About Time: AOL Goes Free
from the last-walls-come-tumbling-down dept
After much speculation, AOL announced today that it would finally bite the bullet, and become a free portal, complete with free AOL email addresses for anyone who wants one. The company says it now wants to exploit the "explosive rise in broadband usage and online advertising", though, of course, it's already missed out on much of the explosion. At least now the company can be meaningfully compared to competitors, and those on the inside can get better measures of their success. As for marrying content with distribution, the initial goal of the AOL-Time Warner merger, there they still have some work to do.Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
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Now *that*'s prestige.
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Re: emails
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Re: WOW
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Better Late...
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And I bet...
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Re: And I bet...
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Use a spellchecker!
Shouldn't that "bite the bullet"?
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=bight
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q =bite
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Re: Use a spellchecker!
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Re: Re: Use a spellchecker!
You loose at grammer perfection, lol.
A period at the end of the sentance would have completed the sentance, properly; as well.
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Re: Re: Re: Use a spellchecker!
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Use a spellchecker!
If we are going to read published material, it might be a good idea to use standardized spelling and grammer. Not because it's important to follow rules but because it's easier to read. Plays on words (spelling/grammer) may cause the reader to think of things that weren't intended. It's just distracting.
Leave intriguing use of words and grammer to poets, not to someone trying to communicate something to a wide audience. Including people to whom English may not be their first language.
Anyway, there are rules so that we agree as to what is being said. Granted, it's quite clear here that it's just a mistake and may be overlooked but clearly some people have pent up aggression.
Can you imagine programming code with a misplaced period? It can make or break the code. Humans, though are a bit smarter and are able to deduce the meaning at times.
Man!...way off topic.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Use a spellchecker!
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Re: Re: Re: Use a spellchecker!
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Re: Re: Re: Use a spellchecker!
For shame!
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Re: Re: Re: Use a spellchecker!
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Re: Re: Re: Use a spellchecker!
It's 'lose', not 'loose' and 'grammar' not 'grammer'.
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Re: Re: Re: Use a spellchecker!
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Re: Re: Re: Use a spellchecker!
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Re: Re: Use a spellchecker!
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Re: Use a spellchecker!
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Re: Use a spellchecker!
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Re: Re: Use a spellchecker!
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I couldn't wait to have an AOL account so I was even willing to have one for just the free trial period. But every time I tried to cancel they extended the free period for another 30-45 days. I had free AOL for 1.5 years!!! I would always say I did not have time try their product. Even thought I was always on, and they had access to how many hours I used.
Now I have dsl for 14.95, beat that AOL
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Re:
lol...I remember in middle school when we didn't have computers :D
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Re: Re:
Hmm, I've been using computer since grade 3 (although it's a vague memory, i know we had a lab at that particular school).
As for AOL, who really cares? I used AOL free trial CDs for archery practice. I almost used an AOL floppy (remember those?) years ago - the only thing that stopped me was at the time I didn't have a modem. When I first got one, I used sympatico dialup (for a few months then switched rogers cable). basically, I didn't get online until 98. haven't left my computer since :)
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Re: aol
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Re:
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Re: Me too!
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Prestigous Email Address
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AOL e-mail
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Re: AOL e-mail
No AOL users here!
lol.
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Re: Re: AOL e-mail
No AOL users here!
lol."
If only AOL users could be called a race... Perhaps if they had any brain cells we'd be able to one day lol.
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Re: Re: Re: AOL e-mail
Yeah, then we could have a genocide... Only a decade too late.
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Re: Re: AOL e-mail
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Re: AOL e-mail
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Re: AOL e-mail
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Awww...
What a lame move by AOL. Just throwing in the towel
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Another instance
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Re:
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dumb AOL user.
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still on dial up
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But are they really going free?
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Re: But are they really going free?
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Oh yeah...
AOL sucks! It's always sucked. It sucked when it was $25.00 and it sucks when it's free!
There are way better services out there that don't inundate your computer with crap either.
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Re: Oh yeah...
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Re: Re: Oh yeah...
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As for AOL itself, I agree that "better late than never" statement doesn't apply here. It's more like "too little too late." AOL has ripped people off for way too long and it needs to die.
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Re:
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Re: Re:
Fo-real, when is Time Warner going to start regulating this shizzle?!?
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Re:
I think the only thing AOL has going for them right now is that fact that they now own Time Warner and the host of cable channels that came with Time Warner. I think they need to get out of the ISP business completely, as there are way too many companies out there with better service, prices, etc...
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Re:
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Re:
Wi-Fi connection :)
from where I'm at, there is always signal
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Re:
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rofl
grammar, not grammer... It's really amusing to watch people criticize other's for spelling, when them themselves cannot spell or use proper grammar. Get a life guys.. Free email accounts are something of the past and will continue to be free. This is an interesting article though, nice to see AOL opening up there service a little. It is the users fault for paying the ridiculous ammounts of money for the service.
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Re: rofl
but PLEASE, can we get back to talking about AOL?
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Re: rofl
Shouldn't that be "...they themselves...?"
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Re: rofl
Um. Their vs. There, anyone?
Lets get ready to rummmbbbblllle!
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Re: rofl
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#30 answer
You either need to stop paying AOL and get another ISP (Internet Service Provider) or continue using AOL.
There aren't two ways about it. You are not going to get connected to the internet for free.
AOL services are free...not the CONNECTION.
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aol - we have broadband and Road Runner
thru Time Warner-
please review our bill.
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Re:
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i can remember
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Who cares!
Grammoor
Grammer
Grammir
You see world, I really am an idiot. I have something to say but lack the skill to say it!
I'm hooping you take this Ceriously cuz I really know what I'm saying but I just can't muster up enough komunication skills. Really I'm smart and have soemthing valuable to offer but you aren't taking me saeriously...why?
I hop my shortcomings don't distract frum the massage.
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NO MORE FREE AOL CD’S!!!!!!!!!!!
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AOL is always AOL
AOL addresses have zero credibility, we advise all of our sales reps never to put one on a business card because it makes them look technically void.
I recently learned that a friend of mine still has one, which he carelessly mentioned at a party last week, and suddenly he was the butt of all the jokes for the rest of the night (crappy party).
If AOL wants to survive, they have a long way to go. The only folks using it seem to be grandparents and the technically void, both of which are dying out.
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Re: AOL is always AOL
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Re: AOL is always AOL
AND AM VERY HAPPY WITH IT, AND HAVE HAD NO TROUBLE WITH IT SINCH I STARTED,ZND IT IS A GREAT SEVICE.
FRED
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cat like reflexes
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All you had to do, was get AIM, and there was a link to get an aol email address.
I have never paid for AOL, or signed up for a free trial, yet have an aol email address and have had one for a long time.
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Not in complete defense of AOL but...
My point is that we at techDirt represent the upper eschelon of computer users but I think sometimes we forget that for a long time AOL and the internet were one in the same to a lot of people. I finally broke the umbilical of my last friend using AOL last year, but it was a fight. AOL was easy for most people, they put it in the computer, plugged in a phone line in the back, and they were "surfing the web" (albeit they didn't know it was a watered dowm, slowed down version of the web).
Have sympathy on the AOL set, ignorance is bliss.
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AOL disk ending??
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Free AOL address...not thanks
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Interesting Timing
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AOL
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AOL really going down now
The main question you have to ask yourself if you are using AOL is how many of the AOL services do you actually use and do you find it worth $10+ extra dollars per month for internet? Take a few hours and most everything that is on AOL you can find on the internet for free, not everything but most. I know there is some services on AOL that actually make it worth it but for most people that is not the case.
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What The AOL For?
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AOL has owned CompuServe for quite a while...
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I can't believe that shit is still around.
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what about loose? it's LOSE, losers.
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Oh Horay free AOL
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The time has come
And hey all you techie youngsters, watch the grammar and spelling. I'm an English professor.
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clarification
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There is a reason for AOL
Now that the service is free (I wonder if I can just still use the AOL client to check e-mail, etc?) I'll be cancelling the account. But AOL has been a definite benefit for me over the years.
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Re: There is a reason for AOL
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FREE AOL
THIS ONLY APPLY TO THE MEMBERS IN THE 50 STATES, (SORRY CANADA.......)
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What to do now
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I LOVE AOL!
YOU CAN CALL DAY OR NIGHT...."IM" DAY OR NIGHT AND ALWAYS SPEAK WITH SOMEONE!
GEEZE IF YOU ARE THAT HARD UP AND CANT PAY FOR AOL......CALL THEM AND TELL THEM I PROMISE THEY WILL LOWER YOUR MO BILL!!
IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE YOU GUYS HAVE NO LIFE AND HAVE TO BE COMPLAINING ABOUT SOMETHING!
THEY RADIO IS AWESOME...I LISTEN EVERY SINGLE TIME I GET ONLINE!
EVERYTHING IS RIGHT AT YOUR FINGER TIPS...VERY EASY TO READ!! AOL MAKES IT RIGHT FOR ME AND YOU....YOU HAVE THE PROBLEM WRITE AOL!! SEE WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY!
THANKS THE COOL ONE!
J007MYSTICWAVES@AOL.COM
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DON'T INSTALL AOL SOFTWARE ON YOUR COMPUTER
WHAT GARBAGE, Don't trust AOL, they are unethical assholes.
I remember back when I had AOL, they stuck a screen just before you signed off that asked you to register a 2nd account. They made the no thanks option tiny, and the Sign me up button huge. If you clicked on it by accident it automatically created a second account and they start billing you. No warnings, no emails, nothing; just a bill.
Seriously, who does that>? Why deal with a company like this? Get email @ hushmaill or hotmail, get everything else from yahoo & google.
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AOL going free
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first AOL has no benifits....
second to the person with the comment in all CAPS...take the caps lock off.... that just gos to show that your only a 10year old kid who is disgruntled with the fact everyone has dsl or cable except you...go away
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Use Gmail, it's better then AOL
But either way, Gmail is the best. Register at Gmail....even Yahoo is starting to get a bit cluttered - I've had Yahoo for years and it was my first email account back in 2000. Just get out of AOL folks! Don't use it anymore. Even if it's free. If you really want to use it, then get rid of the software. It takes up too much computer space. The only reason I can't take it off my computer is because of my uncle because he's used AOL since it first came out. We have DSL and wireless and he still wont go online without signing onto AOL. I keep explaining....but he doesnt listen. I don't know.......I don't like it.
Gmail is the best. No one will want a free AOL email account. Watch.....it's over for them now!
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Btw, I'm a loser, broke as a joke so I have to dial up...
I called AOL to cancel today, and I couldn't understand half of what was said to me, so I do not know if my account is canceled or if they raised the price by $10. :/
Guess I'll know soon enough, haha.
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FREE AOL?
and they have lost 4 million out of 26million so that meens only 22 million is with aol and the numbers are going down will aol end if the number go down fast
there not getting new people to sign up there singing off
so will aol come to a big end ? that is to be seen
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FREE AOL?
and they have lost 4 million out of 26million so that meens only 22 million is with aol and the numbers are going down will aol end if the number go down fast
there not getting new people to sign up there singing off
so will aol come to a big end ? that is to be seen
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AOL/Virius
If it had not been for AOL, thousands upon thousands of people would never have had the chance to get on the internet. There would have been huge gapping holes of information that would have never been placed on the tubes {satire} and yet we are all so damn high and mighty to think that "Lordy, I NEVER would use AOL".
AOL opened the doors to countless people who were not lucky enough to have computer courses in high school or college, people who actually used pencils and erasers...people who knew how to write a business letter on an IBM Selectric and lick a stamp to send it. AOL opened the door to so much, to so many...yet we look down our noses at them.
So, since we all feel AOL is evil, how many of us uber geeks made something better? How many of us created a better mouse trap, or do we just look down our noses at something becasue we are superior and expect others to quiver in our wake.
I for one...I like the quivering in the wake, but then again...I am old, I used AOL and thanks to that I now have a career (and have had it for many years) in IT, I have my certs because of an interest in computing and a lot of that came from AOL.
And free or not, it's shyte now...but at one time it was THE shyte.
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freeaol
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The new free email is a load of crap too. Mostly it is just a page of advertsiements. The little tiny window they give you to see you messages is so small that you can only see one message at a time and for spam you can't veen see the message - you have to openit to know what the heck it is.
Once again AOL is a class act.
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RE: #103
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favorite places
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this is bogus
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Link Echange Request
Please reply and reciprocate
We have added our link to our site. Our details are as follows
Title: Dubai Real Estate
URL: http://www.gowealthy.com
Description:
Gowealthy.com is an information portal on International Real Estate, Properties in Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Offshore Banking, Investment, Bank Accounts, News, Travel and Entertainment.
Expecting your cooperation
Regards
Tressa
www.gowealthy.com
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Re: Link Echange Request
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Some suggestions for cancelling your AOL account.
Tell them you're sorry, but you have no choice about it and must cancel your account immediately. When you are asked why, reply with an answer they can't counter.
Tell them your situation has changed and you can no longer utilize their services:
1.) Able Seaman. U.S. Navy. Federal Law requires you not to disclose the location of any U.S. warship, and you're sorry, but that's all you can tell them, except that there are no telephones or other way to access the Internet aboard a submarine.
2.) Peace Corps Volunteer Field Worker, Republic of Burkina Faso. No telecommunications access within 120 kilometers.
3.) Convicted hacker. A court order has required you to surrender your computer equipment and refrain from all Internet access for a period of five years.
4.) Victim, canine mischief. Your dog ate your modem.
Be creative.
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:)
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how to get AOL free
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AOL
FRED
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AOL Cancel Trouble
During my last call to AOL, I told the representative that I was recording the call, and what a difference that made. All of a sudden, I received cooperation along with a confirmation number, a credit, and a letter of confirmation via U.S. mail. In the interim, I faxed their 703-433-7283 number twice, complained to webmaster@aolwatch.org, and sent a letter to the person in charge of "Customer Management and Paid Services" in Virginia along with all of my documentation from every phone call, fax and email. AOL is the worst company that I have ever dealt with.
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Collector item?
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I'm an idiot
Imagine my joy.
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That just shows how terrible their software is. It cannot even keep out people that didnt pay.
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Dear Member,
Thank you for being a valued AOL member and for contacting Member Services about your AOL® account! This email serves as confirmation that we canceled your paid account and converted it to a free account on 04/12/2008. You will have access to your AOL Internet connection until 04/17/2008, at which time your Free AOL plan will take effect. This plan does not include dial-up access or live technical customer support from AOL. However, you can continue to use AOL over any other Internet connection by following the instructions below about how to access your Free AOL account.
You will not be charged any additional monthly membership fees, but you will be responsible for any other charges you might have incurred since your last billing date 03/17/2008.
PLEASE SAVE THIS CONFIRMATION EMAIL AS YOUR RECORD OF THE CANCELLATION AND CONVERSION OF YOUR PAID MEMBERSHIP AND FOR FUTURE REFERENCE ON USING YOUR FREE MEMBER ACCOUNT.
What Your Free AOL Account Includes:
Once your paid member account is converted, you will still be able to use your account over an Internet connection of your choice, continuing to enjoy the content and many of the features that you currently use, such as:
✓ Your current AOL screen name for communicating via email and instant messaging
✓ Your familiar AOL software for quicker and safer Web browsing
✓ Safety and security software to help protect you from viruses, spyware, and more
✓ Your photos, emails, address book and everything else you've saved to your AOL account
✓ Great broadband content like AOL® Radio with XM, videos, news, sports and more!
How to Access Your Free AOL Account:
First, you will need to connect to the Internet through your new high-speed, broadband or dial-up provider. Then select one of the following ways to access your account:
✓ Using the AOL software (e.g. AOL Desktop), follow our step-by-step instructions to set up a new connection. Please note: If you previously chose to block pop-up offers while using AOL's software, your preference will be reset to allow pop-ups once you activate your Free AOL service is activated. Please visit marketingpreferences.aol.com to review your preferences and set them to meet your needs.
✓ Using a web browser (e.g., Internet Explorer or Firefox), go to www.aol.com and sign in to access your email, send instant messages and more.
For more information on our free features and content, please visit discover.aol.com. If you have a technical or billing question, or need help accessing your account, please visit help.aol.com.
Please note: AOL membership and use of AOL's free services remains subject to the AOL Terms of Service. For complete details click here.
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hi
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You get what you pay for.
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what a deal !!!!!!!
you just don`t see that any more........
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ada
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retuern message
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FREE AOL, Who are they kidding!!!!
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free aol
people who are getting the service for nothing. I would
like to get the service for nothing. Please tell me what to
do.
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Re: free aol
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AOL
aol sucks!!!!!! !
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Cancellation Notification
Thanking you in advance for your swift attention to my problem.
Charley
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free?
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email under maintence?-undefined?
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FREE AOL
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i would like for aol to be my main site is there something wrong with that
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newest jordan shoes
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hey
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Removals Brighton
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AOL Free
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