AOL for Free?
"I read somewhere that AOL is going to stop charging for their Internet service and make AOL access free. Is that true, and if so, are there any gotchas I should now about?"
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AOL Wants to Be Free
Yes, it true... AOL access is now free. But I have clarify up front that "AOL access" does not mean "Internet access". If you already have an Internet connection (dialup, cable, DSL, or fiber) then you can now access all of the services that AOL offers for free. So if you've been paying for AOL and recently have switched to a broadband connection at home, you can stop paying for your AOL account.
Really. Just go to Keyword: Change Plan on AOL and click the Free button. No strings attached, no "customer retention specialists" to talk with. Nothing to install or download. Anyone with a connection to the Internet can get a free AOL account. If you cancelled your AOL account in the last few years in favor of broadband, you can even get your AOL screen name back.
"Let Me Make This Perfectly Clear"
With all due respect to Richard M. Nixon, let me reiterate this important point. Free AOL is only for people with some OTHER means of accessing the Internet. If you have AOL and a high-speed connection through some other provider, you can "go free" and pay nothing for AOL. But if you need the dial-up connection from AOL, you can still save a chunk of change. Switch your plan from the standard $25.90 a month to the $9.95 a month plan, and you can continue as usual.
What Does a Free AOL Account Offer?
First and foremost, an AOL account offers free web-based email on AOL.COM. I prefer web-based email over traditional email software, because I can access my email from anywhere in the world, as long as I have an Internet connection. With a typical email client such as Outlook or Thunderbird, your email is tied to one computer. I love being able to access my email from a friend's house, a hotel room, a cafe, or my car.
Here are some of the other services you can get with a free AOL account.
- Online Storage
- AOLVideo.com
- AOLRadio
- AIM Phoneline
- AIM Pro
- Security Tools
Xdrive is like a personal hard drive on the Internet, accessible from ANY computer. You get 5 GB of free online storage, and software for
Windows that makes it easy to just copy files to and from your Xdrive. Stash music, photos, videos, or whatever you like on your Xdrive. And don't tell... you can use a different screen name and get another 5 Gb of storage.
AOL's answer to YouTube is billed as the best all-around video portal. In addition to user-created videos, you can search through millions of pieces of video, buy and download full-length movies from most major studios, or watch re-runs of classic TV shows.
Listen to your favorite music online, including XM Satellite Radio stations. Over 200 streaming internet radio stations, from Classical to Country, Hip-Hop to Alternative, Pop to Rock.
AIM Phoneline gives you incoming calls with voicemail, integrated with your AIM buddylist. Get your "AIM digits" to give out as a no-hassle phone number to marketers, people you meet at social functions, etc. It's a free, local telephone number that comes with voicemail, delivered right to your email inbox. When you're online, it lets you screen and answer calls, using your PC microphone and speakers.
Secure instant messaging and tight integration with Outlook contact management. Also gives extra collaborative functions for business users
that the regular AIM doesn't provide. It's worth a look if you IM at work.
The AOL Safety and Security Center includes comprehensive anti-virus protection to protect computer and your e-mail. You also get spyware protection, as well as a firewall.
Granted, you can get many of these services elsewhere on the Web. But integration can be nice, and I applaud AOL for making the move to offer their services for free. It's especially good news for the many AOL users that have been paying a premium price to access AOL, on top of paying for high-speed Internet service. To get your free AOL account, visit free.aol.com.
Got comments about AOL or the move to the Free model? Post your thoughts below...
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Check out other articles in this category:Posted by Bob Rankin on September 20, 2006 07:21 PM
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Most recent comments on "AOL for Free?"
(See all 42 comments for this article.)|
Posted by:
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I have used AOL for a long time and now I want to switch to free AOL. I have (as I understand it), one master account and 3 additional screen names. How do I switch all 4 (master + 3) to free? Do I just change the master, or do I have to do all of them? If so do I have to do the 3 other names first and then the master? EDITOR'S NOTE: You just change the Master account and the others will follow. |
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free Aol. Can't delete aol browser history. Settings gives an error message "we're sorry the information you requested is temporarily unavailable. Try again latter" Any ideas? |
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I have one of those free aol web based e-mail accounts. I want to be able to delete the account. But can't find away or any ideas on how to do it. Just not using it isn't an option. Any ideas? |
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AOL can keep their so called 'Free' offer and stick it where the sun don't shine. They ganked me for enough money and at the time didn't even offer any virus protection meanwhile their service was slow and one would have to go through excruciating long waiting periods for many downloads and now they're trying to get new suckers to piggyback onto their service again with a cheesy offer. Not even if they were fully free on their own as i'd rather pay someone else and get better service to boot. NUFF SAID. |
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I had Aol dialup for a few years, then I got DSL and kept Aol for free for my e-mail. I am having a problem, when I receive an e-mail with pictures and try to forward the pictures don't forward. |
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I have a question...after a separation with my husband, can I still keep my AOL accounts/screennames? And he keep his one screenname? I am now on broadband and paying a minimal amount for AOL, which I don't mind, as long as I can keep my Screennames, favs and email. EDITOR'S NOTE: Yes, you can both keep your accounts. However, you should be aware that the owner of the master (primary) screen name has control over the others, including the ability to change passwords and remove screen names from the account. Long-term, it would be best to split it into two separate accounts. |
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I am considering free AOL. I have had 3 hour mazimum for $5 per month (being raised to $10). I have several screen names and web sites with them. Can I continue the websites? EDITOR'S NOTE: You mean sites hosted on AOL? I'd think YES, if you can currently update your site through a web interface. |
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In your reply to the divorcing couple above, you wrote: >>> your ex-wife will have to cancel her screen name, then sign up for a new account with that same name. It's dicey because there's a period of time before the screen name is released. I'm not sure how long you have to wait This answer is wrong. Although AOL claims that unused screen names become free after 6 months or so, they really don't. I have a friend who's been off AOL for 10 years and her old screen name is still unavailable. I think in a case like this, one person is out of luck and if they want to have an account separate from their ex-spouses, they'll have to abandon their old screen name. EDITOR'S NOTE: You may be right. But there may also be a difference between abandoned (unused) screen names and ones that are explicitly cancelled. |
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I just changed to free AOL after years of paying for no real service (since I have a Mac). I mean they don't even update the sign-on screen any more. So I changed over to free. I go online with a high-speed server to get to my AOL. But now, if I want to access a website, either from the http bar or from the body of an email I might be reading, I cant get the website; just a star which indicates that the connection is not being made. What's up and what can I do about it? EDITOR'S NOTE: I don't understand how using the free AOL service (which is all web-based) could affect anything else on your Mac. You're not still using the AOL software, are you? |
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I have a friend that just signed into Netzero with dialup, not dsl. When he accesses the AOl mail screen and enters his name and pass, a new screen is presented showing "Connect". How can this be corrected? EDITOR'S NOTE: Sounds like your friend is firing up the AOL software, and trying to login to AOL mail. Tell him instead to visit http://webmail.aol.com with his web browser. That will avoid the "Connect" prompt. |
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