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story category AOL Raises Prices
Only a month after lowering them
(old news - 07:20PM Thursday May 19 2005)
tags: prices · business · Op/Ed
It's hard to take the world's largest Internet powerhouse and make it completely irrelevant, but thanks to a long series of bad decisions, AOL management is slowly doing just that. In an apparent moment of clarity, AOL recently lowered prices, dropping dial-up prices from $24 to $20, and the price of BYOA (bring your own access) from $15 to $10. Well, guess what: despite mounting subscriber losses, they've quietly changed them back.

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Forums » AOL Raises Prices
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johnny_t
Premium
join:2004-03-21
Palo Alto, CA

I...

Still can not get over people with a Broadband connection.
Who pay extra every month to use AOL's extras.
--
Horray! Hitachi for MVM!

Tsume
My little Toby.

join:2004-02-23
Winter Park, FL

Re: I...

Rather do that than go through the bigger hell of changing your email address...

Remember, AOL's been around for a long time. That means some people have had their email addresses for a long time, and they don't want that to change.
dibbb

join:2003-09-19
·Time Warner VOIP

Re: I...

To keep an "aol.com" email address is a bad reason to stay with AOL.

I never used my ISP's email, have always had yahoo.com for my free email, but really use my hosted domain email addresses for my real email.

Who takes an aol.com email address seriously anyway?
chesney09
Premium
join:2004-07-26
Redford, MI
clubs:

Re: I...

To people that are techs and are more concerned about performance and what the internet is more about... I can agree with you.

To MANY others that have had AOL.com as their address is whatthey aremore concerned with. Doesn't make them stupid, just makes them people with different concerns and priorities. To Each Thier Own.

major marco
Res Firma Mitescere Nescit
Premium
join:2003-02-13
Stepford, CA
clubs:


1 edit
said by dibbb See Profile:

Who takes an aol.com email address seriously anyway?
Lots of private practice attys use the domain. Then again, the legal profession isn't the most technologically astute.
--
MFSO.org -ArnoldWatch.org - opensecrets.org -DigitalConsumer.org - FTCR.org - Privacy.org - Adbusters.org - Eff.com - Democraticmedia.org - HealthPrivacy.org - Hacktivismo.com - ClearChannelSucks.org - Epic.org

parasonic
I Am Not A Bot

join:2002-03-29
Atlanta, GA
clubs:

said by dibbb See Profile:

Who takes an aol.com email address seriously anyway?
Well, probably most any AOL user does

CLASSIC bait and switch tactics. Announce that you're cutting prices and quietly back down. I wouldn't touch this company with a 10 foot stick...or a 30 foot Kenworth.
--
"We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. Your culture will adapt to service us. Resistance is futile. We are the Borg." SETI: Too many TFlops to keep up with.

martmann

join:2000-12-11
Federal Way, WA

Re: I...

Actually that has nothing to do with bait and switch.

AOL SUX, and they work hard every day to prove it.

parasonic
I Am Not A Bot

join:2002-03-29
Atlanta, GA
clubs:

Re: I...

WRONG. It is too bait and switch.

martmann

join:2000-12-11
Federal Way, WA

Re: I...

You have no idea what the hell your talking about.
john262

join:2003-09-26
Elko, NV
·Wireless Beehive

Of course the AOL bashers have to come out in full force every time AOL comes up as a topic here. But be that as it may, all they did was hold a temporary price reduction promotion. Lots of businesses do that all the time. It's just a business practice. They hoped that some people would try it when they saw the price go down, then they hoped that when they raised the price again some of those people would have liked AOL so much that they would decide to stay after the increase.

It's just like when your supermarket has a special on something and temporarily reduces the price on it.

Only time will tell whether or not this turns out to be a smart business strategy. I doubt it myself, but if they want to try it that's fine with me.

OceanaJones

join:2004-10-18
Suffolk, VA

Re: I...

said by john262 See Profile:

It's just a business practice.
Business can call it a "practice" I call it "stealing" and just plain sneaky. But that's how most businesses operate in America today. Sneaky, tricky, lying advertising. In my opinion, most businesses today cannot survive unless they CHEAT their customers one way or another.
stenosis

join:2005-05-19
Summerville, SC

I know...AOLhell..AOLsux..etc, however, my Mom loves the ease of AOL, and my kids love to chat with their friends. It killed me to pay for $14.95 BYOB, and $44.95 for Roadrunner.

This past month there was a tiny blurb in the Roadrunner Newsletter that AOL was now available for free to Roadrunner customers. Of course, there was no information on HOW to link your AOL+RR accounts together. I called AOL, and was bounced around like a monkey in heat. They had NO CLUE about this offer.

To make a long story short, any RR users in SC can call Time Warner in Columbia and request your current AOL account be linked to RR, or you can request a new AOL account.

There is no additional cost, however, it comes with 10 hours dial-up, and $2.95 a minute for anything after. The max charge is capped at $35 a month.

Why not help drive AOL into history by signing up for a free account?

How about it fellow SC RoadRunner customers.

Folks in other states should contact their local Time Warner customer service center.

Good Day,
Stenosis

a

@qwest.net
»www.infobahn.com/research-information.htm

you get what you pay for.

Plasticman
Will Work For Bandwidth
Premium
join:2002-09-06
Harrisville, RI
clubs:
·Cox HSI

said by johnny_t See Profile:

Still can not get over people with a Broadband connection.
Who pay extra every month to use AOL's extras.
Can you say LOSER

ba ba black sheep

@verizon.n
B to the
A to the
N to the
K to the
R to the
U to the
P to the
T to the
C to the
Y
xrobertcmx
Premium
join:2001-06-18
Sterling, VA
clubs:
·Verizon FIOS
·Comcast
·EarthLink

I know a few of them, and AOL makes them feel safe or it just takes away the effort of learning anything.
AOL gives people that walled garden, everything is easy to find, easy to use, and you can trust it.
I don't like them, but some of my customers won't do anything without them.
--
4 More years and we won't have a country.

neuronbob
Welcome President Obama

join:2000-03-30
Bedford, OH
clubs:

said by johnny_t See Profile:

Still can not get over people with a Broadband connection.
Who pay extra every month to use AOL's extras.
I don't like AOL myself but maintain a broadband account because:

My wife is not a techie and likes AOL. I've tried to convince her otherwise, but oh well...

Many of my patients are on AOL, so my practice maintains an account so that the many non-techie, older patients I take care of have an easier time reaching me.

For myself....I want that Hawaiian company that provides just the line and no tech support. All I want is access!
--
neuronbob's web page
dkiller723

join:2005-05-20

paying the extra $15 a month for aol's crap features and email is stuped. Esp. the email part, they give you such a low abount of space you can go to »yahoo.com and get 1GB for free, or »gmail.com and get 2+GB for free, or even go to »4umail.net and 4GB for free.

Nerdtalker
Working Hard, Or Hardly Working?
Premium,MVM
join:2003-02-18
Tucson, AZ
clubs:

Just die already

When is AO-hell finally going to die?

They still don't get it.
herbnl1fe

join:2005-01-14
Tucson, AZ

Re: Just die already

as long as they keep getting the monthly payments from idiots i guess they can keep themselves running...right?
Zimfie

join:2001-09-06
Bensalem, PA

A sinking ship!

AOL is one big sinking ship.

P Ness
You'Ve Forgotten 9-11 Already
Premium
join:2001-08-29
Cromwell, CT
clubs:

Re: A sinking ship!

THIS sinking ship is still worth 20billion and generates 1billion in free cash a year. sounds like barry diller would pay that much at least!!

with these number they are still a great divison to have as part of a company.
--
www.stopfcc.comI do not think the government needs to restrict free speech especially on a device that has an off knob.

keeping it real

@comcast.net

Useless anyway

As far as I am concerned, they are a middleware application anyway.

They are moving towards a web based experience anyway... and I doubt you will see a user application much longer in the future.

I don't need their service, so to me it's a luxury (if you call it that) anyway..

I dropped to the BYOA back in 1997 when they went to that so-called unlimited access program.. remember? when you coudn't ever log in any more?

Anyway, I am supposed to be paying the $14.95 BYAO anyway, but somehow, they dropped my rate to a $8.95 a month plan about 6 months ago. Same thing happened to my roomate about a year and a half ago as well.

If they raise my rate, they will loose my business all together. (afterall, I use it mainly to chat and it's not worht $15.00 a month.)

joetaxpayer
I'M Here Till Thursday

join:2001-09-07
Wayland, MA

Great news

They are a dinosaur, and I'll be glad to see them fade away.
$24??? Plus cost of phone line. For 56K?

I may be spoiled by broadband, but is it even possible to surf the web at 56K?
JOE

hamburglar_

join:2002-04-29
Columbus, OH

Re: Great news

No, I was on vacay on 56k last week and it was BRUTAL!

Defcon888
Premium
join:2003-07-22
San Bruno, CA
·AT&T Yahoo
·DSL EXTREME

AOL...

Dialup should be like $1/month now.. if you compare it to DSL or other types of high speed broadband...

Too bad morons are still subscribing to their one year contracts... Heck, I was a moron for AOL a few years ago, but now I'll never go back
--
defcon888@gmail.com
proud user of sbc services


Pz_

join:2001-03-31
Brownsburg, IN
clubs:

Re: AOL...

I think they will always have a customer base.

I've never even used their free hours, but hey, that's just me.

n2jtx

join:2001-01-13
Glen Head, NY

Re: AOL...

...Training Wheels for the Internet
fiberguy
My views are my own.
Premium
join:2005-05-20

Re: AOL...

Training wheels for the internet? no WONDER why some internet users just don't get it.

It a scary thought to think that AOL "trains" anyone on anything.
MizTEcK

join:2003-08-01
North York, ON
i did... and lemme tell ya, its like a fuckin virus, attaches itself onto everything possible in your computer, i had to reformat to get rid of everything -_-

bokamba
Chengdu Rocks
Premium
join:2002-04-05
Falls Church, VA

Re: AOL...

Ain't that the truth.

Pz_

join:2001-03-31
Brownsburg, IN
clubs:

Oh I've had to deal with the fallout of an AOL installation before, believe me. The long reaching damaging effects it has. It still amazes me as to how many systems files it writes over to make its self operate. System files that are no longer there if you remove it.
chesney09
Premium
join:2004-07-26
Redford, MI
clubs:

I don't think it makes ANYONE a moron.. It makes them what you were then.. NEW and Inexperienced.. You learned what was more interesting for you and AOL wasn't it.
SOME people see AOL as THE Internet and only care about their email address they have had for YEARS, and how they surf, chat, and IM.

Defcon888
Premium
join:2003-07-22
San Bruno, CA

Re: AOL...

It's 2005, broadband is the "thing"

MagMan
Life is simpler when you tell the truth.
Premium
join:2003-10-01
Westlake, OH
·AT&T Midwest
·AT&T Midwest

I was one of those morons too a few years back:(

I will never go back either;)

But and that is a big but for newbies it is good now days with the way the internet is, a least AOL is offering now some protection for these newbies that just connect and don't even have virus software installed;)
--
"The truth is incontrovertible, malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end; there it is."

Phil
Rojo Sol
Premium
join:2001-06-11
Camarillo, CA

>Insert AOL hate here

*yawn*

AtomicZero

join:2004-11-24
West Palm Beach, FL
·Comcast

the clarity returns

the point of AOL is to bleed suckers dry like a bloated swamp leech. you are just paying 25 bucks so you can get a bunch of Buddy Emoticons and other trivial extras.... if people are really willing to pay for that then good for AOL for leeching as much as they can get
NetDroid2

join:2004-08-16
Excelsior, MN

Re: the clarity returns

I am just wondering how much does it really take to run an dial-up ISP these days? Does anyone know?

Do you really need to charge your subscribers $25 a month just to run the whole system??? Well sure every company wants more $$.
I tried PeoplePC for a while when my broadband was down and I noticed that they give you many extras also but for only $10.95 a month.

Does the AOL break down work like this? One has to wonder?
AOL Dial-up access: $10
AOL Content (all that BYOA junk): $15
Total: $25

damonlab
Premium
join:2001-05-02
Detroit, MI
clubs:

Re: the clarity returns

said by NetDroid2 See Profile:

Does the AOL break down work like this? One has to wonder?
AOL Dial-up access: $10
AOL Content (all that BYOA junk): $15
Total: $25
BINGO!!! We have a winner.

You just hit the nail on the head. Netscape dialup is owned by AOL and it is only 9.95/mo.
Mordhem
Direct Tech

join:2003-07-10
Gaffney, SC

Re: the clarity returns

ya what is with that
rid0617

join:2003-07-20
Greer, SC
so is walmart internet

dslwanter
Why would I want DSL? I have FTTH
Premium
join:2002-12-16
Lowellville, OH

Are they clueless?

Does AOL not realize DSL is going for $19.99 a month and that $20 is still a jacked up price for dial-up?

AtomicZero

join:2004-11-24
West Palm Beach, FL

Re: Are they clueless?

Well....Crack is a helluva drug.
Johnny Moon

join:2004-08-30
Northridge, CA

People are Stupid -- AOL Proves It

You'll never lose by underestimating the intelligence of people. AOL proves it. Look at all the money they've made, all the businesses they've bought. Just think... Their idiot customers have made them rich!

LaZ3R
Premium
join:2003-01-17
Waterloo, ON
clubs:
·Rogers Hi-Speed

LOL - AOL IS TEH LAUGHING STOCK!

Not only do they suck, and don't realize it, They raise prices on their crappy internet, but people are STILL GLUED TO THIS HORRIBLE ISP AND IT MAKES ME SICK!!!
--
Life is a game of blackjack. You keep playing until you bust.
JustinF325

join:2004-09-19
Erie, PA
clubs:

I wish someone would make a count down clock

Something that would show the current users of aol real time. I could slowly watch aol die.

See 14 replies to this post

Mark Z
Double Speak
Premium
join:2002-10-14
Gatineau, QC
·TekSavvy Solutions..
·Bell Sympatico
·Primus Telecommuni..

US prices too!

$24 US is almost $30 CDN. We can buy ILEC DSL for that price. Unbelievable. As has been said over and over, just die already.
--
"Nobody can give you freedom. Nobody can give you equality or justice or anything. If you're a man, you take it." MalcolmX

ItsTheAmericanWay

@shawcable.net

It's a brand thing

People like to buy brands. Is Dell a better computer because you can phone a 1-800 number in india 24 hours a day and get some sucky "value added" software preloaded that you'll never use. Of course not. But it makes some people feel more comfortable.

AOL has brand recognition. That is their ONLY value but it's still worth something. It's gonna be awhile till their brand recognition fades away and until that happens, some corporation somewhere will always be willing to bleed it dry.
NetDroid2

join:2004-08-16
Excelsior, MN

What do the other ISP's charge???

I made this chart for a friend that I am trying to get off of AOL.

Obviously this is a non-scientific study.
I just went to all the sites and took down the amount of $$ it costs for dial-up.


_____________________________________________________________
AOL: $25.00

MSN: $21.95/month

Earthlink: $9.95 for 6 months then $21.95

NetZero: $9.95

Verizon: $19.95 /150hrs ($22.95 / Unlimited)

Prodigy/SBC: $15.95 per month

SBC/Yahoo: $15.95

PeoplePC: $5.47/mo. for 3 months,then just $10.95 per month.

Netscape: $9.95

isp.com: $8.95

------------------------------------------
ISP's I know People have had good experiences with. A few years ago I used the last two ISP's.

**Access4less.net: $5.95

**USFamily.net: $8.25

**acedialup.com: $12.50
DiskDrive
Goin' In Circles
Premium
join:2004-11-03
Farmington, MI

Re: What do the other ISP's charge???

said by NetDroid2 See Profile:

I made this chart for a friend that I am trying to get off of AOL.

Obviously this is a non-scientific study.
I just went to all the sites and took down the amount of $$ it costs for dial-up.
Let's not forget:

650dialup.com: $6.50

Grail Knight
Who Dares Wins
Premium
join:2003-05-31
Erie, PA

Nothing new.

Like I said....

burgerwars

join:2004-09-11
Northridge, CA

Re: AOL

What goes down must come up.
Asmodeus

join:2004-05-26
Spring Valley, CA

Bye Bye AOLoser

Finally, the death-knell for this insipid portal is at hand... You know the end is beginning when that large monetary gasp starts to rasp deep down into the bowels of wherever American Offline exists...
theyipper

join:2001-01-18
Oakland, CA


1 edit

AOL csrs

The AOL csrs aren't helpful at all.
Recently I decided to cancel my subscription (after many years) because I just no longer used my AOL email and not traveling around the country.

Well the csr I was talking to was preventing me from cancelling, thinking of excuses like "well, I see that you are still using McAfee anti-virus". I'm thinking "how do you know that?" and "so what?" and "Umm, no I don't". But I let it go because I don't want to argue over something trivial.

So after 10 minutes of this bs she finally gave in and began to cancel my sub. I then hear her utter "cancelling because can't afford it, too cheap". I almost started yelling at her but thought the better of it and just let the whole thing end.

I'll still probably send AOL a complaint even though it will likely fall on deaf ears.

AtomicZero

join:2004-11-24
West Palm Beach, FL

Re: AOL csrs

what's the point of complaining....if you are no longer a client? your words had zero value to them when you were a customer. now it's gonna have less

FTCXtreme

join:2005-03-14
New Braintree, MA

LMAO. You shoulda said you pay $600 a month for a T1. LMAO that would blow her mind, $600 a month thats more than I make in a month.

I know of tons of idiots who use AOL. $25 a month. When they have Verizon DSL available for $5 more. Lets see, Verizon DSL with MSN, $5 more, you can talk on the phone while online and its alot faster, and you stil lhave good email service. Dumbasses in my opinion. I'd jump at the chance for DSL, I could dump my second phone line, and and dump People PC. People need to become more educated on the pluses of broadband. DSL needs to become cheaper, So does Cable. But Heres my problem. WHY DO THE CHARGE $25 A MONTH? SERIOUSLY! MY PEOPLE PC I get 40k, Unlike the 28k max i could hit with AOL and I pay $10 a month.

As for her saying that, You shoulda said, Hey atleast I make 5x more than you(you probably make 10x more, know how crapily shes paid). But the easiest way to cancel AOL is say, Dont try to make me not cancel, I just want to cancel don't give me any bullshit. If they give any any trouble after that say you're gonna crash their mainframe.

a

@qwest.net

do you not know how to say, may i speak to your supervisor NOW, that is, if she was really THAT bad.

she is computer literate and customer service material and you are not, if she kept you on the phone that long then she did her job by resolving the issue and keeping qa( quality assurance) happy by obviously having to verify a qa (quality assurance again) question, you remember, the trivial anti virus question, since when did anti virus become a trivial issue, all without having to transfer.

major marco
Res Firma Mitescere Nescit
Premium
join:2003-02-13
Stepford, CA
clubs:

Same Old Shit

AoHell business practices remind me of slumlord housing practices. Lower the rent long enough to reel in enough suckers and the minute your complex reaches capacity and everyone is locked into a lease then BOOM!! Time to jack up the rent again.
--
MFSO.org -ArnoldWatch.org - opensecrets.org -DigitalConsumer.org - FTCR.org - Privacy.org - Adbusters.org - Eff.com - Democraticmedia.org - HealthPrivacy.org - Hacktivismo.com - ClearChannelSucks.org - Epic.org

CableConvert
Premium
join:2003-12-05
Atlanta, GA

AOL Internet for Dummies

Need I say more

See 11 replies to this post
Forums » AOL Raises Pricespage: 1 · 2


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