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AOL Users Will Need to Pay $2 a Month For Phone Support
destinyland writes "8.7 million AOL subscribers face a new 20% fee increase next month — unless they agree to never call AOL's technical support lines. They'll have to use AOL chat for support or the online help "portal" unless their issue is a failed connection — and they're being enrolled in the program by default unless they opt out. Ominously, AOL used the exact same wording as when they quietly changed their terms of service to allow them to sell subscribers' home phone numbers to telemarketers. 'Your continued subscription to the AOL service constitutes your acceptance of this change.'"
Wow. I'm surprised AOL still has that many customers.
Come on guys, let's get grandma off AOL.
nice doing business with you
probably lose half of them with this price hike.
if this is supposed to be a new economy, how come they still want my old fashioned money?
as they descend in AOHell; desperate grabs at revenue are being made. It was tough to cancel before; no you can't do it on weekends or holidays.
After creating eternal September they are sliding to obscurity.
I'm a consultant - I convert gibberish into cash-flow.
Its been 13 years since I first heard the term "Friends don't let friends use AOL". Its amazing how that company is a model of consistency.
All easy jokes I could make here aside, that's pretty amazing that AOL still has that many (presumably paying) subscribers.
"Your continued subscription to the AOL service constitutes your proof that you are a fool and deserve to be parted from your money."
There, fixed it.
Oh no... it's the future.
My grandmother decided to leave AOL. AOL however, would not leave her. She kept getting billed, and could not disconnect for MONTHS after the fact. I never did find out what the end result was, but (in the past) it was normal for AOL to 'not' disconnect your service when you asked them to...
What is this "AOL" of which you speak?
Will calling them to cancel your service constitute technical support? If so, this plan is ingenious!
Rumor has it that the once free IM service is now going to a $.10 per sent or received IM message.
I bet a savvy lawyer could have a field day with AOL's blatant violations of 47 CFR 68.1002 et al, i.e., the Telecommunications Privacy Act, by selling subscriber's phone numbers to unrelated third parties. I'm sure the FCC, FTC, DOJ, and various state agencies will consider this "policy" to be a blatant disregard for the various Do-Not-Call lists.
Maybe we should all call AOL's 800 numbers to ask them if that's their intent or not, and what their lawyers think.
You can just call them and complain that you don't agree with this. But while the call to support fee is US$ 2, the call to complain fee is US$ 10. Well, what a bargain!
alias possession='chmod 666 satan && ls
fastest way to cancel your account is to get yourself banned. I got banned when I was 13 from using proggies (it was the 90's come on) and have not since even got so much as an AOL cd in the mail.
I would imagine we're dealing with a sort of online Darwin Award group here. Those who remain with AOL at this point are probably the kinds of people that like to pick their nose, jab pencils in their eyes and actually think American Idol is a legitimate talent contest. Everyone with an IQ above 90 abandoned AOL a looooong time ago.
The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
With everything AOL has done in the past to drive out it's customers, no one in his right mind is ever going to suscribe to them now.
Their only option is to get more money from people who have already demonstrated that they are too lazy, too stupid, or too obnoxious to find an other ISP : their customers.
__
Just passing by
For crying out loud! How can you Americans keep accepting this load of BS?
Stuff like that would never fly here in Denmark, what happened to the customer is always right etc?
Nostalga is okay but in this case who gives a flying fuck? AOL is irrelevant. They are a internet portal and dialup provider. I'm with the posts that say "hey i didn't know AOL still had users!" but I take it a step further in that I don't want to know either. Back when they had a huge market share they were relevant and their pricing practices deserved scrutiny, even if 99.9% of slashdotters thought it's service was foul. Now they have to compete for the scraps of dialup users who don't want to upgrade to broadband, and that market is neither vibrant nor growing. We don't post pricing practices of Juno or netzero, do we?
C'mon it can't be that slow a news day can it?
"All great wisdom is contained in .signature files"
What's astonishing to me is the number of AOL users I encounter who continue to use AOL even after switching to broadband, not because they like AOL's features, but because they think that's the only way to the internet.
"You mean I don't have to use AOL to browse the intarwebs? I don't understand!"
"Tell me doctor, with all of your defenses, are there any provisions for an attack by killer bees?"
'Your continued subscription to the AOL service constitutes your acceptance of this change.'"
You mean the continued subscription because AOL has a retention pool designed to endlessly throw offers and incentives (including months of free service, if necessary) to keep their customers?
I've known people who have had to report their Credit Card as lost to get out of paying for AOL.
Those who believe the Internet is private,
find their privates are on the Internet.
I haven't heard of them before. Are they new? You'd think they'd advertise to drum up business.
You can have half of a customer?
Years ago I got the impression that AOL was walking around carrying a pair of hand guns pointing at their own feet. At random intervals, they pull one of the triggers and shoot themselves in the foot. Once in a while, they pull both at once. AFAIC, this new policy is just AOL running true to form and shooting themselves in the feet.
Good, inexpensive web hosting
Your continued presence within my eyesight constitutes acceptance of the assertion that I have a right to take everything of value you have. Wallet, jewelery, cash please?
Alot of losers
The above post is an editorial, the poster cannot and will not be held responsible for all or in part for it's contents
Could I just start sending a company bills? I've changed my terms of service. I'm their customer using their service, but now they must pay be $50 for the privilege of me using their service. That I'm still using their service means that they accept the terms of my customer license agreement and they must now pay my bill otherwise I'll cancel my customer service with them and that'll be a $500 disconnection charge.
I don't have balls enough to try that. I'm sure some else here does. I'd almost want to know what would happen if we all decided August 1 to fight back and we'll start by faxing a customer license agreement to every service provider that we do business with... (Electric, water, sewage, trash, cable, internet, cell phone/telephone, and anything else that you pay on a monthly basis.) We put in there at the fine print that acceptance of our money and providing us with service means that they accept said terms of service.
The good part is that you don't have to be ugly unless they try something, and then if they do, well then you use that customer lic agreement to club them... Ok. that and a website of other customers of said service that you could post your complaint and if they've tried stuff on a wider scale.
they can afford a vacation home, but can't afford internet for it?
Additionally, if it's in another country, and that country is in western europe or the pacific rim, they could probably get broadband there for half the current price of AOL.
Either way, they're paying a "tax" for that level of stupidity.
VLC FOR MAC IS DYING! IF YOU DEVELOP, PLEASE SAVE IT!!
Just go to AOL keyword Vaseline...it will make the whole process far less painful.
You aren't kidding about grandmas.
In addition, it seems to me that AOL is tricking people into accepting this $2 increase. Let me explain:
My wife's grandma uses AOL and she told me that she got an e-mail that said that her bill will go up by $2 every month unless you click this link and answer some account security questions. I immediately thought this was a fake e-mail to get grandmas account information. I looked at the e-mail and it looks just like the false bank emails that I receive all the time. However, I called AOL and it ended being a true e-mail.
We have been trained to ignore e-mails with wording like this, how many old people do you think will just delete this e-mail and end up getting charged an extra $2?
$2 Per Month?
Isn't that the going rate for a dedicated support "tech" in India?
If you don't have a fax machine, you should be able to do it from your local copy shop or anywhere else that offers fax-for-fee services.
I hope someone from AOL reads this.
Plus this is nothing new. Telephone-based customer service is at the customer's expense in lots of places around the world, because the person making the telephone call pays the bill. So it is typical for an ISP to charge a euro or so a minute for the phone call, billed via the phone company with the monthly telephone bill. Someone has to pay the salary of the tech support person. Of course, this can lead to abuse, since the ISP earns more money by inspiring people to call technical support ... but that is fraud. The American-style system, where the ISP generally foots the bill for the technical support, might lead to better service since it is in the ISP's interest to lower tech support costs, but in my experience, it doesn't work and instead causes across-the-board higher costs for customers (e.g., with Verizon). My experience with 1&1 in Germany, despite their high cost per tech-support incidence, was fantastic --- they make the U.S. look like they are decades behind.
Write on the back of your next payment to AOL
By cashing this Cheque AOL agrees it is their fault I am downloading Music/Video's and accepts full responsibility of my actions on the internet.
It would be quite humorous to see what they would do. or if they caught it at all.
Who needs WiFi when we can have Packet Over Sheep! http://datacomm.org/PoS-InternetDraft.txt
As a european i've heard lots of bad things about aol and the service they provide (mainly through /. ) but i never really understood what it is.
I presume it's a piece of software with a dumbed down interface to connect to the net, is this correct or is there more to it?
And if it is, why is it so popular?!
Anyone care to explain?
AOL: Now with 100% more terrible customer service! (Because you have to PAY for it now)
Paying for a utility that you aren't using 90% of the time is just money down the drain, whereas property almost always increases in value, usually by enough to offset taxes and maintanance.
Furthermore, depending on how trendy of a vacation spot the cabin is, it may not be all that expensive (ie much less than their main house in the city).
Besides, having dialup on the road is really useful. Motel internet service is a complete rip-off and many of them don't have free wireless.
There are plenty of ex AOL users infesting the net. Some of them are too young, actually, to have ever been AOL users, but the mindset is still there. I guess most of them are using Macs.
I like to pick my nose, but I have an IQ of 91. So bang goes your theory.
Seriously though, why would anyone NOT just use mobile data these days, surely it's AS easy to get a grandparent using a simple HSDPA dongle as it is plugging in a phone cable.
Heh, even if AOL raised their rates to $30/month for dial-up they will still have 8.7 million dial-up users.
As P. T. Barnum used to say "There is a sucker born every minute." and to rephrase that "There is an AOL user born every minute."
The one thing that AOL has going for them, is that even computer illiterate users can use it, just pop in the AOL CD and let Autorun install the software they need. Most computer literate users have moved on to broadband and installed their own NIC card and broadband DSL or Cable or Satellite modems. Plus AOL has dial-up phone access from anywhere in the USA, you could be in some unknown town in the Mideast and AOL will have a dial-up number there to dial into. Like Branson, Missouri, any other ISP you would have to pay long distance to connect to their dial-up account in that city, but AOL has local Branson dial-up numbers and you don't have to dial into Joplin or Springfield numbers. But I heard that Juno and Netzero started to get a lot of dial-up number coverage in most of the USA now, so their $9.99/month dial-up accounts might start to get better than AOL's. But anyone smart enough will know that Branson resorts have Wifi access in their lounges and cafes. Just not the cheap *** motels. :)
Remember, Slashdot does not have a -1 disagree moderation, and no, troll, flamebait, and overrated are not substitutes.
So they're going to charge you to attempt to cancel your service. It's amazing that they're still even around considering their shady business practices. If you want to know how not to run a business, you always have AOL as your guide.
Ok so they are wanting to have consumers pay $2 a month to talk to India?
Of going to a Denny's and getting a Classic Midnight Waitress. Getting that Classic 3 am terrible service. Then at the end being told you HAVE to tip. When you argue they point to a little post-it note on the floorboards near the entrance that says, "Buy eating this food you agree to tip no matter what!" While the 2$'s may be an enforceable fee, the opt in somehow I think will not withstand a court challenge.
i've seen at least two hotel holding companies (which run multiple chains) advertising free wifi.
VLC FOR MAC IS DYING! IF YOU DEVELOP, PLEASE SAVE IT!!
The freakin' article indicates that the $2 increase is only for dial-up customers. It says nothing about broadband AOL users receiving a monthly fee increase. I can't find any clear numbers stating how many of its 8.7 million subscribers are dial-up users vs. broadband customers.
Also, for what it's worth, CNET shares a different take on this issue in its article AOL rate increase maybe not as dumb as it looks.
the JoshMeister on Security
Back in '96 I had AOL. And then there was much reason to have it. There was no broadband to speak off, and you got plenty for your money like IM service and access to few MMORPGs for free, although they were BETA. Still it was great.
One of my neighbors is currently paying for broadband through the local cable company, but also paying for the AOL dialup service. He doesn't even use the dialup -- just connects to AOL through his broadband. Only uses his AOL for e-mail. Even after I told him that he could retain his e-mail (complete with AOL junk mail and advertisements littered everywhere) after he cancelled his account. He refuses to. Oh stubborn AOL users.
Yet if their cottage is anywhere rural, dial-up may be the only available or cost-effective option.
and put them out of their misery. Or Google. I think it'd be a good complimentary move along with partnering with Google. Yahoo already has their own ISP service so why not gain obtain that part of the market and consolidate it? Then get rid of the entire sales directors who make these asinine rules and improve the customer support sections.
1. Set up user monthly fee for tech support.
2. Query Select: User, Criteria: Opt Out of Monthly Fee.
3. Throttle/Disconnect Selected Users to make them call in for pay per minute tech support.
4. Put them on hold
5. Profit.
Beware of those who profit off the docile and persecute the unbelievers.
This is just another one of AOL's death throes. They are so desperate for money that they'll now charge for help. AOL is nothing special anyways: It's just a platform to charge customers to view an endless barrage of sales pitches, promos, product plugs, and advertisements (hence the nickname, "Advertisements On-Line").
Charging for help is the perfect way to pump customers for cash as if they were ATMs:
1) Introduce "problem" into customers account (Billing error, not allowing their account to connect, slow speeds, errors, disconnect user at random times, etc.).
2) Customer calls support regarding problem.
3) Charge customer to "fix" problem.
4) After getting money from customer, fix the "problem".
5) Lather, Rinse, Repeat.
Or, for a more SlashDot-esque comparison:
1) Break customer's account.
2) Charge for help.
3) ???
4) Profit!
FTFA: "The company began to notify customers in June that their rates would increase $2 to $11.99 per month, unless they decide to give up technical support by phone."
-Translation: If you agree to never call us again, we won't charge you. However, we need money so bad were just going to fuck with you so you will have to call. You *WILL* call and you *WILL* pay.
Knowing Google's lust for data collection, the Soviet Union is still alive and well inside the psyche of Sergey Brin....
AOL is hardly the only company to do this. Technical support is one of the most expensive parts of an ISP's services, and even companies with sophisticated products can burn many hours of technical support on fairly minor problems that their first-tier and second-tier staff have no chance of understanding, because it's not in the troubleshooting flowchart they use. Someone has to actually understand the problem, or have tried a similar configuration.
VMware does nearly this. Their dial-up and online support is, frankly, useless, and points you to the customer forums. unfortunately, those customer forums are so deluged with similar problems and no way to expire bad answers and get them out of the forum that it's quite difficult to search through and find the real answer.