Dial-up internet service through modem remains available from AOL, a fact that may surprise some in today's era of high-speed connections. - Traditional Internet connection through modems, once a common practice, is being phased out by AOL.
In a move that signals the end of an internet era, AOL has announced that it will discontinue its dial-up internet service and associated software on September 30, 2025. This decision brings to a close a service that has been in operation for 34 years since its debut in 1991.
AOL's dial-up service was highly popular in the 1990s, peaking around 2000 with 25 million subscribers. However, with the advent of DSL and other high-speed internet connections, the service has become largely obsolete.
As of 2023, approximately 163,000 households in the U.S. still use dial-up internet, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. This represents roughly 0.13% of all internet subscriptions, a significant drop from its peak.
The discontinuation includes the AOL Dialer software and AOL Shield browser, which were designed to support older operating systems and slow connections. AOL cited routine product evaluation as the reason for ending the service, rather than a public announcement or large-scale farewell.
The end of AOL's dial-up service also marks the end of an era characterized by the iconic screechy modem sounds and the "You've Got Mail" experience emblematic of early online days in the U.S. In the past, the sounds made by AOL modems had a symbolic significance for many users.
It is important to note that AOL discontinued its messaging service AIM in 2017. As of now, the current number of AOL customers is not publicly known.
The service that was previously included in AOL tariffs will no longer be available. As of 2023, about 160,000 people in the U.S. still use dial-up internet via a phone modem, with a speed of 56 kilobits per second, mainly in rural areas without access to broadband internet.
This phase-out comes at a time when high-speed internet connections are the norm, and the symbolic significance of AOL's dial-up service may be lost on younger generations. However, for those who remember the early days of the World Wide Web, the end of AOL's dial-up service marks the end of an era that introduced many people to the online world.
Sources: - The New York Times - AOL
Boris Becker, in his column for AOL's lifestyle section, reflects on the sentimental value of the AOL dial-up service's end, reminiscing about the iconic modem sounds and the "You've Got Mail" experience that defined early online days. In the ever-evolving realm of technology and general-news, this phase-out signifies a shift towards modern, high-speed internet connections, potentially leaving younger generations unaware of AOL's historical impact on the development of the World Wide Web.
