On September 30, users clinging to AOL’s dial-up service will need to find alternative internet solutions. Recently, AOL declared it will discontinue its dial-up service next month, an announcement that, while not shocking, highlights the fact that they still provided dial-up in 2025.

Usage of dial-up has dramatically decreased over recent years. In 2015, AOL had around 1.5 million dial-up subscribers, but reports from 2021 showed that number had dropped to the low thousands. As such, this change likely affects only a small clientele, yet it’s surprising that dial-up usage has funneled down for so long. AOL began offering dial-up in 1991, meaning it will approach 34 years of service before its discontinuation next month.

Unfortunately, those still using dial-up may have limited options for internet access, especially in remote areas where broadband connectivity either does not exist or is prohibitively expensive. Emergent from necessity, many dial-up customers likely remained as long-time subscribers. Fortunately, for them, AOL isn’t the sole provider of dial-up services; a few others are still available that cater to similar needs.

Ideally, continuous efforts should be aimed at enhancing broadband access, preventing reliance on such outdated internet formats as dial-up. Estimates reveal that 22.3% of Americans in rural locales and 27.7% in Tribal regions still lack access to high-speed internet, in stark contrast to just 1.5% in urban areas.

There are programs designed to remedy this issue. For instance, in 2021, the Biden Administration launched the Affordable Connectivity Program, giving internet plan discounts to low-income households. The Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program (BEAD) aims to bolster broadband infrastructure.