NEED TO KNOW
- AOL will end dial-up internet on September 30 after more than 30 years.
- About 160,000 people still use it, most in total shock that broadband exists.
- Final AOL CD-ROM sighting reported in a junk drawer with expired soy sauce packets.
After three decades of squealing modems and slow-loading web pages, AOL will shut down its dial-up internet service on September 30. The decision will affect 160,000 Americans who have been connecting through landlines long after the rest of the world moved on.
AOL said it was “time to modernize,” which many took to mean, “we finally noticed.” Customers will be encouraged to switch to broadband, a change that could cut loading times from minutes to seconds. For some, it will be the first time they see an entire website without watching it build line by line.
The shutdown ends an era defined by “You’ve Got Mail,” free trial CDs, and the shrieks of a 56k modem. Loyal users say they’ll miss the familiar sound. Others admit they only kept AOL because cancelling required three hours and a strong will.
Quote of the moment
It’s sad, but now I can finally download that one photo of my dog I started in 2004
Harold Greene, AOL subscriber since 1996
