AOL will end its dial-up service after more than 30 years.

AOL will end its dial-up service after more than 30 years

Source: CNN Business | By Jordan Valinsky | August 11, 2025

AOL (America Online), the pioneering company that connected millions of Americans to the internet for the first time, announced it will discontinue its dial-up internet service on September 30, 2025 , ending more than three decades of history.

Background and History

• In the 1990s and early 2000s, AOL brought the Internet to American homes through dial-up services, making it a part of popular culture.
  • The classic notification tone "You've Got Mail" and the unique connection sound effects are deeply rooted in people's hearts.
  • It once attracted users by mailing a large number of free trial CDs.
• Even as broadband and mobile internet became mainstream, AOL continued to offer dial-up internet service.
  • According to the 2023 U.S. Census data , there are still about 160,000 people who use landline dial-up to access the Internet.

AOL's Current Situation

• AIM instant messaging was shut down in 2017.
• AOL itself has changed hands several times, including merging with Time Warner , CNN's former parent company, in one of the most famous failed mergers in history.
• It is currently owned by the private equity firm that also owns Yahoo .
• Officials said the change will not affect other products and services included in the user plan.

Cultural and industrial impact

• AOL dial-up Internet access was an important symbol of American Internet culture in the 1990s and was also the entry point for many people to first access the Internet.
• The end of this service marks the official end of the old generation of Internet access methods.