Dial‑up dies: AOL to retire shrill network.
When the 90s‑dial‑up dialed a new chapter
AOL’s final dial‑up shutdown will erase a decade of modem noises
The raucous beeps and squeals that once marked regular internet usage are set to disappear from thousands of American households when AOL terminates its dial‑up service on September 30.
Key milestones that shaped AOL’s journey
- AOL at the peak – In 2001 the company merged with Time Warner in a $162‑billion deal that represented the dot‑com bubble’s zenith.
- Re‑emergence and divestiture – The following years saw AOL split off, a 2015 sale to Verizon for only $4.4 billion, and a 2021 merger with Yahoo before it was sold to Apollo Global Management for $5 billion.
- Chat program end – AOL’s much‑loved AIM chat, launched in 1997, was discontinued in 2017 as early‑2000s teens shifted to newer platforms.
Dial‑up users are dwindling
CNBC reported that the count of dial‑up users dropped from roughly 2.1 million in 2015 to only a few thousand in 2021, a trend that underscores the widespread swap to faster ADSL and fibre‑optic lines over the decades.
What’s next for AOL?
AOL has not disclosed how many subscribers will be affected by the September shutoff, but the decision reflects a broader industry trend of phasing out legacy dial‑up connections in favor of faster, more reliable broadband options.
