AOL's Dial-Up Era Ends as Biden's BEAD Program Targets Broadband Gap
AOL, once a tech giant worth $164 billion in 2000, now faces a dwindling dial-up user base. Meanwhile, OpenAI's valuation soars to $500 billion. The Biden administration's Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program aims to bridge the digital divide, with the Trump administration previously funding Elon Musk's SpaceX for satellite internet.
AOL's dial-up service, once popular, has seen a significant decline. In 2015, it had 2.1 million users, but by 2022, that number has dropped to 'in the low thousands'. Despite this, AOL Advantage subscription service continues to provide tech support and identity theft services to 1.5 million customers, generating $180 million annually.
AOL discontinued its dial-up service, including the AOL Dialer software and AOL Shield browser, on September 30, 2022. A small number of other ISPs still offer dial-up services for customers with limited connectivity options. The FCC's 2020 Broadband Deployment Report highlights the digital divide, with 22.3% of rural Americans and 27.7% of those on Tribal lands lacking access to fixed terrestrial 25/3 Mbps broadband. The Biden administration's BEAD program seeks to address this, with the Trump administration previously awarding SpaceX $300 million in federal funding for satellite internet.
AOL's dial-up service, once a symbol of internet connectivity, now faces obsolescence. Meanwhile, the broadband gap persists, with rural and Tribal lands residents still struggling for access. The BEAD program aims to change this, building on the Trump administration's support for satellite internet.
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