enOehT
Premium
join:2003-05-17
Langhorne, PA
4 edits |  AOL no longer offering DSL/Cable!
I couldn't hardly believe it, but as of January 31, 2004, AOL has stopped offering both DSL and Cable. Why this did not receive any media attention, I will never know. This kind of move has tremendous implications for stockholders. Perhaps the Super Bowl advertising masked this fact, as they were advertising "AOL for Broadband", and who knew this meant BYOA (bring your own access) only?
I just have to say, I am astonished at this move. In my estimation, this marks the beginning of the end for AOL. They cannot survive solely as a content provider and the dial-up market is no place for growth.
I am not so surprised at them dropping AOL Cable, as this was implemented as a proprietary setup, as I am at them dropping AOL DSL. This one puzzles me, as they should have been able to compete in this market.
Well, I don't see AOL lasting long on this path. I hope I am wrong, because I love the email and spam filter. 
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John F. Kerry for President! |
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RomanySaad
Premium
join:2001-07-31
Lancaster, CA
|  Sorry to say I didn't believe you at first! :-P
But this page seems to support your claim: »https://highspeed.aol.com/
It appears they will just stick to Dialup and "Value-Added" Portal BYOA.
Also, check out my post here which shows only 4 pricing plans which are a combination of BYOA, unlimited dial-up and 5 hour/month dialup... no mention of "AOL" Broadband: »AOL BYOA $1.05 a month?
What's a shame is that if they would fully make their cable simply DHCP and the DSL PPPoE or DCHP, they probably would do quite a bit better.
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Thanks,
Romany Saad |
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drake
drizzy
Premium,MVM
join:2002-06-10
Brooklyn, NY
 ·Optimum Online
| reply to enOehT
Already Discussed here -- »No more High Speed
And AOL couldn't survive with AOL Cable/DSL on their arms anyway, especially AOL Cable, $54.95? You must be on the stuff if you actually want to go with that service when you can get much better service via Earthlink Cable or Directly via Time Warner Road Runner Cable
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Flying on CV Optimum Online Cable @ 8490/945 & Surfing on TWC Coax Road Runner Cable @ 3031/369 |
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ErickH2
join:2002-02-12
| So what does this mean to people who are you using their service? Like I have a 3 year contract with them that ends this august, so am I gonna have to switch and get the penalty fee thrown at me? Will they just switch me over to Verizon and will I get the 1.5MB speed? |
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momma
join:2003-05-05
Vero Beach, FL | reply to enOehT
I work for AOL and have never heard such a thing. |
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enOehT
Premium
join:2003-05-17
Langhorne, PA
| momma, you better start reading your internal company memos cause the whole story is right here: »AOL reduced its broadband products
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John F. Kerry for President! |
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drake
drizzy
Premium,MVM
join:2002-06-10
Brooklyn, NY
·Optimum Online
| said by enOehT  :
momma, you better start reading your internal company memos cause the whole story is right here: »AOL reduced its broadband products
That story is based of this thread here by KevNYC -- »No more High Speed
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Flying on CV Optimum Online Cable @ 8490/945 & Surfing on TWC Coax Road Runner Cable @ 3031/369 |
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enOehT
Premium
join:2003-05-17
Langhorne, PA
1 edit | reply to enOehT
said by enOehT :
In my estimation, this marks the beginning of the end for AOL. I don't see AOL lasting long on this path.
Did I hit the nail on the head or what? »Microsoft to Buy AOL?
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John F. Kerry for President! |
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djrobx
join:2000-05-31
Valencia, CA | reply to enOehT
I don't see where you predicted the purchase of AOL by Microsoft. 
-- Rob
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\\ROB - a part of the SCB local network |
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enOehT
Premium
join:2003-05-17
Langhorne, PA | I didn't, just the downfall. |
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BuckeyeChris
join:2004-01-16
Columbus, OH
| "The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated." - Mark Twain
So too has the death of AOL been greatly exaggerated. They are still the largest ISP in the US. Yes, they have been loosing lots of subscribers to lower priced ISPs. They have been too slow to react. Yes, they have seen better days.
Still, they have gobs of content all in one place that people like. Their email, anti-spam and anti-virus filters are excellent. You use them, your parents and grandparents use them because AOL is so simple to use.
Don't count them out yet. BYOA is a good start but they need to bring the price back down to $9.95 for all customers and lower their monthly dial-up plan to around the $15 break point.
Microsoft and AOL is great partnership for AOL from an AOL viewpoint. Microsoft offers deep pockets for technology investments. It's difficult for me to see the benefits for Microsoft. To own to competing ISPs, MSN and AOL, doesn't work very well, just ask the Time Warner Road Runner people. Perhaps Microsoft will want to combine the two products into one, or migrate the AOL subscribers to MSN to increase its revenue and customer base.
Now, the bigger question, is will the Justice Department fight this merger? |
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enOehT
Premium
join:2003-05-17
Langhorne, PA
| said by BuckeyeChris :
migrate the AOL subscribers to MSN
I agree with most of your post, but, woouldn't it be easier to migrate the MSN users to AOL? Most likely, it will be like Compuserve and AOL again.
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John F. Kerry for President! |
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BuckeyeChris
join:2004-01-16
Columbus, OH
| said by enOehT :
I agree with most of your post, but, woouldn't it be easier to migrate the MSN users to AOL? Most likely, it will be like Compuserve and AOL again.
You're right. It makes much more sense for Microsoft to migrate its users to AOL. I think the AOL brand name is too valuable to loose it while for me, when I think of MSN, I think about their cable channel, their web site and the ISP.
Also, I should correct myself. As it's being reported, the talks are about MS acquiring AOL, not a merger. |
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stonecolddsl
Linux Junkie
join:2004-01-07
Sarasota, FL
 ·Rapid Systems, Inc.
 ·Sprint Mobile Broa..
·Verizon Online DSL
| reply to enOehT
But with Aol on the down side and Microsoft with the ability and the money to make such a power move and people saying whats in it for them.
Well like some one pointed out the first thing would happen is the eventual transistion from aol user to msn user. They may still carry the aol name but a complete over haul with a msn like apperance over the course of software upgrades.
Also for those who still just look puzzled, you have to remeber what companies that AOL owns that msn could market off of. Companies like Netscape and Nullsoft would be devored by MS. Ms could easily argue to the feds that buy out aol with them owning netscape is nothing as Mozilla the open source core to netscape currently outnumbers actual people using the netscape browsers. So buying out aol with netscape and nullsoft, would not pose any anti trust matters. Again it all comes down to a powerplay is mircosoft willing to take such a chance. It no different when Echostar Communications aka Dish network tried buying out via merger wiht Hughes Electronics aka Direct TV. But it gets down to is would there be any real isp that would have the even close to the numbers of AOL buy out would happen. Also what about compuserve that is still around and is a aol owned company. I guess it all a wait and see but If ms would do such a thing it would a complete takeover in the long run. |
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