AOL will end its dial-up internet service on September 30 after 34 years, discontinuing the AOL Dialer, AOL Shield browser, and related software, the company announced.
“We are discontinuing the dial-up internet service component included in certain legacy AOL Advantage, CompuServe, and Netscape Connect Plans as we innovate to meet the needs of today’s digital landscape,” a spokesperson for Yahoo, which owns AOL, said in a statement to FOX Business. “This change does not impact the numerous other valued products and services that these subscribers are able to access and enjoy as part of their plans. There is also no impact to our users’ free AOL email accounts.”
Yahoo reported few customers still used AOL’s dial-up service as broadband became standard, though the company said its overall customer base and traffic continue to grow.
AOL, famous for “You’ve got mail,” buddy lists, and instant messaging, dominated U.S. households in the 1990s as the leading internet provider. Dial-up access, often via free trial discs, required a home phone line and was known for its lengthy, noisy connection tones.
AOL merged with Time Warner in 2000, split off in 2009, and was bought by Verizon in 2015. Verizon sold AOL and Yahoo to Apollo Global Management in 2021.
AOL says it will discontinue dial-up internet on September 30
May this sound echo in eternity:pic.twitter.com/I0zKIPERbX
— Morning Brew ☕️ (@MorningBrew) August 9, 2025
