AOL's Price-Hike Gamble

AOL's Price-Hike Gamble
Will 19.5 million dial-up customers stick with AOL?
(old news - 10:37AM Friday Mar 03 2006)
tags: prices · business

The Motley Fool takes a closer look at AOL's decision to raise dial-up prices to match their broadband co-branded service ($25.95), in an effort to push its 19.5 million dial-up customers toward broadband. It's a big risk, as users in transition may start to finally wonder what exactly they needed AOL for.

"The problem is that once people taste high-speed online access -- and a Web browser becomes their new online Sherpa -- it's not long before the AOL welcome screen as a homepage is substituted with Google.com, CNN.com, or even Fool.com. At that point, the fat-margin advertising revenues that AOL has been using to cushion the blow from the dial-up defections will be harder to come by. AOL will become just another commodity provider with its access-providing service.

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Forums » AOL's Price-Hike Gamble


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SilenceGold Premium join:2003-07-31 Benton, AR	They are saying "Attention, all you stubborn AOLers..." Go and get broadband even if we don't offer any branded AOL options. Comcast and ATT will love to take those users in under their wings... I should buy some Netzero stocks and sell them in a month.
	permalink · 2006-03-03 10:21:28 ·

TKJunkMail
Enjoy the sun
Premium
join:2002-03-03
Avalon, NJ

·Sprint Mobile Broa..

·Comcast

Re: They are saying "Attention, all you stubborn AOLers..."

said by SilenceGold

:

Go and get broadband even if we don't offer any branded AOL options.

Comcast and ATT will love to take those users in under their wings...

I should buy some Netzero stocks and sell them in a month.

If aol is truly raising prices to drive away dial-up users and then hoping they will use an aol branded broadband associate, they may be making a huge mistake. aol may just annoy their long time customers enough to make them jump to broadband, but any broadband provider not tied to them. Maybe in the Charter & TW cable areas that may work, but in other areas they could be dead meat.
--
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permalink · 2006-03-03 10:25:59 · Print ·

nekote

join:2000-12-16
Hopkinton, MA

What does AOL offer, that keeps subs? Their email address?

I tried to elicit good answers, once before.

For their fairly high price point, what (proprietary) services / products does AOL have that keeps their subscribers / customers.

The inertia / headache of changing @aol.com email addresses?
(Which, AFAIK, AOL now gives away for free ("life"), even if for *NON* subscribers?)
--
Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all other forms of government. - Winston Churchill

permalink · 2006-03-03 16:35:33 ·

NyQuil Kid
8f The Nyquil Kid

join:2001-01-06
Brick, NJ

·Comcast

·Verizon Online DSL

Re: What does AOL offer, that keeps subs? Their email address?

Can I ask you a question about the AOL email address? My mom will be going to Comcast (that's another sad story) - she doesn't want to lose her AOL email address, so we figured we'd with the BYOB plan. Is there a way she can get rid of AOL completely _except_ the email address?

TIA

[8F] The NyQuil Kid
--
[8F] The NyQuil Kid comes into town not looking for trouble...n00bz gang up, but he ain't seein' double,...pulls and draws, his deagles two...n00bz litter the ground you know it's true.

permalink · 2006-03-03 18:39:06 · Print ·

unigamer

join:2005-06-01
Henderson, NV

Correction: The inertia / headache of changing @aol.com email addresses, which are some of the only ones I know of on the entire Interweb that use some alien protocol, that aren't free Webmail accounts.

And also, is it just me, or does it seem that 90% of all those stupid chain letters on the Net come from AOL? The ones "pass this on or get bad luck and go limp as a noodle in the sack forever, and have your **** fall off so you never get a date ever... blah" - *uses delete button... still has his luck, his ****, and his love.

permalink · 2006-03-03 20:43:10 · Print ·

severach join:2002-09-12 Jackson, MI	I think it will go over just fine. »www.watleyreview.com/2004/111604-3.html
	permalink · 2006-03-06 17:33:17 ·

amungus
Premium
join:2004-11-26
America
clubs:

$25 for dialup???

Who the heck could possibly want to pay that much money for a 56k (or less) connection???
Also, way back when my dad got suckered into aohell, nobody EVER used their 'channels' startup page, it was simply a connection and we used netscrape. There must still be a market for people who like to be spoonfed the internet, but most people actually prefer to choose (free thought, gasp!) what they want from the internet.

There's just no way to justify that price for dialup, I would rather have the basic 256kbps cable package than aol's dialup OR 'high speed' garden of happy Disney like internet world.

permalink · 2006-03-03 10:24:24 · Print ·

pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD

·Comcast

Re: $25 for dialup???

said by amungus

:

Who the heck could possibly want to pay that much money for a 56k (or less) connection???

There are lots of people who still rent their phones from the local telegraph company and pay for the most expensive basic long distance rates too. I am sure that AOL has no problems finding all of the suckers who don't want to make the switch and milking them for all they got.
--
Rove / Rumsfeld 2008!

permalink · 2006-03-03 10:27:32 · Print ·

Jim Gurd
Premium
join:2000-07-08
Plymouth, MI

·Comcast

Re: $25 for dialup???

said by pnh102

:

There are lots of people who still rent their phones from the local telegraph company and pay for the most expensive basic long distance rates too. I am sure that AOL has no problems finding all of the suckers who don't want to make the switch and milking them for all they got.

The thing is that there aren't that many of them. This is stupid on AOL's part. There are some people who can't get broadband and all this will do is drive them to switch to another cheaper dialup provider. They're slitting their own throats with this move.

permalink · 2006-03-03 10:36:31 · Print ·

pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD

·Comcast

Re: $25 for dialup???

said by Jim Gurd

:

They're slitting their own throats with this move.

Which isn't an entirely bad thing for the rest of us

But seriously... you would think that when they were rolling in the dough (esp. when they spent $1 billion on advertising one year) that someone would have thought to have invested that money into building their own broadband network.

That kind of cash could have paid for a lot of rural broadband internet connections... AOL would have had a lock on that market just as the cable and telegraph companies were starting to get in on the broadband racket.
--
Rove / Rumsfeld 2008!

permalink · 2006-03-03 10:59:51 · Print ·

unigamer

join:2005-06-01
Henderson, NV

Re: $25 for dialup???

This could be a bad thing for the Internet at large.

On the one hand, I can see why it'd be good for these people, to cut the "umbilical cord..."

...but on the other hand...

Just try to imagine the possibility of millions more potential broadband zombie PCs on the Net.

I'm willing to bet that at least in the beginning, that the chances of these people knowing what they're doing is zip. It'll be heaven for script kiddies and crackers.

"Welcome to my new 1337 P4 spam spewer! 10,000,000X! That'll be $50 (US) for ten zillion emails, Mr. Spammer."

"I'll pay you for $5,000 worth..."

permalink · 2006-03-03 13:36:13 · Print ·

guitarzan
Premium
join:2004-05-04
Skytop, PA

·epix

Re: $25 for dialup???

That maybe true at first Unigamer,Ultimately I hope this has the desired effect of people taking responsibility for security of their PC and not leave it up to/or having a false sense of security that AOL offers.Those AOL users do not need to be very techie or geeky to properly secure their own PC,

Nor do they need A+ certs.However If one is really interested in properly securing a PC.Then one need look no further than DSL REPORTS.The wealth of knowledge and experience on this site, is not only all encompassing, It's in terms first time PC users can put to good use.

IMO there is no other site like this on the web and there is no close second.If one does not want to end up with an pwned and zombied PC, those AOL users should come here and learn to take baby steps, before they can walk away with meaningful knowledge of PC security.
--
Bass....the glue of rhythm and harmony...the heartbeat of the band.! Shaking the earth with deep,sonorous vibrations.The dark ominous thunder of an approching storm.

permalink · 2006-03-03 15:11:19 · Print ·

unigamer

join:2005-06-01
Henderson, NV

Re: $25 for dialup???

This is very true... It seems like a lot of the security packages around nowadays do half the job for you. Heck, some are free.

It can't hurt to have a router between the Net and your PC though - at first, I'd recommend this even for people that have only one PC (it's somewhat [although not perfectly] fail-safe; I've seen software firewalls get turned off for many, and sometimes seemingly random, causes. This'll keep someone from becoming part of the 30sec-10min statistic).

However, I've noticed that with some people, teaching them about port forwarding is like pulling teeth - if I had a quarter for every time a friend, family member, acquainance, etc. wanted/needed computer help, I'd be sailing on some yacht somewhere...

A footnote: I learned pretty much all I knew before I ever learned about this site... but, if they came here, it could save them all the spidering around I had to do...

permalink · 2006-03-03 20:24:26 · Print ·

djrobx

join:2000-05-31
Valencia, CA

·PHONE POWER

You seriously underestimate how much non-technical people hate change. I know soooo many people who pay for broadband plus full AOL dialup (not realizing they can pay less with BYOB). These people have complained about the high price of broadband, but have no problem dishing another $25 to AOL every month.

Besides, all these users are going to have to do is call AOL to cancel, and AOL will offer them some sort of sweetheart deal to keep them going.
--
\\ROB - a part of the SCB local network

permalink · 2006-03-03 11:04:53 · Print ·

Quint
I Need A Bigger Boat

join:2003-03-04

Re: $25 for dialup???

said by djrobx

:

You seriously underestimate how much non-technical people hate change. I know soooo many people who pay for broadband plus full AOL dialup (not realizing they can pay less with BYOB). These people have complained about the high price of broadband, but have no problem dishing another $25 to AOL every month.

Besides, all these users are going to have to do is call AOL to cancel, and AOL will offer them some sort of sweetheart deal to keep them going.

Not much of a model for growing the business. As the world becomes ever more computer literate, the "don't want to change" group is aging and pretty much not being replaced.

AOL may be able to keep a large number of their existing non-techie base even with this rate increase but they're not going to attract many new customers.

AOL appears to be adopting a business strategy that will guarantee failure sometime in the not too distant future.

I've orchestrated the move of several older relatives from AOL to NetZero and after an hour of initial trepidation none of them even noticed the difference (except the price:))
--
Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscripti catapultas habebunt!

permalink · 2006-03-03 15:40:12 · Print ·

chakey Premium join:2004-06-14 Gladstone, NJ clubs: ·Verizon FIOS	Re: $25 for dialup??? Sweatheart deal? It goes more like this: AOL User: "I'd like to cancel my subscription to AOL" 5 minutes and many "no's" later.... AOL User: "I'd still like to cancel my subscription to AOL" 5 minutes later: AOL User: "CANCEL MY SERVICE!!!!!" 5 minutes later: AOL User: "OK! FINE! I'll take the extra free month--can I get off the phone now???"
	permalink · 2006-03-04 19:32:14 ·

Quint
I Need A Bigger Boat

join:2003-03-04

Re: $25 for dialup???

said by chakey

:

Sweatheart deal? It goes more like this:

AOL User: "I'd like to cancel my subscription to AOL"
5 minutes and many "no's" later....
AOL User: "I'd still like to cancel my subscription to AOL"
5 minutes later:
AOL User: "CANCEL MY SERVICE!!!!!"
5 minutes later:
AOL User: "OK! FINE! I'll take the extra free month--can I get off the phone now???"

Only for wusses who are afraid of hurting a telemarketers feelings. If you're serious, you cut them off at the beginning of the first sales pitch and TELL them to cancel and that you also are recording the call. Then hang up.
--
Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscripti catapultas habebunt!

permalink · 2006-03-05 16:49:05 · Print ·

guitarzan
Premium
join:2004-05-04
Skytop, PA

·epix

said by Jim Gurd

:

The thing is that there aren't that many of them. This is stupid on AOL's part. There are some people who can't get broadband and all this will do is drive them to switch to another cheaper dialup provider. They're slitting their own throats with this move.

One can only hope this price increase will finally cut the umbilical cord for good.I have heard an expression * give (insert name here) * enough rope they will hang themselves.Now it looks as if AOL not only have the rope, but they found a tall tree and are in the process of leaping from its upper branches.Nice move AOHELL enjoy the ride down.

Raising rates to push its users in a certain direction,will move people in the opposite direction.Watch their stock and profit sink now.Someone posted users will move to cheaper options and probably taking friends along with them.AOL open mouth insert foot

--
Bass....the glue of rhythm and harmony...the heartbeat of the band.! Shaking the earth with deep,sonorous vibrations.The dark ominous thunder of an approching storm.

permalink · 2006-03-03 11:23:43 · Print ·

Jim Gurd Premium join:2000-07-08 Plymouth, MI ·Comcast	Re: $25 for dialup??? said by guitarzan : AOL open mouth insert foot It's more like "Open ass, insert head".:D:D:D
	permalink · 2006-03-03 13:13:15 ·

Hilton Head

join:2000-11-04
Miamisburg, OH

DSL and Cable Broadband war

AOL is part of Time Warner and I think they are trying to get their Dial Up customers to drop Telephone company and switch over to Time Warner Cable service for they says "Better Deals". I do not believe they are being honest. Once the customer drop the telephone service, they loose great value with telephone service such as SBC DSL for $18 a month or less. Time Warner offer same speed for lot higher price. I suggest customers to think carefully and find out if their DSL service is available in their area so they can decide which price is better.
I think AOL and Time Warner are very pricey. DSL service and telephone Service are reasonable except for long distance. I never use long distance service, but I use Relay service to call long distance free (over internet).
I save lots of money using telephone service then Time Warner service (AOL).

permalink · 2006-03-03 12:26:22 · Print ·

ebiebi

join:2003-08-13
Albuquerque, NM

2 edits

I think that any price increase in AOL dialup will be too much at this point. I think AOL will hit the pain threshold for millions of their subs now. I predict that this will have such a negative impact on their business that they will not only have to reverse this decision, but will also have to reduce their dialup prices even further then they were before this stupid move. 26 dollars for dialup is unbelievable. I expect there will be millions of their subs that won't be able to do any kind of AOL branded broadband. I know in my area, Qwest is the only DSL option and that won't be an option for AOL. All AOL subs in Albuquerque will see is 26 dollar dialup.. These guys are nuts.

permalink · 2006-03-03 10:35:27 · Print ·

dslwanter Why would I want DSL? I have FTTH Premium join:2002-12-16 Lowellville, OH ·Armstrong Zoom In.. ·AT&T Midwest	DSL is down to $12.95 a month. Yes not everyone can get DSL and through AT&T for that matter. But I wouldn't pay more than $10 a month for dial-up if it was my only option. Anyone who chooses to stick with AOL at that price may as well bend over for them as well. -- "Whatsoever you do to the least of my people, that you do onto me!" Check out my internet radio station: »www.thebomb102.com
	permalink · 2006-03-03 11:11:08 ·

R4M0N Brazilian Soccer Ownz Joo join:2000-10-04 Glen Allen, VA	That's the reason AOL is in the dumps How does that logic work? Instead of giving incentives for people to move into broadband, they penalize the customers they already have!
	permalink · 2006-03-03 10:29:46 ·

orion940
Paralyzed By Confusion
Premium
join:2001-12-23
Windsor, CT

·AT&T Yahoo

Re: That's the reason AOL is in the dumps

said by R4M0N

:

How does that logic work? Instead of giving incentives for people to move into broadband, they penalize the customers they already have!

It's a technology/concept who's time has passed. Content there is now ho-hum, and with a gazillion other branded portals available, why pay so much for an internet experience?

O.
--
Coming soon, new avitar

permalink · 2006-03-03 10:45:19 · Print ·

needforspeed59 Cruise Ship Just Passing Through join:2001-05-02 Glendale, AZ	Broadband Black Hole Peeps Are Screwed... If you live in an area where there is no broadband, what are you gonna do? Probably leave AOL for a $9.95 service, that's what. I guess AOL can try and sell them Netscape $9.95 service when they call in to dump AOL. So, instead of getting acouple bucks more, they loose about $15! -- Of all the people I know... you're one of them.
	permalink · 2006-03-03 10:34:37 ·

Jafo232 You Can't Spell Democrat Without Rat. Premium join:2002-10-17 Boonville, NY ·RoadRunner Cable	Re: Broadband Black Hole Peeps Are Screwed... I agree, dumb move. They should target this price hike to users who have the option of upgrading to broadband. Users in areas where it isn't possible should keep the old pricing structure or they are gonna lose on this one. -- POLITICAL FIGHTS!
	permalink · 2006-03-03 10:48:38 ·

Rob A Same Old Jets Premium join:2005-01-17 Pompton Plains, NJ	Just Crazy It will never work, 26 bucks a month for dialup is just crazy, you can get dialup for as low as 5 bucks a month now. »all2ez.net/ They are doing this to get people on broadband, well what if the area they live in doesn't support dsl or cable? AOL will never learn. -- Spread Opera! The fast, sleek, and feature-rich browser! »opera.com
	permalink · 2006-03-03 10:50:02 ·

netdogg3 join:2003-02-27 Staten Island, NY	AOL-NO I would think that anyone that wanted AOl broadband would already have it.I feel their dial-up service is already over the top and to jack that price up to $26.00 is a big risk with companies like Verizon charging $15.00 for basic DSL (which I use and love).
	permalink · 2006-03-03 10:50:32 ·

Subaru 1-3-2-4 Premium join:2001-05-31 Greenwich, CT clubs:	Why Are they still using the old logo?
	permalink · 2006-03-03 11:10:58 ·

guitarzan
Premium
join:2004-05-04
Skytop, PA

·epix

Re: Why

IMO AOL is just using this as an excuse to raise dial up fees nothing more.AOL is not known as an honest company in the past, just ask former subscribers pertaining to billing issues.Why would one trust what, AOL gives as a reason for a price increase now.?
--
Bass....the glue of rhythm and harmony...the heartbeat of the band.! Shaking the earth with deep,sonorous vibrations.The dark ominous thunder of an approching storm.

permalink · 2006-03-03 11:35:42 ·

Subaru 1-3-2-4 Premium join:2001-05-31 Greenwich, CT clubs:	my aunt has the BYOS plan, but AOL is crap.. Bloated software.. I would never go back.
	permalink · 2006-03-03 12:06:41 ·

unigamer join:2005-06-01 Henderson, NV	Re: Why my aunt has the BYOS plan, but AOL is crap.. Bloated software.. I would never go back. Bring Your Own Stretcher plan?
	permalink · 2006-03-03 13:48:21 ·

Subaru 1-3-2-4 Premium join:2001-05-31 Greenwich, CT clubs: ·Packet8	Re: Why said by unigamer : my aunt has the BYOS plan, but AOL is crap.. Bloated software.. I would never go back. Bring Your Own Stretcher plan? LOL -- It's NOT Ni-kon It's NE-KON! "Life is like a dogsled team. If you aren't the lead dog, the scenery never changes"
	permalink · 2006-03-03 22:22:46 · Print ·

clickwir join:2001-06-21 Dickson City, PA	Sherpa? WTF is a sherpa?
	permalink · 2006-03-03 11:20:33 ·

nightshade74 Yet another genxer Premium join:2004-11-06 Prattville, AL ·Knology	Re: Sherpa? said by clickwir : WTF is a sherpa? »www.answers.com/main/ntquery?s=sherpa&gwp=13
	permalink · 2006-03-03 11:30:19 ·

Transmaster
Don't Blame Me I Voted For Bill and Opus

join:2001-06-20
Cheyenne, WY

·Qwest.net

Sh*t for Brains

Dam, AOL you must be down to 2 brain cells

I know I have used this before but it sure fits.

permalink · 2006-03-03 12:08:35 ·

majortom1981 join:2004-08-26 Lindenhurst, NY	hmmm The only thing that i used aol for back in the day was for there chat rooms. Now that I have ool (maybe fios when it comes in the future) I dont need aol. My parents and sister still use it. I keep trying to tell them they could just pay like 3 dollars and keep there email addreses and get rid of aol all together but they don't listen.
	permalink · 2006-03-03 12:05:21 ·

Rob
In Deo speramus, God Bless the USA
Premium
join:2001-08-25
Kendall, FL

·Comcast

1 edit

Maybe this is what we need..

Maybe AOL will be our savior and actually push more users to broadband and will make broadband a bigger priority in our country. Hell, we certainly COULD use 19.5 Million more broadband subscribers this year and maybe AOL can do that.. let's hope.

Thankfully I have BellSouth ADSL so I get a free dialup account. Though I still have AOL's BYOA at 7.95/mo. (family loves that chat features) and I still use it to chat in a certain chatroom that I've been visiting for 11 years now.

permalink · 2006-03-03 13:06:34 ·

Tzale
Proud Libertarian Conservative
Premium
join:2004-01-06
Sweden

·Verizon FIOS

·Optimum Online

AOHELL

In an age where AOL should be LOWERING their prices, they are RAISING them! People are leaving AOL in flocks. The only people left behind are people who don't know any internet outside of AOL. People should switch to a free dialup provider, or if possible move over to broadband. Broadband can be found cheap (at least DSL, CHEAPER than AOL)...

I admit, there are some people who SHOULD be on AOL. It makes it easy for some people. But for most, AOL is nothing more than a short crutch for people with long bodies.

-Tzale
--
-Proud Straight White Man-

permalink · 2006-03-03 16:22:11 · Print ·

See 6 replies to this post

Mincst @comcast.net	Broadband for 29 Bucks?? I don't get how they can offer broadband for $29 bucks, and that isn't BYOA (which they charge 10 for). If they offer that at $29, then more power to them as that is cheap broadband access! (Way cheaper then I currently pay). I can see why they are raising dialup as it makes sense for anyone on dialup to convert over at that price.
	permalink · 2006-03-03 17:01:07 ·

netdogg3 join:2003-02-27 Staten Island, NY	AOL's Price-Hike Gamble I would NEVER claim to understand High Finance but even as a blue collar guy I can see this may turn out bad for AOL.
	permalink · 2006-03-03 17:26:22 ·

cb90068

join:2005-02-10
Los Angeles, CA

1 edit

Re: AOL's Price-Hike Gamble

Hmm...

$25 for AOL Dialup or DSL

$12.99-16.99 with SBC DSL/DSLExtreme, etc

Which one will I go to if given the choice? *scratches head*

Why are people still with AOL now as it is???? Even if you WANT dialup still... at $23.90 now before the proposed suicidal price hike, it's more than any other dialup provider.. and many DSL providers.

No wonder 6 million people dropped these fools in the last couple years.

Another thing that AOL tries to do...is keep people paying them for something they already have.. their ridiculous Bring Your Own Access Plan... What.. just to keep your lame @aol.com email address?

AOL is doomed.

permalink · 2006-03-03 17:58:57 · Print ·

AlexNYC join:2001-06-02 Edwards, CO	Why in the world ... Why in the world is ANYONE on Broadband Reports worrying about AOL's dial-up customers? I thought they were like the Loch Ness monster, everyone has heard of them, but no one has seen one alive? If someone is dumb enough to have AOL dial-up in this day and age I truly don't care if AOL screws them. They deserve it!!!:p
	permalink · 2006-03-03 17:46:50 ·

Some No Choices @comcast.net	Re: Why in the world ... Hey Mr.Know it All, believe it or not, some US Cities do not have BB access. So, what exactly do you give to these folks who use AOL exclusively for their internet?
	permalink · 2006-03-03 22:30:19 ·

AlexNYC join:2001-06-02 Edwards, CO	Re: Why in the world ... I know some have no BB options, but there's always other options when it comes to dial-up internet access. AOL is just for lamers BB or Dial-Up.
	permalink · 2006-03-06 10:50:00 ·

KinsG @aol.com	Broadband is cheap through them now AOL offers nearly the same price now for broadband as dialup, so why use dialup. (They have a very cheap broadband offering now, and its not BYOA... not sure how they managed to offer that so cheap but I will take it when it comes to my area, I remember when they used to offer broadband for 60 and now its under 30)
	permalink · 2006-03-03 17:54:38 ·

nowshining

join:2005-08-22
Bakersfield, CA

ummm...

AOL still calls me on the phone trying to get back on there program and I mean in PERSON no bot, nothing..i usually just hang up...

They did however charge me 100 bucks or tried to after 6months after i canceled using a debit card, i was assured i would be cancelled, well last time i cancelled i read before on the net to not answer their cancel email nor sign on the account and it was tempting, so i didn't and this time they called me confirming my cancel from an AMERICAN...

permalink · 2006-03-03 18:32:30 · Print ·

unigamer

join:2005-06-01
Henderson, NV

Re: ummm...

They should make a parody of AOL's phone calls - some guy begging for a customer to re-join:

"Are you sure you never reconsidered joining? We have the largest user community on the Net as of 5 years ago, and the most expensive dial-up slow-arse connections this side of the Earth!"

"Nah... I'm sick of paying $25 bucks a month when I can get something way faster for just another ten or so."

"But, sir, if you don't rejoin, I won't make my idiot re-catching quota... and I will be punished severely in the Master's dungeon of horrors!"

"You're full of horses***."

"I'm not lying, I swear! Please, PLEASE come back!"

(Line goes dead)

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

permalink · 2006-03-03 20:54:20 · Print ·

bobny1 join:2004-09-10 Bronx, NY 1 edit	They have no choice.... People are not stupid anymore!. Who is going to pay so much money to sit in front of a computer for 40 minutes just trying to open a web page. They have to do something to stop the customer from leaving like flees on a dieing dog.
	permalink · 2006-03-03 19:08:52 ·

VikingStorm join:2002-06-25 Omaha, NE	Re: They have no choice.... Unless there has been some miracle in the last couple seconds, people are unfortunately still stupid.
	permalink · 2006-03-03 19:23:08 ·

bobny1 join:2004-09-10 Bronx, NY	Re: They have no choice.... I have to agree!. Still in the millions!. Unbelievable!
	permalink · 2006-03-03 20:21:34 ·

unigamer

join:2005-06-01
Henderson, NV

I wonder how many people are sitting around, trying to use AOL with some old 9600 baud modem or something.

They drink half of Brazil's supply of coffee, are ready to jump for joy when something comes through...

And then their "precious" 486/25 running Windows 95 (yes - it is possible) shows a blue screen.

It just couldn't take all those banners.

A note of reminiscience: I can remember when I first saw broadband - at least on a decent computer. The first machine I saw it on was a POS, so his 512Kb cable modem wasn't so impressive. But when my friend who had a reasonable machine got it (it was 1.5Mb/s by then) - damn. It was like watching a tricycle race a Ferrari.

permalink · 2006-03-03 20:31:33 · Print ·

aolsucksballs @verizon.ne	Re: They have no choice.... sounds to me like aol is going down hill and their doing everything they can to hold up their stock. not smart at all now if they did a premotion such as. "try aol broadband for 1 month and get 2 free months of Dial UP just for trying it!" would be a much better conversion strategy; ofcourse with the usual bs aol massive spam advertising (if they can afford it lol)
	permalink · 2006-03-05 03:26:34 ·

stersource

join:2006-02-19
Sacramento, CA

·America Online

AOL is GREAT!!! Free antivrus and a known name

for those who dislike AOL, get a life. It works GREAT for me and a lot of other people.
Go get netzero and the other "cheap" services and then pay extra for anti spam and anti virus.
AOL gives these to you!!
And their email system is GREAT not like the outlook trash which is real piece of CRAP!!!!
You even have your choice of formatting replies: bars, >>> or NOTHING which is what I use.
Motley fool is not very smart.

permalink · 2006-03-06 03:14:14 ·

your comment..

Forums » AOL's Price-Hike Gamble


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They are saying "Attention, all you stubborn AOLers..."

Re: They are saying "Attention, all you stubborn AOLers..."

What does AOL offer, that keeps subs? Their email address?

Re: What does AOL offer, that keeps subs? Their email address?

$25 for dialup???

Re: $25 for dialup???

Re: $25 for dialup???

Re: $25 for dialup???

Re: $25 for dialup???

Re: $25 for dialup???

Re: $25 for dialup???

Re: $25 for dialup???

Re: $25 for dialup???

Re: $25 for dialup???

Re: $25 for dialup???

DSL and Cable Broadband war

That's the reason AOL is in the dumps

Re: That's the reason AOL is in the dumps

Broadband Black Hole Peeps Are Screwed...

Re: Broadband Black Hole Peeps Are Screwed...

Just Crazy

AOL-NO

Why

Re: Why

Re: Why

Re: Why

Sherpa?

Re: Sherpa?

Sh*t for Brains

hmmm

Maybe this is what we need..

AOHELL

Broadband for 29 Bucks??

Re: AOL's Price-Hike Gamble

Why in the world ...

Re: Why in the world ...

Re: Why in the world ...

Broadband is cheap through them now

ummm...

Re: ummm...

They have no choice....

Re: They have no choice....

Re: They have no choice....

Re: They have no choice....

AOL is GREAT!!! Free antivrus and a known name