MySay
join:2008-04-08
Mansfield, TX
1 edit | "makes $2 billion a year"
Assuming "makes", in "makes $2 billion a year", they're actually talking about earnings / profits, and not total revenue.
Assuming they WERE talking total revenue, that'd be over 16,666,667 dial-up accounts they'd still have. It'd be even higher than this, suspecting the figures are actually earnings / profits (which it probably is).
Almost 17M (more than likely, much more) dial-up customers still use AOL? Why are we still conducting expensive studies and tests on broadband penetration figures for this country? We could simply be focusing on this ONE figure here, alone!
I know, that out of a total population of just over 300M... 17M is peanuts; however, once you factor in other probabilities (metropolitan areas account for nearly 65% of our total population, not everybody on dial-up uses AOL, etc.)... that number begins to tell a saddened story about our current broadband coverage. |
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EPS
join:2008-02-13
Hingham, MA
| The problem is, just because you use AOL doesn't mean you don't have any other option. In fact, I know people who refuse to cancel their dial-up accounts even though they DO have broadband because they're convinced, no matter what anyone says, that they'll lose their @aol.com e-mail address... And then you have people who have broadband available but stick with AOL because they've always used it or whatever. |
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nitzan
Premium,VIP
join:2008-02-27
 ·ViaTalk
 ·Comcast
| reply to MySay
You have to keep in mind two points:
1. Some people have broadband AND dialup (for when they travel, etc.) - although with in-room hotel internet being more and more prevalent this will probably fade away.
2. Some people will just not upgrade despite the option being there. They'd rather crawl dialup at $10/month than get on a semi-broadband connection for a few dollars more. I was a bit shocked the first time I visited such a house, but they do exist, and in a metro area too. |
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MySay
join:2008-04-08
Mansfield, TX
| True, I can't argue w/ you nor EPS on this valid point. However, although I could be wrong, I don't see this being an overwhelming possibility. There's those few that still do what you state, but I bet percentage wise... you could count them on one hand. |
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AnnaS8
join:2005-05-26
Annapolis, MD
| reply to nitzan
said by nitzan  :2. Some people will just not upgrade despite the option being there. They'd rather crawl dialup at $10/month than get on a semi-broadband connection for a few dollars more. I was a bit shocked the first time I visited such a house, but they do exist, and in a metro area too. Yeah my father is like that. He can have Comcast or FIOS but chooses to stick with dial up. I finally told him I am not going to fix his PC anymore if he doesn't get broadband so I can have remote access to his PC. With gas prices the way they are I can't do that 2 hour round trip just to click a few boxes. So he is getting FIOS next month.  |
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patcat88
join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY
| said by AnnaS8 :Yeah my father is like that. He can have Comcast or FIOS but chooses to stick with dial up. I finally told him I am not going to fix his PC anymore if he doesn't get broadband so I can have remote access to his PC. With gas prices the way they are I can't do that 2 hour round trip just to click a few boxes. So he is getting FIOS next month. VNC is usable at 64 color mode on dialup. Its not pretty or fast, but i've got the job done. |
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lvlorpheus
join:2008-02-17
Eureka Springs, AR
| reply to AnnaS8
Reminds me of how I made my mother learn to use a computer I built and gave to her. Any time she called to chat I made her get on roger wilco, or msn back then. Don't worry I am not putting my mother through that anymore. She does thank me now, and loves her computer. I am sure your father will be the same. |
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AnnaS8
join:2005-05-26
Annapolis, MD
| said by patcat88 :said by AnnaS8 :Yeah my father is like that. He can have Comcast or FIOS but chooses to stick with dial up. I finally told him I am not going to fix his PC anymore if he doesn't get broadband so I can have remote access to his PC. With gas prices the way they are I can't do that 2 hour round trip just to click a few boxes. So he is getting FIOS next month. VNC is usable at 64 color mode on dialup. Its not pretty or fast, but i've got the job done. Yeah at that speed it is a toss up as to which is more painful. The drive down there or the connection speed. LOL
said by lvlorpheus :Reminds me of how I made my mother learn to use a computer I built and gave to her. Any time she called to chat I made her get on roger wilco, or msn back then. Don't worry I am not putting my mother through that anymore. She does thank me now, and loves her computer. I am sure your father will be the same. Oh my dad took to the computer like a fish in water. His girlfriend has to fight with him for PC time. lol |
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lvlorpheus
join:2008-02-17
Eureka Springs, AR | Sounds like its time for a cheep second computer and a router. nothing like a nice easy fix. |
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AnnaS8
join:2005-05-26
Annapolis, MD | Yeah I told them once they got FIOS installed I would build them a second box and since FIOS comes with a router they are all set.  |
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