A LONG-STANDING internet provider is shutting down service today.
The move marks a new chapter as the classic internet dial-up days officially come to an end.
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Founded as Quantum Computer Services in 1985, AOL was re-branded in 1991.
It has been in operation ever since, providing households across the globe with internet access.
As of 2025, the company is now a legacy brand under Yahoo Inc.
And while AOL eventually progressed to the wireless connection as we know it, it still provided the classic dial-up connection.
Disconnect date
That is until Tuesday, September 30 when the brand officially ceased its dial-up service.
“AOL routinely evaluates its products and services and has decided to discontinue Dial-up Internet,” a statement from the company said.
The long-standing service will no longer be available in any of the AOL plans.
This service and the associated software, will be discontinued from the end of September, 2025.
The associated software includes AOL Dialer software and AOL Shield browser, which are optimised for older operating systems and dial-up internet connections.
This shutdown affects the dial‑up component of certain legacy AOL / CompuServe / Netscape Connect plans.
AOL shake up
AOL users have been advised that this change will not affect any other benefits in their AOL plan.
This means AOL’s email service and its other non‑dial‑up services will remain unchanged.
Customers can access the details of their plan using their AOL plan dashboard.
You can also manage or cancel your account by visiting MyAccount.
So if you’ve been a loyal dial-up user all these years, it may be time to say goodbye to the iconic modem screeching sound and embrace wireless.
What is dial-up?
In its earliest form, dial-up used a standard telephone line to connect a computer to the internet via a modem.
It works by getting your computer to dial a phone number provided by an Internet Service Provider.
The modem converts digital signals into analog tones that travel over the phone line.
It was dominant from the early 1990s to the early 2000s.
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