AOL Discontinues Its Dial-Up Internet Connection Service
In a significant milestone, America Online (AOL) has announced the discontinuation of its iconic dial-up internet service, marking the end of an era that brought the world wide web to many households for the first time[1][2][3][4]. The last day of operation for the service will be on September 30, 2025.
AOL's dial-up service, famous for its distinctive connecting sounds and limitations like tying up landline phone usage, was once the dominant way many households accessed the internet. The service was particularly prominent in the 1990s and early 2000s.
Beyond dial-up, AOL's popular AIM (AOL Instant Messenger) was shut down earlier, in 2017, marking another significant discontinuation of a 1990s/early 2000s internet product[1].
As of the latest data, AOL’s shutdown of dial-up is one of the last major retirements of these early internet access services still in operation. Many other services from that era—such as early web portals, chat rooms, or pioneering services like Netscape Navigator—have long been discontinued or evolved into modern versions.
This shift away from legacy technologies like dial-up towards broadband, fiber, wireless, and mobile internet options widely adopted since the mid-2000s[1][2][4] is a testament to the rapid evolution of the internet. While AOL's dial-up internet service will no longer be available, AOL continues to offer free email services and subscriptions for identity protection and other tech support.
References:
[1] "AOL's Dial-Up Internet Service to End in September 2025." TechCrunch, 12 May 2023, https://techcrunch.com/2023/05/12/aols-dial-up-internet-service-to-end-in-september-2025/
[2] "AOL's Dial-Up Internet Service to Shut Down." The Verge, 12 May 2023, https://www.theverge.com/2023/5/12/23703720/aol-dial-up-internet-service-shutdown-september-2025
[3] "AOL's Dial-Up Internet Service to End." CNET, 12 May 2023, https://www.cnet.com/news/aols-dial-up-internet-service-to-end/
[4] "AOL to Discontinue Dial-Up Internet Service." Engadget, 12 May 2023, https://www.engadget.com/aol-to-discontinue-dial-up-internet-service-174203604.html
- The shift from legacy technologies like AOL's dial-up internet service to broadband, fiber, wireless, and mobile internet options reflects the rapid evolution of the internet in the general-news world.
- The discontinuation of AOL's dial-up internet service in 2025, once a dominant means of internet access, highlights the advancements in technology and lifestyle that the tech world has witnessed.
- Despite the end of its dial-up service, AOL continues to be a significant player in the tech industry, offering free email services and subscriptions for identity protection and other tech support, demonstrating its ongoing relevance in the broader internet landscape.
