite, cellular services or niche dial-up providers before the service goes offline.