AOL Dial-Up Internet Service to End After 34 Years

AOL will officially discontinue its dial-up internet service on September 30, pulling the plug on an era that defined early internet access for millions of Americans.

The Yahoo-owned company announced the shutdown on its support website, stating: « AOL routinely evaluates its products and services and has decided to discontinue Dial-up Internet. » The termination includes the AOL Dialer software and AOL Shield browser, both of which were optimized for older operating systems.

While dial-up may seem like ancient history, the service retained a surprisingly persistent user base. As noted by The Verge, a 2019 US census estimated that 265,000 Americans were still relying on dial-up connections. Many of those were likely in rural areas where broadband infrastructure remains limited.

AOL’s dial-up service launched in 1991 and became synonymous with internet access throughout the 1990s, complete with the iconic « You’ve got mail! » greeting and that unforgettable connection sound.

This article, "AOL Dial-Up Internet Service to End After 34 Years" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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