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Top ISPs by Subscriber Count
AOL, though bleeding, still leads with 18.6 million
(old news - 02:40PM Thursday Jun 15 2006)
ISP Planet offers up their latest calculations on the nation's largest ISPs, based on first quarter numbers. AOL still holds the lead with 18.6 million subscribers, followed by Comcast (9 million), AT&T (7.4 million), Verizon (5.7 million), and Roadrunner (5.4 million). "We estimate that the market share of the top ten ISPs is about 64 percent (and we list Time Warner twice in the top five)," notes ISP Planet's Alex Goldman.

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CapinPete
Premium
join:2002-12-23
Loxahatchee, FL

Die already!!!

Do I need to say more?

mrchris
We don't miss you Bush
Premium
join:2002-10-01
North Babylon, NY

Re: Die already!!!

18 million? Didn't they have like 20 million last year?

Jason Levine
Premium
join:2001-07-13
USA


1 edit

Re: Die already!!!

21.7 million ( »www.isp-planet.com/research/rank···005.html ). They also dropped from a 23.3% market share to a 20.1% market share. That's 3.1 million subscribers lost per year and 3.2% market share lost.

And if you look at their first quarter 2004 numbers ( »www.isp-planet.com/research/rank···004.html ), they've lost 5.4 million subscribers and 6% market share in the past 2 years.
--
-Jason Levine
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mrchris
We don't miss you Bush
Premium
join:2002-10-01
North Babylon, NY

Re: Die already!!!

Good riddance.

artulo
Fish Hook Guy

join:2003-07-11
Madison, WI

Subcriber Counts

I wonder how many of AOL's subscribers are those who actually use the dialup/broadband portion of their service versus the number who just have the ability to access the special AOL stuff?

JTRockville
Data Ho
Premium,MVM
join:2002-01-28
Rockville, MD
clubs:

Who thinks bigger is better?

I don't!

My provider is quite small, but very responsive. Suits me fine.

Camelot One
Premium,MVM
join:2001-11-21
Sarasota, FL
clubs:

Re: Who thinks bigger is better?

The best service I've ever had from a company was Tampa Bay DSL. I doubt they have more than a few thousand users, and I think that helps them pay attention to those they have.

The flip side would be the beast with 18 million customers.......
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GOLFnSUN
Enjoy the sun
Premium
join:2002-03-03
Avalon, NJ
·Sprint Mobile Broa..
·Comcast


2 edits
said by JTRockville See Profile :

I don't!

My provider is quite small, but very responsive. Suits me fine.

For purposes of valid comparison, it should be noted that you are using a T1 link(which is a business supported service).

»Review of Air Net Link by JTRockville

Didn't "Air Net Link" go out of business??
Who took over the T1 from them - MidAtlanticBroadband??
»www.midatlanticbb.com/custom.asp?c=6

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oliphant
I Have 8 Boobies
Premium
join:2004-11-26
Corona, CA

Re: Who thinks bigger is better?

$450...they better be nice. I'm more hip to the $15-$30 be treated like crap plan myself.

JTRockville
Data Ho
Premium,MVM
join:2002-01-28
Rockville, MD
clubs:

Re: Who thinks bigger is better?

They're worth every penny of the $450.

JTRockville
Data Ho
Premium,MVM
join:2002-01-28
Rockville, MD
clubs:
Yes, my provider now is MidAtlanticBroadband. I was very sad to see Air Net Link go, but MidAtlanticBroadband has been every bit as good.

Rick
Premium,MVM
join:2001-02-06
Waterbury, CT
clubs:

Do you realize....

and I want you to think carefully about this...

that if you were to take AT&T (7.4 million), Verizon (5.7 million), and Roadrunner (5.4 million)....and combine all of these companies Broadband subs..that you would STILL be less than the subs that AOL still has?

18.5 vs 18.6 million.

What is it about AOL that the biggest revolution in technology that the world has probably ever seen has not managed to unseat this company?

They seem to have more power to retain their subs than a black hole has in preventing even light to escape.

Here we are, almost a decade since the first HSI providers started arriving on the scene, and there they are..still seemingly going strong despite some setbacks obviously.

What is it about them?

Is it their content? Email? News? Screen names? Chat?
All in one kind of functionality? Bring your own access that has people just using them for content? People still just loving the sounds of modems dialing in?

I want you to understand something...because I saw it with my own eyes happen in my own family.
My cousin..a mature..smart..professional woman.

She had TW RR...and cancelled it to go back to AOL dialup after just about 3 months time.

Cancelled her RR to go back to dialup.

"I liked AOL".

"I didn't really need those speeds anyway".

"It's what I'm used to".

Those are the reasons she cited.

And the last aol dialup price increase? Didn't phase her a bit.
"It's worth it" she says.

Listen, I'm not putting them down..AOL that is.
I had them for years and in fact, am back with them myself because I got a free 6 months with a recent pc purchase.

I probably won't continue with them after that unless i can convince someone who answers the phone to give me byoa at no more than 9 bucks a month..or less.

That's what I think it's worth to me..and not the 15.00 they want.

AOL is like the koolaide was to the Reverend Jim Jones congregation I guess.

Except they've grown immune to the toxins and now just drink it everyday because they're thirsty for more.



~RRR
--
The life you help save just might be your own Team Discovery

BillTager

join:2000-09-20
Charlotte, NC

Re: Do you realize....

It's also location.

AOL is available EVERYWHERE.

Comcast, SBC, and Verizon are regional providers.
--
Formerly DSLWho
JoeGee

join:2002-01-28
El Paso, TX
...have you every tried to quit AOL? You are on hold for hours sometime. Thats how they keep their numbers up...

Joe in El Paso

Argies

@comcast.net

Personally I think their email is far and away the best, not only spam filtering but just the interface. It's the main reason I use it.
Their content is good and so is there stock and money pages, but you can also get that from the aol.com site even if you aren't a member. Their IM is still the best imo, but you can use AIM of course.

Jeffrey
too dark too early
Premium
join:2002-12-24
Dix Hills,NY
clubs:
·Optimum Online
·Verizon FIOS
·Vonage
·magicjack.com

AOL's Customer Retention Strategy

AOL has the most subscribers because they make it all but impossible to actually cancel your account. What a customer-retention policy they have.

»A guy tries to cancel his AOL account, it isn't that easy.

oliphant
I Have 8 Boobies
Premium
join:2004-11-26
Corona, CA

Re: AOL's Customer Retention Strategy

Didn't they get fined by NY State over that stuff?

Jeffrey
too dark too early
Premium
join:2002-12-24
Dix Hills,NY
clubs:
·Optimum Online
·Verizon FIOS
·Vonage
·magicjack.com

Re: AOL's Customer Retention Strategy

said by oliphant See Profile :

Didn't they get fined by NY State over that stuff?
I remember something about it, but I'm not positive. I'd have to go research a bit.
khetting

join:2001-07-20
Columbus, OH

Cool

My ISP is the third largest in the world. I hope AOL get's bought out some day and lose all their customers!

oliphant
I Have 8 Boobies
Premium
join:2004-11-26
Corona, CA

Re: Cool

Let them keep their DU subs...just that many less people on the services the rest of us use.
bchris02

join:2006-05-25

AOL and age

I wonder if you broke it down by age demographics, how many of those AOL users would fall into the over 50 crowd.

Most older people I deal with choose AOL because either they don't know broadband exists or they heard of it but are afraid to try something new.
timex18

join:2002-10-14
Davis, CA
·AT&T U-Verse
·AT&T DSL Service

Don't like AOL? Don't use them.

Yes, it's popular to hate on AOL. I only keep them for my email address because I have had it for 12 years. The biggest plus is I don't get any spam. I average ~30 emails a day from different mailing lists, friends, etc and I maybe get 1 spam email every 2-3 months.
Compare that to some of my other email addys I keep and the amount of spam that gets through and it's worth the $15 a month for me. Unless you pay for their service, why do you care if AOL is still there?
I don't like comcast, but rather than call for their death, I don't buy their services.

Jeffrey
too dark too early
Premium
join:2002-12-24
Dix Hills,NY
clubs:
·Optimum Online
·Verizon FIOS
·Vonage
·magicjack.com

Re: Don't like AOL? Don't use them.

said by timex18 See Profile :

Yes, it's popular to hate on AOL. I only keep them for my email address because I have had it for 12 years. The biggest plus is I don't get any spam. I average ~30 emails a day from different mailing lists, friends, etc and I maybe get 1 spam email every 2-3 months.
Compare that to some of my other email addys I keep and the amount of spam that gets through and it's worth the $15 a month for me. Unless you pay for their service, why do you care if AOL is still there?
I don't like comcast, but rather than call for their death, I don't buy their services.
Oh, I don't care if AOL is there. In fact, I'd like them to stay around, as any competition is good competition. Some of their exclusive content - music and so forth - was very good.

I'm just saying that the way the handle subscribers that want to leave is rather absurd.

skullz5

join:2002-06-17
Clementon, NJ


2 edits

Re: Don't like AOL? Don't use them.

Surprise, surprise someone mentioned AOL and all the DIE AOL people got a new thread to ruin, why is it everytime someone mentions AOL that all these negative comments come out. So what if you dont like AOL, great no one is asking you too why turn every board that mentions AOL into a big bash session, GEESH.. its old already get over it! AOL had its day and some people still like it, I personally dont care for it now especially since all the premium stuff is now free. But why keep bashing them all the bashing in the world isnt going to kill them so get over it..
vinnie97

join:2003-12-05
Mesquite, TX

Re: Don't like AOL? Don't use them.

It's wishful thinking combined with disgust with which I can also relate...though I understand how fruitless it is.

Twc Mpl-E

@rr.com

Its funny how noone likes to pay hommage to innovators like AOL,believe or not they are innovators and at one time,especially 12-13 years ago,if you were online,most likely you used AOL,and it was fine then.Typical spoiled brats,screaming Die AOL!.In the beginning,it was you're only way to access the web.Us americans have a really big problem turning on someone/or something we praised.If you don't like AOL,don't use it.Old people use it because they feel safer browsing,don't knock a company for making money off someone that uses their product Verizon does, TWC does.

printscreen

join:2003-11-01
Juana Diaz, PR
·Coqui/PRTC

Re: Don't like AOL? Don't use them.

12-13 years ago there was Compuserve, Delphi, GEnie and by then many local ISPs were starting to spring around. There were already alternatives to be online. AOL was not the first to offer Internet access as part of their offerings neither was it the best in town. They only had better marketing (remember the ubiquitous AOL floppy disks and CDs?) and a user interface that was easier to use than the text-bases interface most online services were still stuck. They trully innovated in that sense. I was already online at the time and AOL has always been subject to bashing from AOL haters for different reasons. The first versions of their software incorporating Internet access were infamous for breaking your connectivity if you happened have use a regular ISP becuase it messed with the winsock configuration used by the other providers.

dadkins
Can you do Blu?
Premium,MVM
join:2003-09-26
Hercules, CA
·Comcast


1 edit
I hate to tell you this friend... I have an AOL/AIM email account and I have never installed their crap software and never paid them a cent!

Didn't you hear? Most of AOL is free now!
Not that I really see a need to use anything from AOL, but I *DO* have the email and can use the majority of AOL for FREE!
You're still paying?
--
Think outside the Fox... Opera
vinnie97

join:2003-12-05
Mesquite, TX

1 edit

etc

ignore this.

AnnaS8

join:2005-05-26
Annapolis, MD

Bottom line...

The reason AOL still has so many subs is that a good chunk of the US is still without consumer grade HSI. A lot of folks don't have access to anything but dial-up. They also like how it is a one stop shop to keep it simple. People who travel also like how they have national access numbers so they aren't on long distance to get online. They have the largest file transfer capacity, unlimited mail storage and so on. I am not saying that is the greatest. In places like where my Dad lives where you only have a choice of dial-up or dial-up it isn't all that bad. Now to the people that say that they could do Sat Internet...Get out of my face. That is such a waste of time. I have it at work so I know how god awful it is and I wouldn't give it to my worst enemy.

T1 Rocky

join:2002-11-15
Dallas, TX
·Time Warner Cable

Re: Bottom line...

AOL makes it easy. That's why they are still around. You get a disk and you put it in and it automatically launches into your software. Plus they got in the market early and grabbed market share. They are your parents / grandparents ISP. But I don't think the younger generation embraces them as they are more technologically savy.

Personally, I'm rooting for them and Earthlink since I was an ISP guy and our whole industry was crushed by the ILECs and cable companies in their anticompetitive policies.

My prediction - the ILEC's will crush the cable companies for the next 4 years and buy them for pennies on the dollar in 2011. The worlds most popular search engine and website at that time will be Verizon.com with AT&T.com not far behind. Sprint and Qwest will have merged with AT&T and Verizon and there will essentially be 2 telecom companies. Google and yahoo will be purchased by the ILECs in 2010 and in order to get your website seen, your will have to pay ebay like fees to the ILECs. All of this will be allowed and go unnoticed by the general public because of the intense lobbying put forth by the ILECs.

None of this will be beneficial to the American public by the way.

aliasrlz
Premium
join:2000-09-01
the world

AOL Who? People still use this service?

I can't believe people still use AOL? Thanks unbelievable with Cable and local DSL available almost anywhere.....

Why? Why? ROFL!!!

Tinstre

@comcast.net

Re: AOL Who? People still use this service?

They have alot of broadband users now too, don't get confused on dialup only.

gatorkram
Spelling and Grammer impared
Premium
join:2002-07-22
Winterville, NC
clubs:
·Embarq
·linode

said by aliasrlz See Profile :

I can't believe people still use AOL? Thanks unbelievable with Cable and local DSL available almost anywhere.....

Why? Why? ROFL!!!
The places left out, outside of your "almost anywhere" is much much larger than most people know, or care to know.

Move a few miles, and wham, dialup only. Believe me, my last year has been spent suffering on dialup.
--
Give me bandwidth or give me death!
bchris02

join:2006-05-25

Re: AOL Who? People still use this service?

I am in the sticks, and I'm so fortunate to be in a rural community right along Cox HSI's fiber connecting two populated areas that are like 40 miles apart, so they service my community. In all actuality, my area should be a dial-up only area and would be if it wasn't for that line.

Having high speed Internet is the only thing that keeps me sane out here where most people have never seen a computer.
grandpinaple

join:2006-01-03
New York, NY

How many

I think it is how many people that they are billing not how many actually use the service.
ITALIAN926

join:2003-08-16
Stratford, CT

and............

Keep in mind.. many of these AOL subscribers are on the "bring your own access" plan.

You can have AOL over your HSI provider.. You cannot have HSI over your AOL dialup.

DEATH TO DIALUP !
Forums » Top ISPs by Subscriber Count


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