AOL discontinues its dial-up internet, and we're just surprised they even offered it in 2025

On September 30, AOL's dial-up hold-outs will need to finally move on to another internet service. AOL announced this week that it will be discontinuing its dial-up service next month, which probably isn't as surprising as the fact that AOL was still offering dial-up in 2025 to begin with.

Dial-up usage has plummeted over recent years. AOL had some 1.5 million dial-up users in 2015, but as of 2021 that number was reportedly "in the low thousands." So, this change probably doesn't impact many people, but it's somewhat shocking that dial-up usage has carried on for so long. AOL originally launched its dial-up service in 1991, meaning it will be 34 years old when it's finally shut down next month.

Unfortunately, some of the people still using dial-up probably don't have many other options for internet access. Broadband infrastructure has yet to make its way to some remote rural areas, or if it is present, it's expensive. Many of the AOL customers who were still subscribed to its dial-up service likely stuck with it out of necessity. Luckily for those people, AOL isn't the only dial-up provider around. There are still a few others offering the antiquated service.

However, ideally efforts are made to continue expanding broadband access so people don't have to keep leaning on slow, outdated internet options like dial-up. An estimated 22.3% of Americans in rural areas and 27.7% of Americans in Tribal lands still lack access to high-speed internet. In urban areas, only 1.5% of Americans face the same issue.

Luckily, there are programs designed to help improve that situation. For instance, in 2021, the Biden Administration passed the Affordable Connectivity Program, which provides discounts on internet plans for low-income households. There's also the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program (BEAD), which aims to expand broadband infrastructure.

For those of us who are used to having constant access to high-speed internet, dealing with lag during an online multiplayer match might seem insufferable, but at least you're not still stuck on dial-up.