AOL To End Dial-Up Internet Service After 34 Years

AOL, a long-standing figure in internet connectivity, will officially end its dial-up internet service on September 30, 2025, marking the conclusion of a 34-year run. The service, based on the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), introduced millions to the early World Wide Web, often accompanied by the distinctive screeching of 56K modems. Now under Yahoo! ownership, AOL is also discontinuing its AOL Dialer software and AOL Shield browser. The latter, designed for older operating systems and slower connections, will no longer be supported, while the Dialer will be rendered obsolete without the dial-up service.

The announcement was low-key, delivered through a brief, 100-word post on AOL’s help portal, attributing the decision to routine product evaluations. Despite the understated tone, the move signals the end of an era for a technology that once dominated home internet access.

Dial-up internet, though largely replaced by faster, always-on broadband options, still has a small user base. U.S. census data indicates roughly 250,000 Americans continue to rely on it, often in rural or remote regions where modern infrastructure is limited. In such areas, PSTN lines remain available, and dial-up can serve as a basic or backup connection. However, alternatives like satellite internet—used by approximately eight million U.S. subscribers—have emerged, while DSL, cable, and fiber optic connections remain the mainstream choice, offering better speed and value.

Historically, dial-up modems could achieve maximum speeds of 0.056 Mbps, a stark contrast to the 25 Mbps common in early ADSL services and the 500 Mbps typical in modern fiber connections. The transition from dial-up to broadband brought significant benefits, including faster speeds, persistent connections, and fixed pricing, with few drawbacks.

While the end of AOL’s service may evoke nostalgia among early internet users, it also reflects the ongoing evolution of global connectivity. In some countries, competitive 5G home internet options are becoming viable, though this is not yet widespread in the U.S. For most users, fiber and other high-speed solutions are now the preferred standard.

Even with AOL’s exit, niche providers will continue offering dial-up in limited markets, serving those with no other viable internet options. Nonetheless, AOL’s withdrawal underscores the near-complete phase-out of PSTN-based internet—a final farewell to one of the internet’s formative technologies.

Filed in Computers. Read more about Aol.