While most Americans enjoy either high-speed broadband or fiber internet services, some less fortunate areas are still being served by antiquated Dial-Up internet services even to this day – particularly certain rural areas that are too far from civilization for telecommunications companies to invest in the infrastructure.
Having said that, we thought it important to mention that AOL will be discontinuing its Dial-Up internet services effective September 30th, which means anyone still using these services will need to find different internet service to continue staying connected.
AOL announced the discontinuation of its Dial-Up internet service in a support page shared on its website this week.
Dial-Up internet, which was popular in the 90s, sports a maximum throughput speed of 56kbps, but other factors like noise and bandwidth throughput can ultimately yield slower results. Many of our readers aren’t old enough to remember the days of Dial-Up, but for reference, here’s what it sounded like:
Did that ring a bell for you? It did for me.
Comparatively, modern internet services like cable, broadband, and fiber internet offer throughout speeds of 10mbps and higher. Some fiber internet services even offer gigabit speeds, highlighting consumer demand for faster internet in an age in which video streaming and game consumption reigns supreme.
As Dial-Up connections begin winding down in a modern era that now considers it to be obsolete, non-serviced areas will need to consider alternatives like SpaceX’s Starlink internet, which can provide up to 350mbps over satellite. It’s an excellent option if you don’t have access to cable, broadband, or fiber internet options in your area, and you can even take it everywhere you go for mobile internet if you have the right type of plan.
Moreover, an increasing number of cellular providers like T-Mobile and Verizon are starting to roll out 5G Home internet in areas where wired internet isn’t an option. But if you’re too rural, satellite may still be the way to go.