October8 , 2025

    AOL Disconnects Dial-Up Internet Service, Modem Sound

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    It’s the end of an era. AOL announced this week that it has discontinued its dial-up internet service. For younger Gen-Xers and elder millennials, in particular, the beep-boops, whirrs, and crackly modem sounds defined an era of chatting with friends and playing online games after school.

    The online service provider announced the change on its website on Tuesday, Sept. 30, explaining that it routinely evaluates its products and services and as such, had decided to discontinue dial-up internet.

    “This service will no longer be available in AOL plans. As a result, this service and the associated software, the AOL Dialer software and AOL Shield browser, which are optimized for older operating systems and dial-up internet connections, will be discontinued.”

    “This change will not affect any other benefits in your AOL plan, which you can access any time on your AOL plan dashboard,” the message continued. “To manage or cancel your account, visit MyAccount.”

    It’s unclear how many users will be affected by the discontinuation. According to Fortune, less than 1 percent of the U.S. population still relies on dial-up internet services, with 2023 Census data estimating that number to be over 160,000 people. In particular, people who still require a dial-up connection are those living in rural or remote areas where high-speed internet infrastructure is either unavailable or cost-prohibitive.

    AOL has been offering dial-up services for over 30 years, having launched as “America Online” in 1991. In addition to its free trial discs that inundated America’s mailboxes throughout the ’90s, AOL was best known for its peppy greetings recorded by the late voice actor Elwood Edwards, notably, “You’ve Got Mail.” (Edwards passed away in November 2024, in another blow to early internet nostalgia.)

    Edwards was recruited to record the messages in 1989 by his wife, who was at the time working for Quantum Computer Services, which would eventually be rebranded as AOL. At the time, he was famously paid just $200 for the role that would familiarize millions of people around the world with his voice.

    “Elwood Edwards didn’t just lend his voice to AOL; he brought a sense of warmth, connection, and possibility to millions,” AOL general manager Brendan Jennings said in a press release following his death. “His iconic ‘You’ve Got Mail’ became more than a greeting—it became a symbol of the online era. We are deeply grateful for the legacy and joy he brought to AOL and all those whose internet journey began with his voice.”

    In 2017, the company also discontinued AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) after 20 years of service, amid increased competition from social media and other communication tools.



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