AOL will officially discontinue its dial-up internet service on September 30, pulling the plug on an era that defined early internet access for millions of Americans.
The Yahoo-owned company announced the shutdown on its support website, stating: “AOL routinely evaluates its products and services and has decided to discontinue Dial-up Internet.” The termination includes the AOL Dialer software and AOL Shield browser, both of which were optimized for older operating systems.
While dial-up may seem like ancient history, the service retained a surprisingly persistent user base. As noted by The Verge, a 2019 US census estimated that 265,000 Americans were still relying on dial-up connections. Many of those were likely in rural areas where broadband infrastructure remains limited.
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