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.'"

8.7 million?

[stinerman]

Wow. I'm surprised AOL still has that many customers.

Come on guys, let's get grandma off AOL.

Correction

[Tx]

"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.

You thought it was bad before...

[RockMFR]

Will calling them to cancel your service constitute technical support? If so, this plan is ingenious!

Instant Messenger

[quibbs0]

Rumor has it that the once free IM service is now going to a $.10 per sent or received IM message.

Re:8.7 million?

[jacquesm]

that's one step worse than asking those ./ers without wives/girlfriends to reveal themselves...

I'm guessing there will be no takers on this one.

Re:8.7 million?

[plasmacutter]

This surprises you after so many voted a potted plant back into the presidency after such obvious failure in 2004?

Re:8.7 million?

[Anonymous Coward]

This surprises you after so many voted a potted plant back into the presidency after such obvious failure in 2004?

Speaking as a potted plant, I find that remark deeply offensive to our species.

Re:8.7 million?

[VeNoM0619]

that's one step worse than asking those ./ers without wives/girlfriends to reveal themselves... I'm guessing there will be no takers on this one.

I have plenty of wives/girlfriends

AOL?

[sizzzzlerz]

I haven't heard of them before. Are they new? You'd think they'd advertise to drum up business.

Re:Ummm

[Slashdot Suxxors]

i think what they meant to say was "LOL"

Re:Wow, 8.7 million still

[tilandal]

Most of them tried to cancel but AOL wouldn't let them.

Running true to form

[techno-vampire]

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.

Hello, I'm robbing you at gunpoint.

[mmell]

Give me your watch. Right, then . . .

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?

Re:8.7 million?

[spazdor]

I am a bush, you insensitive... etc.

Re:8.7 million?

[fm6]

Then you have to teach grandma how to use Thunderbird. OK, you'd probably enjoy doing it, but most grandmas don't have a friendly geek handy. Hence the 8.7 million.

Look at it this way: after all the CDs and floppies they sent out, they have a retention rate of 0.00000000001%!

Re:The best way to cancel AOL and probably the....

[WarwickRyan]

One of those evil ones which, according to AOL Time Warner executives is the biggest contributing factor towards the twin evils of child abuse and terrorism.

Think it was called "Napster".

Re:Using even after broadband

[techno-vampire]

I was doing tech support for an ISP back when AOL started its "Bring your own interet" program, where you could use AOL through other providers. I remember getting a call from a woman who complained that "Once I log on and start AOL, all I get is AOL. What do I need you for?"

I explained to her how once she'd opened AOL she was just using us to get to them and that if she wanted all of the Internet, uncensored, unfiiltered, all she had to do was not connect to AOL, just open her browser and have fun. She decided to cancel her service with us.

Hmm Interesting

[BuckaBooBob]

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.
   

In other news..

[Duncan Blackthorne]

In other news.. apparently AOL is still in business. Who knew?

AOL: Now with 100% more terrible customer service! (Because you have to PAY for it now)

Re:8.7 million?

[frosty_tsm]

Go on, say it. Call him a "clod". You know that term is derogatory to us potting soil (the very potting soil that nourishes you).

There was only one burning bush, or shrub, or whatever that was in the desert... and it only had sand!

Re:8.7 million?

[Sponge Bath]

Like the Knights Who Say Ni!, they demanded a shrubbery.

Re:8.7 million?

[thynk]

I used to keep an AOL account cuz I lived in a college town and that's where all the CO-EDs would hang out. Actually ended up dating 3 of the women I met on there, and married one of them. All of them were crazy, so after the last one I dropped AOL for good.