It’s the End of an Era

AOL has announced that it will shut down its dial-up internet service next month, bringing an end to a 34-year legacy that defined the early internet era.

According to a statement on AOL’s website, the service and its related software will be discontinued as of September 30. “AOL routinely evaluates its products and services and has decided to discontinue Dial-up internet,” the notice reads.

While AOL hasn’t revealed how many users still rely on its dial-up service, U.S. Census data from 2019 estimated that around 265,000 Americans were still using dial-up internet at the time.

Launched in 1991, AOL’s dial-up service became an icon of the early internet era, known for its distinctive connection tone and the memorable “You’ve got mail!” We were the generation exploring the web for the first time on the one computer in the living room shared by the whole family!

Lana Backman