Okay…
So I’ve been getting these free AOL discs in the mail, in my weekly alternative newspaper, at the desk at the computer store, etc. All offer 1000 hours for 45 days for free… no credit card needed.
I’m not a techno-guy, and I’m fairly sure that the brains at AOL have addressed the problem of churning memberships. (that is, using one free trial membership for 45 days, cancelling the account, and starting over with a new disc and a new free 45day trial membership).
Unfortunately for those who desire free dialup, it is not possible. As part of the registration process, they ask you for your name and a valid credit card. I would assume, that they would notice if you signed up more than once. Now, if you had an infinite supply of valid Credit Card numbers you could do it, but in that case I am sure there would be much more profitable fraud for you to engage in
Even with the credit card they don’t care if you sign up more than once. I remember reading (I believe on this very board) that someone tried to cancel their account because they couldn’t afford it any more and the tech person told them to use one of the discs to sign up for free again. I think they value you more as a consumer (someone to boost their ad revenue) than a subscriber. (I’ve yet to try this myself, because it’s too much trouble, honestly.)
I don’t know how the “no credit card” ones work…I think you have to send them a check in advance or something.
Wow. It costs $5 for the privelege of having AOL take your money?
I used to wonder why anyone still subscribes to them after all the crap they pull. At school I have nice university high-speed access but at home I’m on AOL. Thanks to my mom, I no longer wonder, and I bet there are millions more like her.
I have approached her several times about switching to better (and cheaper, since she’s paying for it) ISPs, and her response is always, “Well, I don’t want to bother with switching accounts and learning a new program.”
