It’s the end of an online era: AOL will end its dial-up internet service next month after decades in use.
“AOL routinely evaluates its products and services and has decided to discontinue Dial-up Internet,” the company said in a statement on Friday.
AOL said it will discontinue its dial-up service and “associated software” on Sept. 30.
About 163,000 households had dial-up as of 2023, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.
While only a small number of Americans still use the service, many will remember the screech-filled dial-up tone used to connect to the internet in the 1990s, followed by AOL’s familiar “You’ve Got Mail” greeting.
In the 1998 movie “You’ve Got Mail,” actors Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan strike up a romantic relationship after exchanging messages on AOL’s platform.
Yahoo, which owns AOL, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
AOL rose in popularity in the 1990s, giving Americans an entry point to the online world through instant messaging and email features. Originally known as America Online, the company changed its name to AOL in 2006.
Mary Cunningham is a reporter for CBS MoneyWatch. Before joining the business and finance vertical, she worked at “60 Minutes,” CBSNews.com and CBS News 24/7 as part of the CBS News Associate Program.
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