AOL may offer free high-speed Internet

Iria · Jul 6, 2006, 05:14 PM

Source: Reuters
__________
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Time Warner Inc.'s AOL unit may offer its full menu of services, including e-mail, free of charge to anyone with a high-speed Internet connection, The Wall Street Journal said on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter.

AOL could give up as much as $2 billion in subscription revenue if a gambit aimed at boosting the Internet service's advertising revenue goes ahead, the Journal said.

The_Neon_Cowboy · Jul 7, 2006, 04:18 AM

Thier allready wall to wall ads and that was in the dial up days, god I'd hate to see it now,
their spammers paradise is bad enough...

Rayder · Jul 7, 2006, 05:26 AM

I still don't understand why you would pay for broadband AND pay AOL for their "services" anyway. Makes no sense to me.

Might as well give it away for free. I certainly wouldn't be suckered into paying AOL for anything.

If ads are supposed to pay for everything, why do I have to pay for cable or internet? I'm really getting tired of ads in my face all the time. They act as if ads are MORE important than the content you were looking up or watching.

AOL giving away ad-ridden services for free is the most reasonable thing I've seen from them yet. That's pretty sad when you think about it.

The_Neon_Cowboy · Jul 7, 2006, 06:04 AM

many ad supported services, turned pay services, my guess? Tjhier trying to get peopled
hooked on the AOL factor. Then bait and switch by stopiing nd watching te new users sign
up. Or people sign up for the pay service to reduce the ads.

SFOSOK · Jul 7, 2006, 11:53 AM

AOL could give me a deep fried cow and then maybe I would suscribe, but not install.

Matth · Jul 7, 2006, 05:29 PM

Is there any need for AOL now?

Their "lump" of a client had it's place, before Windows 95 provided standardized dialup support which all the other services used (in place of the old mishmash of DOS and Windows software stacks). Back in the days of the dialup BBS.

**MIG-31** · Jul 7, 2006, 05:37 PM

As AOL goes my subscription to them (a few years ago now) lasted well less than the 1 month's trial they offered.In fact i cancelled my net access in less than 24 hours.I would not use them ever again despite how good an offer would sound.

The set up they used at the time was to confusing.Just how are they still in business.

Iria · Jul 7, 2006, 05:57 PM

My guess is this is a desperation move and too little too late.

SFOSOK · Jul 7, 2006, 07:35 PM

They should really drop the name and start a new broadband company. Just reading AOL anywhere makes me shake. I hate it with a passion.

sc3000 · Jul 7, 2006, 07:40 PM

I wouldn't install it if they gava ME money, that software is the biggest screw-up in computer history.
Maby not, but close

Jul 6, 2006, 05:14 PM	#1
Iria DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 7,275 Rep Power: 89	AOL may offer free high-speed Internet Source: Reuters __________ NEW YORK (Reuters) - Time Warner Inc.'s AOL unit may offer its full menu of services, including e-mail, free of charge to anyone with a high-speed Internet connection, The Wall Street Journal said on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter. AOL could give up as much as $2 billion in subscription revenue if a gambit aimed at boosting the Internet service's advertising revenue goes ahead, the Journal said.

Jul 7, 2006, 04:18 AM	#2
The_Neon_Cowboy HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 16,009 Rep Power: 92 System Specs	Thier allready wall to wall ads and that was in the dial up days, god I'd hate to see it now, their spammers paradise is bad enough... __________________ Last edited by The_Neon_Cowboy; Jul 7, 2006 at 06:02 AM.

Jul 7, 2006, 06:04 AM	#4
The_Neon_Cowboy HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 16,009 Rep Power: 92 System Specs	many ad supported services, turned pay services, my guess? Tjhier trying to get peopled hooked on the AOL factor. Then bait and switch by stopiing nd watching te new users sign up. Or people sign up for the pay service to reduce the ads. __________________

Jul 7, 2006, 11:53 AM	#5
SFOSOK 939 Goin Strong Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Ontario Posts: 7,033 Rep Power: 90 System Specs	AOL could give me a deep fried cow and then maybe I would suscribe, but not install. __________________ Warning - Explicit Content Preceeding METAL!!

Jul 7, 2006, 05:29 PM	#6
Matth Flash Banner Hater Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: UK Posts: 3,426 Rep Power: 93 System Specs	Is there any need for AOL now? Their "lump" of a client had it's place, before Windows 95 provided standardized dialup support which all the other services used (in place of the old mishmash of DOS and Windows software stacks). Back in the days of the dialup BBS. __________________ Mary had a little lamb, Her father shot it dead Now Mary takes her lamb to school, Between two crusts of bread

Jul 7, 2006, 05:26 AM	#3
Rayder Mostly lurking lately.... Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 2,161 Rep Power: 73	I still don't understand why you would pay for broadband AND pay AOL for their "services" anyway. Makes no sense to me. Might as well give it away for free. I certainly wouldn't be suckered into paying AOL for anything. If ads are supposed to pay for everything, why do I have to pay for cable or internet? I'm really getting tired of ads in my face all the time. They act as if ads are MORE important than the content you were looking up or watching. AOL giving away ad-ridden services for free is the most reasonable thing I've seen from them yet. That's pretty sad when you think about it.

Jul 7, 2006, 05:37 PM	#7
MIG-31 HardwareHeaven News Mod Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Nottingham,UK Posts: 56,853 Rep Power: 471 System Specs	As AOL goes my subscription to them (a few years ago now) lasted well less than the 1 month's trial they offered.In fact i cancelled my net access in less than 24 hours.I would not use them ever again despite how good an offer would sound. The set up they used at the time was to confusing.Just how are they still in business. __________________ Please Post Your News Submissions Here

Jul 7, 2006, 05:57 PM	Thread Starter #8
Iria DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 7,275 Rep Power: 89	My guess is this is a desperation move and too little too late.

Jul 7, 2006, 07:35 PM	#9
SFOSOK 939 Goin Strong Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Ontario Posts: 7,033 Rep Power: 90 System Specs	They should really drop the name and start a new broadband company. Just reading AOL anywhere makes me shake. I hate it with a passion. __________________ Warning - Explicit Content Preceeding METAL!!

Jul 7, 2006, 07:40 PM	#10
sc3000 DriverHeaven Lover Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: New York Posts: 225 Rep Power: 0	I wouldn't install it if they gava ME money, that software is the biggest screw-up in computer history. Maby not, but close __________________ 01001111 01101101 01100101 01100111 01100001 00100000 01000100 01110010 01101001 01110110 01100101 01110010 01110011 00100000 01010010 01101111 01100011 01101011 00100001