 
MarkyD
Premium
join:2002-08-20
Oklahoma City, OK
clubs: | Holy crap. $20 for dial up? That is insane. Almost as insane as $23.90. | |
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 | 
Nerdtalker
Working Hard, Or Hardly Working?
Premium,MVM
join:2003-02-18
Tucson, AZ
clubs: | Re: Holy crap. Dial-up should practically be free at this point.  | |
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| | pixelpusher21
join:2004-04-02
Fairfax, VA
| Re: Holy crap. I'm currently on the $5/month plan...mostly because AOL will now not let you keep your AIM names when you cancel your AOL account. I'm *positive* you used to be able to do this, but I think this is there last *best* effort at keeping people around. I only use AOL/AIM for the chatting (work and personal) so changing names after 10+ years would not be a fun thing...
Anyone found a way around this? | |
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dslhater
Premium
join:2001-09-24
Chicopee, MA
clubs: | Re: Holy crap. I cancelled aol awhile ago and I still have my aim screen name. | |
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| | | | pixelpusher21
join:2004-04-02
Fairfax, VA | Re: Holy crap. define 'awhile ago'? I tried to cancel about 6 months ago I think, and they specifically said the AIM names would die with the account because I had originally signed up as AOL. People who were AIM first then became AOL could keep their AIM names. | |
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dslhater
Premium
join:2001-09-24
Chicopee, MA
clubs: | Re: Holy crap. 6 or seven months I had their BYOA plan and I still have my aim sn I use each day. | |
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dddane
join:2002-01-10
Chicago, IL
| Re: Holy crap. I have the BYOA plan too.... I find it funny how people always say "$20/mo is too expensive for dialup" ... well, its more than just dialup. I listen to AOL radio all day, which beats any other "free" streaming radio sites by miles... there are also thousands of on-demand songs and videos to download for free... AOL users get free access to a host of other web sites that charge anywhere from $5-10/mo... CNN Goldpass is included for free (access to streaming video, including 'live' cnn streams of certain things)... there are a number of magazine web sites that you can get for free, without having to actually subscribve to the magazine (as you normally would)...
i think the biggest problem with AOL is they have HUNDREDS of items that otherwise would cost money, but for whatever reason a lot of people just don't know they're there... perhaps they should spend their marketing on that more... | |
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Advoc8
| Re: Holy crap. Unfortunately alot of what AOL offers for "free" is pure bullshit. Like every single thing in their latest ads! They try to pretend not only that you're getting free stuff with AOL, which may or may not be true depending on what you use the net for, but also that it's not available for free all over the net. There is not one single thing you can get on AOL for $20 or whatever, that you can't get just as easily and just as good quality for free elsewhere on the web. I really don't think even $20/mth is justifiable, especially as it's been pointed out that alot of people don't even know the stuff is there. | |
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| | | | | | | remusrm
join:2003-04-07
Northridge, CA | did you try shoutcast.com? di.fm? | |
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| | | 8744675
join:2000-10-10
Decatur, GA
| I cancelled over a year ago, and just tried my AIM name using Trillian last week. Not only did it work, it also updated my buddy list with all the names that were on my list when I had AOL. I also discovered that my AOL web page is still up and running! | |
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| | | queenv
join:2005-05-04
Elmhurst, NY
edit:
May 4th, @02:35PM
| I cancelled AOL sometime mid-April. When I asked if I could still use my name under AIM, the customer service rep said "No."
I said, "But my AIM name uses a different password. I think it's somehow seperate from my AOL account."
She goes, "Look. I know you think I'm just some stupid old lady, but I know what I'm talking about. I know this from experience. You will lose all your screennames." She then threatens that if I use my AIM name anytime after I cancel, I will automatically be charged again for AOL. She said she's putting it down in writing that she explained this to me.
When she finally let me cancel, I tested out my name under AIM. It still worked. I called Customer Service back, and the automated service verified that my account was still cancelled. It also told me I could use AOL til the end of the month, something that lady never bothered to tell me.
My AOL account stopped working on 4/30. I tried out AIM and it still worked. A few days later I called to make sure my account was still cancelled, and it was. That lady lied to me. I hope this is a permanent thing, and they don't revoke my name sometime later down the road.
If you're wondering, I had AOL since 1995. My screenname was a secondary account , though, created around '98. I think I signed up for AIM in '00 or '01, but I registered using a different password. | |
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pcdebb
I see you
Premium
join:2000-12-03
Tampa, FL
clubs: 
| Re: Holy crap. A friend of mine cancelled his AOL account like three years ago. I still remembered the password, and to this day it still works. that lady was just being a bitch to you, and yes, she is a stupid old lady
--
babbling | mvm | |
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Nymostwanted
Who Cares?
Premium
join:2004-06-25
New York, NY | In NYC, there is a free dial up ISP. Its called, " Net Connect" | |
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clued
@res.r | Its not the AIM name If the name you were using is the name you branded your actual AOL account with then thats what you are cancelling. If you made an aim name outside of aol then of course that would be unaffected | |
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dddane
join:2002-01-10
Chicago, IL
| dialup is NOT practically free... maybe "not practical" but definately not "practically free" ... anyone who was offering it for free, or next to free, has come and gone... remember netzero? they're now $10-15/month... and they don't offer a third of the stuff AOL does. | |
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Nerdtalker
Working Hard, Or Hardly Working?
Premium,MVM
join:2003-02-18
Tucson, AZ
clubs:
 ·Comcast
| Re: Holy crap. What are you talking about? Netzero still offers free service, just like they used to: »signup.netzero.net/s/signup?platinum=N&cf=
I'm oblivious to what services AOL offers that some bare-bones dial-up ISP doesn't, unless you count the annoying dialing program, hold-your-hand intelligence insult that they call "user friendliness", and (how could I forget) fReE!!! Anti-Virus solution.
No thanks, I'll never use AO-HEll...
--
Touch a thistle timidly, and it pricks you; grasp it boldly, and its spines crumble. -William S. Halsey
iPod Shuffle=iPos
I'm testing Gmail's spam filters: Broadbandreports1@gmail.com
Spam: 4400+ | |
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DaneJasper
Sonic.Net
Premium,VIP
join:2001-08-20
Santa Rosa, CA
clubs:
| Re: Holy crap. I visited this URL, and when you go to the next screen, the only option is to purchase a $9.95 account. They do not seem to offer free service anymore.
-Dane | |
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Nerdtalker
Working Hard, Or Hardly Working?
Premium,MVM
join:2003-02-18
Tucson, AZ
clubs:
·Comcast
| Re: Holy crap. See the screenshot. | |
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no brainer
@res.r | Hmmmm Netzero for 15$ a month with a 2.95 a minute tech support line and 1.95 email tech support or AOL for 20$ a month with unlimited free tech support??? | |
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nosnam
join:2005-01-31
Donora, PA
| ao hell the BYOA used to be 9.95 then they got greedy and raised it to 15, it is only a matter of time until I finally stop getting those stupid disks int he mail, you know the ones that say "No Credit Card Required" but the first thing it asks for is a credit card to continue, damn rip off | |
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Rob
In Deo speramus
Premium
join:2001-08-25
Kendall, FL
·Comcast
| Re: ao hell said by nosnam  :the BYOA used to be 9.95 then they got greedy and raised it to 15, it is only a matter of time until I finally stop getting those stupid disks int he mail, you know the ones that say "No Credit Card Required" but the first thing it asks for is a credit card to continue, damn rip off AOL still has a 9.95 BYOA. The 9.95 has no dialup access, while the BYOA @ 14 gave 2hrs.
There is also a 7.95/mo. (which I am on). They offer it once in a blue moon.
--
YourIP.US - Quickly Locate Your IP!
LiveWhois.Net - It's Never Been So Easy!
RR.CX - My Personal Blog | |
|
| | 
Matt
You can't fix stupid
Premium
join:2003-07-20
Jamestown, NC
 ·North State Commun..
 ·Corporate Colocation
| Re: ao hell said by Rob :AOL still has a 9.95 BYOA. The 9.95 has no dialup access, while the BYOA @ 14 gave 2hrs. There is also a 7.95/mo. (which I am on). They offer it once in a blue moon. Everytime I called and tried to get this for a relative they said it didn't exist. It was $14.95. Period.
My sister even had BYOA @ $9.95 and they raised her to $14.95.
Perhaps they only offer it to people in certain areas or long-time AOL members? | |
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| | 
amenite
The Soylent - It's People
Premium
join:2002-11-21
Ridgewood, NJ
clubs:
| said by Rob :AOL still has a 9.95 BYOA. The 9.95 has no dialup access, while the BYOA @ 14 gave 2hrs. ... You might want to check the link from the article, it seems to differ with your statement.
»www.aol.com/price_plans/available.adp
--
Time is an abstract concept invented by carbon based life forms to monitor their constant decay.-Thunderclese | |
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LV man
@aol.com
| Re: ao hell AOL has had the $7.95 plan for several years. I know because I have had it for that long. There are a couple of catches to have it. You must use you payment method as a debit to your checking account (this way AOL gets a extra $5 per month from you). The other catch is you can only be signed on to one computer at a time no matter how many computers or screen names you have. | |
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amenite
The Soylent - It's People
Premium
join:2002-11-21
Ridgewood, NJ
clubs:
| Re: ao hell I used to have it for $6/month when they were begging us to get off their modems like 8-9 years ago (due to the unlimited dialup change). Then it went up to around $10/month, then to $15. That's when I finally went to "low use" for $5/month. That's about all I can justify to keep a few mailboxes alive. Haven't used their client in a few years either. The last version I installed was the first version for NT (5.0 I think?) 10 years ago AOL had excellent coverage nationwide. There weren't many ISPs that had the coverage they did.
--
Time is an abstract concept invented by carbon based life forms to monitor their constant decay.-Thunderclese | |
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Carl
Premium
join:2004-07-21
Krotz Springs, LA
·Charter Pipeline
·AT&T Southeast
| said by LV man:
The other catch is you can only be signed on to one computer at a time no matter how many computers or screen names you have.
I pay $7.95 and I can be on one machine and someone else can be on with a different name on a different machine.
--
Carl Smith, formerly known as crstec. | |
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Rob
In Deo speramus
Premium
join:2001-08-25
Kendall, FL
·Comcast
| said by LV man:
AOL has had the $7.95 plan for several years. I know because I have had it for that long. There are a couple of catches to have it. You must use you payment method as a debit to your checking account (this way AOL gets a extra $5 per month from you). The other catch is you can only be signed on to one computer at a time no matter how many computers or screen names you have.
I pay 7.95/mo. w/ a credit card. All I pay is 7.95. No other charges.
--
YourIP.US - Quickly Locate Your IP!
LiveWhois.Net - It's Never Been So Easy!
RR.CX - My Personal Blog | |
|
| chesney09
Premium
join:2004-07-26
Redford, MI
clubs: | AOL should pay it's subscibers for allowing it to take over their PC's. | |
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EdibleTarget
Real Gamers Dont Use Consoles
join:2004-12-02
Lowell, MA | you actually put that in your computer? =P
they make nice coasters =D | |
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elijah6
Premium
join:2002-02-14
Lake Wales, FL | It's not worth spit $5 is too much for aohell. | |
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Steely
Dumped Comcast for FiOS
Premium
join:2000-10-15
Princeton Junction, NJ
| Re: It's not worth spit said by elijah6 :$5 is too much for aohell. Easy now!  | |
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oroper
Patriots Rule
join:2004-06-01
Beverly, MA
edit:
April 25th, @09:39AM
| Thread Hijacked I have never been a subscriber to Aol, simply because I think they are a rip off.
Back when I was a wheenie in Internet use, my dialup used to by bostel. Cost worked out at $7.XX/mth if you prepaid for a year, but since I did 6 mos increments it equalled $10/mth, and I was connecting @ 53K.
I've had persons tell me they provided some interesting content. I usually say "hmmm, really...maybe I should check it out  " jsut to get them off the subject.
You may ask, so what is my reason for saying/posting this. I'll give you a few:
1:I don't think there is enough content worth $24.XX
2:I sorta got on the bandwagon 
3:I was being rebellious, showing that I COULD get to the internet without AOL
4:Wanted to prove that I could navigate the web without being Ripped off:)
5: I wanted to post the attached image for no reason whatsoever. Just wanted to have this long a$$ thread that took over a huge section of your IE screen, sorta how Aol likes to take over your PC and blindingly markets their product as being superior, kinda like a MAC.
:DLet the Hating begin:D:D
--
I'm a Chapelle Fan-
I'm Rich Beehatch!! | |
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| 
alg
Have you ever seen the rain?
Premium
join:2001-04-10
Houston, TX
clubs: | Re: Thread Hijacked But your missing out on the content! Don't you want to see the exclusive new Half Dolla video?!/!? | |
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oroper
Patriots Rule
join:2004-06-01
Beverly, MA | Re: Thread Hijacked TIMMAYYYY:D
No not particularly, I tend to listen to Streaming Internet radio on my Linksys WMLS11B;)
--
I'm a Chapelle Fan-I'm Rich Beehatch!! | |
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GenBlood
join:2005-04-14
Nashua, NH
| Might think of trying , IF it was $4.99 I might think of trying it out if it was $4.99 a month.
I can live with it at that price. I just have to cut back
on drinking only 2 DD coffees, instead on 3 per day
Even if I still don't like it, the kids and wife my
enjoy it.  | |
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madrhino
join:2004-07-03
 ·Verizon FIOS
·Comcast
| Don't do it-FREE is to much. I used to have it for $9.95 but it was something like a 1 year commitment.The third time I couldn't connect I called and they told me it was not them.Since I was online surfing the whole 10-15 minutes I was on hold I told them it was them since I could access evrything else on the Internet.I finally got tired of deciphering some God knows what kind of accent(Nothing American about this online)and told them to cancel.After harrassing me by mail trying to get me to sign back up the pricks turned me over to a collection agency,for a $25 early cancellation fee.
Finally the third time the collection agency called at 8am on Saturday morning I called AOL(and got a real American) and explained that since they did not provide the service I had contracted for I was NEVER going to pay them a cancellation fee but I would take them to court over any damage to my credit record or any more harrassment or contact of any sort.
I guess they got my American message that I was mad enought to sue.I haven't heard a thing since and my credit report is fine. | |
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dslwanter
Broadband blackhole no more
Premium
join:2002-12-16
Lowellville, OH
·Armstrong Zoom In..
·AT&T Midwest
| AOL is overpriced. All AOL has going for them is a name. Your average Joe who knows nothing about computers will immediately jump to AOL because his friends that are just as clueless will jump to AOL as well. New customers can sign up for DSL from SBC for $19.95 a month, something 50x's faster than AOL.
--
"and he will raise you up, on eagles wings, there you are the breath of dawn, make you to shine like the sun, and hold you in the palm, of his hands" | |
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Transmaster
Don't Blame Me I Voted For Bill and Opus
join:2001-06-20
Cheyenne, WY
edit:
April 25th, @10:22AM
| This says in all Remember you can't polish a turd.
to which AOL replies;
Ya but it would be cool if you tried
The gospel of AOL according to Beavis and Butthead:) | |
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Paradyne5
Premium
join:2005-01-15
Austin, TX | Should we make a donation? Twenty three million customers paying $4 less every month is a revenue loss of $1 billion per year.
Good luck AOL…. | |
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SRFireside
join:2001-01-19
Houston, TX
·RoadRunner Cable
| Re: Should we make a donation? That's assuming all of the 23 million customers are paying customers to begin with. Remember AOL loves to fudge their subscriber numbers with all of those free offerings to make them look good. I think they are already losing that $1 billion anyway. | |
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Dinston
@comcast.net | Re: Should we make a donation? After the SEC investigation, AOL reported that the steep decline was mostly due to eliminating free customers or removing them from their report, so I think its already factored in if you read their profit reports. | |
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mr_slick
join:2003-05-22
Lynnwood, WA
| One of their features... -Comprehensive virus protection for your whole PC now included free.
well i am certainly glad that this isn't one of those ISPs that only offer virus protection for half of my PC. | |
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ricep5
Premium
join:2000-08-07
Jacksonville, FL
·Comcast Formerly ..
 ·AT&T CallVantage
·AT&T Southeast
| They aren't an ISP While AOL does provide internet access, they really aren't an ISP. They are an online content provider and the "fee" as such is a subscription.
The fact that they offer access to their content when you have your own broadband (BYOB) is the smoking gun that internet access is not their primary goal. Its to have people see their content.
So comparing the price to your local dial up service that provides no value add in content (and other junk the AOL client provides) is becoming less and less valid.
While techies moan about the client, it really does do a good job of getting newbs online. Not everyone wants to be a techie just to surf.
I have said it a thousand times before. AOL has the best access in the third world. I have been in the boonies of Africa and shock! been able to get a dial up into an AOL POP. Even in the civilized world, London, no problem. Ireland? Easy. It is amazing how much coverage they have around the world. | |
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SRFireside
join:2001-01-19
Houston, TX | Re: They aren't an ISP Then they should price their dialup service at $15/month. That would put them on par with other dialup ISP's that aren't content providers. The price is still high, but at least they are moving the right direction. | |
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dcsos
@avec-ubr14.nyr-
| AOL in JAPAN There are still providers charging by the minute in JAPAN..
AOL's unlimited access was revolutionary there! When travelling in 2000...
I was able to go to any machine and get my email online instantly,
even in a country where the computer buttons arent in ENGLISH!
If you threaten to walk, AOL will give you free modems, routers, etc..
If you know how to talk it up! Free months also..
But whoever said AOL isn't an ISP is actually right
as AOL now denys access to USENET..whats next ? restrictions on FTP ? | |
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Matt S
@emhril.ameritech | Re: AOL in JAPAN They don't deny access to USENET. They just pulled their proprietary USENET client within the AOL software. It hadn't seen upgrades in several years, so they scrapped it and just told everyone to use Google Groups. | |
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SulSeeker5
join:2003-03-20
Eugene, OR
| Forget paying for AOL Remember... If you want AOL, sign up for their introductory period, then after it's over, call customer service and tell them you want to cancel, they'll give you another mont free.
My Brother-in-law has had free internet for over a year and a half from doing this. I know it's AOL, I know it's dialup, but it's still free. | |
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captokita
Premium
join:2005-02-22
Calabash, NC
| Re: Forget paying for AOL I paid the BYOA last year 2 months, and had the rest free by calling and saying I didn't want it. So they kept giving me 2 months since I have been a member for 8 or so years now.
I would never use the 9.0 crapware that takes over. I use 8.0+ and that seems fine. It has pretty good kids controls, so that's a plus.
As long as they'll give it to me free, I'll use it. | |
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Dinston
@comcast.net | Pretty happy about that! I like their byoa, but I thought 14.95 was too much. At 9.95, I think its a great deal, happy to see the change. | |
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DiscardedVet
Premium
join:2005-04-06
Sturgis, SD
edit:
April 25th, @12:53PM
| No More AOL CD's Since the treasured AOL CD's in the mail were brought up in an earlier reply, I'll post this. These guys WANT your AOL CD's !!
There are shooting for 1mil CD's, then are going to dump them at AOL's door step.
I've sent a couple thousand. Including the arm-fulls of CD's that I will grab as I leave rtail stores. Hell one night I got a bit loopy, was at the store-front in truck waiting for wife - grabbed the whole damn display and thew it in the truck, heh.
Anyway, KEEP the CD's, and mail them to these guys.
Site founded in 2001, updated regularly [LU: Apr 2005].
»www.nomoreaolcds.com/
DV | |
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| SteveK
Premium
join:2001-11-12
Kensington, MD
·Verizon FIOS
| Just changed to $9.95 plan Thanks for posting this information. I called the 800 number shown and just changed from BYOA at $14.95 per month with 3 free dialup hours to $9.95 per month with 10 free dialup hours. The only problem is that dialup time over that limit will continue to be $2.99 per hour, not the $.99 cited in the web page.
This appears to be a very new offer. The person I spoke with had to do a lot of checking before she confirmed that this offer was available without a 6-month commitment to AOL.
Since my Comcast Internet still screws up at unpredictable times, I want backup dialup available. At $9.95 a month, this plan seems about as good as I can get. | |
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Steely
Dumped Comcast for FiOS
Premium
join:2000-10-15
Princeton Junction, NJ
| Re: Just changed to $9.95 plan said by SteveK :...dialup time over that limit will continue to be $2.99 per hour, not the $.99 cited in the web page. You sure about that? I communicated with an AOL billing rep this morning via an online session and he/she stated multiple times that dialup connect time over the 10-hour monthly allowance would be billable @ $0.99/hour. | |
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Dinston
@comcast.net | Re: Just changed to $9.95 plan Do you have to call or will it switch on its own to the new plan?
I better call to be sure | |
|
Shrapnel64
Premium
join:2001-01-24
Hayes, VA
·Verizon Online DSL
·Cox HSI
| Wow AT&T offers BYOA for $5/month which is what AOL should be offering. I figure that a $5/month savings is worth it however...anything is better than being charged double for 2 sources of internet access. I use the High-Speed internet, mother still uses AOL over the High-Speed internet because her business has had the same email address for 8 years. Too bad they don't just sell rights to the email box. | |
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Matt S
@emhril.ameritech | Re: Wow AT&T offering BYOA for $5 and AOL's BYOA are not comparable services. If AT&T could get away with charging $15/mo, they would. | |
|
Cyber2lz
join:2001-11-15
Odessa, FL
·Verizon FIOS
·RoadRunner Cable
| BBR said Quote from old BBR article,
"A few years ago we joked that the AOL ship "appears to be piloted by a retarded test monkey on barbituates
and not guided by any form of business savvy rationale."
The monkey has jumped overboard."
So what has changed ???
--
If you're not livin' on the edge, you're takin' up too much space ! | |
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|
See 6 replies to this post |
|
metaman
@verizon.n | AOL Bites AOL Sucks, always has. Who needs such a childish looking GUI anyway? lol.;)silly wabbit aol is for kids, with no internet savyness. | |
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AOL Drops Prices
·
Hmmmm...........