AOL to Raise Dialup Prices 272
United Bimmer writes "America Online has announced that it's going to raise the price on dialup users in an attempt to encourage them to upgrade to broadband. The new rates will near $26 a month, already drastically higher than the market norm for dialup access. This will bring the dialup prices to almost the exact same per month as broadband depending on your plan. However through this, they do still offer an unadvertised lower price for those who can't get or don't want broadband can request lower-priced plans, including an unadvertised offering of about $18 with a one-year commitment."
Ding! (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Ding! (Score:2, Funny)
I thought broadband was their enemy? (Score:2)
Re:I thought broadband was their enemy? (Score:4, Funny)
Re:I thought broadband was their enemy? (Score:2)
Re:I thought broadband was their enemy? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:I thought broadband was their enemy? (Score:2, Informative)
AOL is probably leasing bandwidth from your local telco. As far as I know, AOL doesn't have their own infrastructure.
Re:I thought broadband was their enemy? (Score:2)
Fuck the "Slow Down Cowboy!" message.
Re:I thought broadband was their enemy? (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:I thought broadband was their enemy? (Score:3, Informative)
For now, the local Telco is forced to sell at a discount. This is the same way Speakweasy and other DSL ISP's work. Nobody runs copper to the home for DSL. Even Verizon is switching to Fiber for the last mile these days.
Re:I thought broadband was their enemy? (Score:2)
Re:I thought broadband was their enemy? (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:I thought broadband was their enemy? (Score:2)
Re:I thought broadband was their enemy? (Score:3, Informative)
From that article: "We're doing this because a majority of AOL members will be able to get high-speed connections and access the AOL service for this new price," spokeswoman Anne Bentley said Tuesday. "Hopefully it's an encouragement for them to get high-speed connections."
Although AOL has been shifting its focus to providing free articles, video and other materials on its ad-supported Web sites, the company sees paid broadband accounts as key to making that strateg
Who's the customer? (Score:2)
That makes this another fine example of the customer not being the real customer. This is one of the reasons that I hate the word "consumer." It very accurately describes one's real relationship to companies that like to use it.
You are not the one that's always right. You are just the one that consumes the content, and you are a replaceable cog. If we can milk you for money too, then so much the better.
Re:Who's the customer? (Score:2)
Re:I thought broadband was their enemy? (Score:2)
Re:I thought broadband was their enemy? (Score:2)
In Montreal, all DSL companies must go through Bell (our local telephone line provider) to allow people to use DSL. It uses all the same networking equipment as well as switches and backbone as I would get from the local ISP.
The problem mostly is that technical support is going to lack a lot. I know AOL is AOL, but now they'll tell you "Oh, you have to wait fiv
Well that's nice of them. (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Well that's nice of them. (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Well that's nice of them. (Score:2)
But, TFM says:
Maybe I'm reading it wrong, but it sounds more like Less AOL users on dialup and more AOL users on broadband ... how could it get any wor
Re:Well that's nice of them. (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Well that's nice of them. (Score:2)
It bugs me too -- and I don't know what they've been teaching the kids in school these days (blah, blah, blah) -- but I recommend just giving up and not saying anything. "Less" has become the all-purpose colloquialism.
Re:Well that's nice of them. (Score:3, Insightful)
More or less ... (Score:2)
Maybe 'AOL users' is an uncountable substance ...
Neat! (Score:5, Funny)
You hit the nail on the head, wise guy... (Score:3, Insightful)
That's exactly the idea. AOL wants out of the dial-up business.
Encourage? (Score:2, Funny)
Holy Crap (Score:4, Insightful)
2. Give crappy broadband service
3. Increase the price of your crappy dial-up service
4. Profit!!!! Or go out of business.
Another failed attempt to fill in step 3.
Re:Holy Crap (Score:2)
This is ludicrous (Score:2, Insightful)
Who in their right mind would even consider paying for AOL dial-up?!
Re:This is ludicrous (Score:2)
These guys? [amazon.com]
Re:This is ludicrous (Score:3, Funny)
Smile people, it's a joke.
Re:This is ludicrous (Score:2)
Those who already have an aol email address and don't want to change it. Many people are lazy enough to pay the extra price just to keep their email address and not have to research alternatives.
Re:This is ludicrous. Is it? (Score:3, Insightful)
What about those who can't get broadband (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:What about those who can't get broadband (Score:2)
What about those who can't read? (Score:2)
I'm Worried... (Score:5, Funny)
heh (Score:2)
One more reason not to use AOL (Score:3, Insightful)
Cool! (Score:5, Insightful)
Golf courses could make the hole smaller to encourage more people to buy Tiger Woods video games.
McDonalds could increase the amount of ice in drinks to make people buy bigger drinks.
Motion Picture creators could degrade the quality of videos to make people move to a new format.
Nike could make their shoes less comfortable and then sell replacement linings.
Is this funny or insightful?
It's probably both.
Re:Cool! (Score:3, Informative)
Moderation +3
70% Insightful
30% Funny
Heaven forbid I be labeled 'informative' for this.
Re:You *don't* want more ice in your soda (Score:2)
1. Shoot self in foot. 2. ???. 3. Profit!!! (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:1. Shoot self in foot. 2. ???. 3. Profit!!! (Score:2)
Its an outrage! (Score:2)
Re:Its an outrage! (Score:2)
Re:Its an outrage! (Score:2)
Re:Its an outrage! (Score:2)
Why is it that hard to believe? Although I am paying amazing prices for my broadband overseas, I can easily understand them. If I was a PC user like that, first I'd buy a Mac Mini or iMac (cheap models), find a dial up ISP that cares about their users (not AOL!)
I saw it coming (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:I saw it coming (Score:2)
+5 insightful!
I've heard you can still do better in some parts of the country, but in the NorthEastern US, basic land-line phone service (by which I mean the default "no frills but not crippled" service) will run you $35 to $60 per month, after fees and taxes and BS. Unlimited nationwide LD will run at least $70.
For comparison, my broadband costs me $45 and my nationwide 800-minute
Re:Forgot Something? (Score:2)
Last time I looked, it was telcos owning the wire to your, and millions of other homes.
Even if telcos have to invent reasons for you to keep your phone wires (and they will) they most certainly will not go quietly into the night.
As someone that moonlights tech support for home users I had an especially bad experience in one home with two computers on AOL dsl. They called me because one
"dial-up ... upgrade to broadband" (Score:2)
-b
Their broadband deal is DSL (Score:2)
AOL is circling the bowl . . . (Score:2)
Which is sad, really.
AOL takes away all incentive to keep customers. (Score:4, Insightful)
A good case for my point would be Dish Network. As they've started updating their systems for HD, they have given current users free updates for satellite dishes. Without this option, the users could easily re-evaluate their options and check out DirecTV. When Dish finally has a complete HD solution to all their customers, they could very well up the cost of their service and customers would have to accept the fact that they can't afford the initial cost of a new satellite service. Dish Network understands that you have to upgrade some options for free or you lose a permanent revenue source.
It has zero to do with content. (Score:2)
Re:AOL takes away all incentive to keep customers. (Score:2)
This isn't to say dish is amazing, but it just goes to prove that some companies don't understand that.
Do AOL dialup users read slashdot? (Score:2)
Actually, I got dear old Dad off of dialup and onto the low-end broadband years ago, but it makes support much easier now that I can share his screen.
Lifetime Internet Providers (Score:2)
Re:Lifetime Internet Providers (Score:2)
Re:Lifetime Internet Providers (Score:2)
$ Criminal (Score:3, Insightful)
Time Warner is now bundling AOL service with its High Speed service (to raise subscription rate for stock holders?) Everyone knows that you can get dial up as low as $9/month. Not to sound like a broken record, but BroadBand users tend to stear away from AOL - Cutting their own throat.
Confession time (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Confession time (Score:2)
Of course I never actually downloaded or installed the client, I just joined and then faxed a cancellation notice ~28 days later. Then a few weeks later I got a free ipod and mac mini =P
Re:Confession time (Score:5, Funny)
I'm also betting that you used to spell better?
Good (Score:2)
EOL (Score:2)
People can't let go of AOL (Score:5, Interesting)
They know that there's a huge number of subscribers that are scared shitless about leaving the warm embrace of AOL, and they just won't leave. They figure that some folks will upgrade to AOL broadband, and AOL makes more money on this folks. Others will pay double, even triple for phone dial-up. Just to not lose that wonderful interface. They'll even suffer pain, case in point:
I'm seeing this girl that's just scared to death of computers. AOL auto updated to the new version, and just totally screwed her computer in the process. This is not enough to get her to quit AOL. I fix her computer, requiring a complete OS reinstall, and set it to an older less toxic version... her stupid brother pops in an AOL 9.0 CD to upgrade it. It upgrades to 9.0, and then the cheap ass CD shatters from the high rotation rate of her 56x CD-ROM drive immediately post-install - totally destroys it. Then the software again does a number on her computer... and she still will not quit AOL.
Hell, AOL is now learning what drug dealers have know for a while, and are going to make bucks on it.
Re:People can't let go of AOL (Score:2, Funny)
Re:People can't let go of AOL (Score:2)
Re:AOL is free. (Score:2, Interesting)
And I've heard that after having done it 3 times they don't offer you any more free time.
Who needs AOL anyway? (Score:2, Insightful)
But then again, considering that CompUSA employees have loads of trouble getting people to sign up for AOL, that goes far to say just how inferior AOL is and how people using it deserve to pay for their stupidity. Looks like AOL is asking for an even smaller subscription base (or maybe even a death wish)...
"Encourages" rural users to pay more, doesn't it? (Score:2)
That's right folks (Score:3, Insightful)
Read that again.
Perhaps people will begin to understand why:
1. Retail stores deliberately mistreat their customers by having one cashier and 57 "loss prevention" employees.
2. Disney fires 4000 people between nine-figure movie releases, then fires their entire animation division
3. General Motors fires 30,000 people because "nobody is buying cars" We hear the news on the radio in a traffic jam that can be seen from orbit.
4. Half of working-age adults are not employed in full-time permanent jobs.
5. Half of the population is functionally illiterate.
Go back and read about the company that is deliberately overpricing their product to make customers leave.
Go ahead.
What's next? (Score:2)
More foreclosures and bankruptcies. More pain. More suffering. More destroyed neighborhoods. More unemployment and reposessions. More wasted education. GET MORE SKILLS! It's the EMPLOYEE'S FAULT!
And a big bump for the stock price. Cracked lobster with a side of tall dollars. Step up to the buffet and pass the croutons.
AOL and the lovely iron embrace... (Score:3, Insightful)
When my father-in-law moved, he purchased DSL through the local phone company. He loves the speed. We tried to wean him off AOL, but have been unsuccessful. Quoth he, "Web mail is terrible, and Thunderbird is horrible!" [read:it doesn't have my familiar-of-7-years filing cabinet, and I have to actually start an application after he's "started" the internet.] "I don't 'see' the Internet!" [read: He feels warm and comfortable with the AOL main window as the portal, and using all these 'loose' applications gives him no warm fuzzies.]
It isn't that he's not smart (he's got multiple Dr. degrees), it isn't that he doesn't understand... it is how he feels that matters. This is the nut of the AOL user base.
None of my tech-enabled friends uses (or would consider) AOL - I think AOL has become a cultural ubiquity.
$26 may not be too high... (Score:5, Interesting)
Second... my parents (mid 50's aged) used to be stuck with a high cost ISP through a deal they got at work. When their contract expired, they switched to your average nation $10 / month dialup ISP (Qwest has decided their neighborhood doesn't warrant DSL, although they live in a suburb and cable is readily available, but overpriced for their budget).
This new ISP, unlike the old expensive one, is awful. Heaven help you if you want to send UDP traffic because it gets dropped, constantly (and on dialup, that is in fact the end of the world). Disconnections every 20 minutes, minimum. Plus, a real PITA interface with 'pop-up' blockers and 'virus scanners' that take down the web connection with frightening frequency while in fact neither blocking popups nor catching viruses and spyware. I know because, as most of you, I get the call to fix it when it is broken, and I *used* to be able to play games like Starcraft (pure UDP) with my little brother, back in the day...
This isn't just a complaint post, though. There's a market hiding in there. Specifically, I would consider recommending an ISP who charged more money in exchange for services that were actually valuable. Like ISP to backbone latency guarantees, or never a dropped packet on their network (which requires quite a bit of expensive redundant hardware and a willingness to not sell all available bandwidth), or any of a host of other non-intrusive services. You want to scan for viruses? Scan the packets before they get to me. A popup blocker? I use a *real* webrowser, I don't need it. Your ridiculous dialer app that wraps internet explorer? Just give me a phone number and an 8 line instruction page for setting up a modem shortcut.
For the right price, it *must* be possible to actually provide a true, clean, non-intrusive high quality connection at the advertised speed. Is that AOL? Probably not. But it if existed, it would be worth considering, even at $26 for dialup. The older I get, the more I am interested in exchanging my money for quality goods and services. I care about price, but I care more about what I'm getting than how much I'm getting it for. I am willing to pay more to avoid having MSN, AOL, Earthlink or any other such ISP manage my broadband connection, from experience with each of those.
Is there such a thing as a 'luxury' ISP? Maybe there should be.
Re:$26 may not be too high... (Score:2)
I gave SBC/Yahoo dial a whirl, and for $9.95/month (the price they gave me when they realized they couldn't sell me DSL) I was pretty pleased. It took a Windows laptop to run the install software and get the dial-in number, but once I had that, I was able to make it work perfectly from Linux using wvdial. It would stay connected for something like 6 hours at a time, and was on pretty much constant
BS (Score:2)
Dialup v. DSL (Score:3, Interesting)
Things have changed. Although I was happy with my local ISP, SBC DSL is now cheaper (I live in a rural area where a lot of those $10 deals aren't available). Only child still at home is now in college, and she needs better access. We both do some online gaming. I switched to DSL without any regret except the loss of a locally maintained Usenet spool.
Now that I have a nice wireless network set up at home, I have found an added fringe benefit; backup network access through my neighbors who don't share my ideas about security.
Broadband for $26? Point me in that direction! (Score:3, Funny)
I'm not saying AOL is a good value or anything for dialup, but in my experience thats a pretty lowball estimate for "exact same per month as broadband".
Am I missing something? (Score:2)
So you have their $26 monthly and then they ask you to slap on either a monthly $17 or $22 DSL account to get connected.
So I'm still at $48 per month to get to 3 meg and tied to their app.
E-mail from AOL - even limited plans changed... (Score:3, Informative)
I probably use the account once every three or four months at the most, and I even then I access the AOL network through my own separate broadband ISP account. The only time in the past dozen years I've used it for non-testing for any period of time is when the three hurricanes came through central Florida and I was without my broadband connection for a few days.
AOL isn't sparing anyone from the price increase. I *was* paying their obscure $4/mo+hourly plan which I considered fair. But, I received the following e-mail from them the other day:
As you can read in the letter, they're basically justifying raising my monthly fee for items of their service that I never or rarely use or benefit from: reliable Internet service, security features, exclusive content, member service and support.
And now they'll be getting $83/year (nearly all of which is pure profit) from me -- a developer trying to support users of their crappy service. I realize it's not a lot, but that doesn't make it feel like less of a ripoff.
Way to go AOL. You're making it really easy to just give up on you completely.
Messages from AOL (Score:2)
I'm really confused what the real story is.
Re:downward spiral (Score:3, Funny)
4: Profit , for the rest of the Internet community at least
Re:downward spiral (Score:2)
Just what I need. More retards coming at me even faster. And I thought high school was bad enough. Next think you know, AOL will kill off iTunes (et al) because they
Re:downward spiral (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:downward spiral (Score:2)
Step 3.5. Wait to see which provider takes the most subscribers, then buy them. They are still a very large gorrila.
Re:Uhh... (Score:5, Insightful)
All kidding aside, AOL completly relies on the fact that their customer doesn't know a thing about how computers or the internet actualy work. Just look at their commercials: (talking about their spyblocker or some such) "Because with high speed internet, the intruders come at you faster!" I don't even know where to begin with that statement. But the AOL users just nod knowingly and install more bloatware.
Re:Uhh... (Score:2)
All kidding aside, AOL completly relies on the fact that their customer doesn't know a thing about how computers or the internet actualy work.
Their customers will get more educated as they deal with their new tech support contacts. When they have issues with signing onto AOL, AOL will do some simple checks from their side and then refer/transfer the customers to the real support people (the DSL support agents
Re:Uhh... (Score:2)
Re:DSL = DSlow (Score:2, Informative)
Dude - get this into your techno-head: the difference between dial-up and DSL can be huge to people interested in using the Internet. The physical reality, or layer, is irrelevent to the majority of these people. They got care a rat's ass about
Re:DSL = DSlow (Score:2)
I said "the difference is not insignificant, however..."
100Mbit/Sec over cable vs 3Mbit over DSL? Not to mention the number of people who can get maximum speeds is inversely proportional to the distance from the telco office, which means the vast majority of customers will not experience the theoretical maximum. Twisted pair will never be as effective or efficient a medium as coax. If you don't understand that, we can talk again when you do.
"I dont think that DSL should even be considered as
Re:DSL = DSlow (Score:2)
But then again, cable and dsl are completely and totally different kinds of signals on copper wire.
Re:DSL = DSlow (Score:2)
You are aware that DSL is, on average, 50% slower than cable right? Citing the maximum for a very limited coverage area is irrelevant to the general discussion. Of course you are.. that's why you posted AC.
Re:DSL = DSlow (Score:2)
If anything, DSL should be lowered to dialup costs; dialup costs shouldn't be raised to DSL levels. DSL is essentially the same service over the same network as dialup. It's what dialup would be if FCC regs didn't prohibit traditional modems from operating at DSL frequencies. It doesn't cost more to connect at 56Kbps than it does at 33.3Kbps, or 28.8Kbps, and often dialup users don't connect at full speed anyway; it shouldn't cost more for
Re:Oh, great, even worse life. (Score:2)
I'm sorry, but you have GOT to be kidding me.
From the article summary (Score:2)
Let the marketing war begin.
BTW, how the hell was I rated 'Overrated' when I had no other moderation done to me to begin with? Which mod is smoking the pipe, tonight, hrm?