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2w ago

AOL to Shut Down Dial-Up Internet Service on September 30

Following a routine product review by AOL, subscribers in rural, low-income areas must find new connections.

Photo of monitor while downloading a file from the "Internet to My Computer". Visible RGB cells, custom screen written in VB.
Front side of US Robotics 56K Modem
The AOL logo is seen on the outside of the building housing the companies corporate headquarters in New York May 28, 2009.
An AOL office in 2000.

Overview

  • On September 30, AOL will discontinue its dial-up internet service along with the AOL Dialer software and AOL Shield browser.
  • The shutdown ends a 34-year run for a platform that introduced tens of millions of people to the early Internet.
  • Only a few thousand users remain on dial-up plans, primarily in areas where high-speed broadband is unavailable or prohibitively expensive.
  • AOL says the decision follows routine product evaluations and will not affect any other benefits in existing AOL plans.
  • The move underscores the industry’s shift toward always-on cable, fiber, satellite and mobile networks and highlights persistent gaps in rural connectivity.