AOL is ending its dial-up modem service on September 30, 2025, after years of providing online connections through telephone lines in the US. The phase-out signifies the conclusion of a technology that once served countless users as the main path to the web in the 1990s and early 2000s. In a message to customers, AOL stated it will stop supporting Dial-up Internet, along with retiring its AOL Dialer software and AOL Shield browser on the same date. AOL’s internet service was introduced as “America Online” in 1991 and evolved from its beginnings as a closed online service linked to Quantum Link in 1985 to offering web browsing capabilities in 1994. The service reached a peak of over 25 million subscribers before broadband services spurred its decline. As per 2022 US Census data, about 175,000 American households remain on dial-up, mostly in rural regions lacking broadband infrastructure. Although alternatives like satellite internet are available, they involve data caps and higher latency, presenting a significant contrast to today’s broadband services. The enduring use of dial-up highlights the digital divide in the US, where rural areas still depend on outdated technology. While modern broadband connections reach speeds of 500 Mbps, dial-up provided only 0.056 Mbps, leading to significant differences in internet usage experiences. For many who experienced the dial-up era, going online involved hearing a distinct, noisy connection sequence that symbolized a link to AOL’s servers over standard telephone lines, often resulting in conflicts over phone line usage.
