Followup on Some of Your New AOL Strategy/Free Plan Questions

Hi folks -- just following up on my entry yesterday about the New AOL strategy.

Some folks are having a hard time wrapping their heads around this; it's understandable, since it's a pretty different way of doing things for us (which is kind of the point), so here it is again:

If you connect to the Internet through someone else (by using cable, DSL, or another dialup provider), you can get the AOL service for free.

This is the same AOL service that you already know. Same software. Same storage. Same screen name. Same Journals.

You can keep using the AOL client software; if you use AOL.com for some stuff (like Webmail), you can do that; if you use both the AOL software and AOL.com, you can do that, too. Basically, you can keep doing what you're already doing.

The only things that aren't included are things that are already premium services (like say, AOL Call Alert) -- also, 24/7 live customer help is not included (this includes telephone, e-mail and live chat support -- if you switch to the free plan, you won't get live help, though you can still get the help docs at help.aol.com).

For current members, think of it this way: Take everything you do today with AOL. Subtract the bill and live help. That's what the new free plan is.

This is new since yesterday -- because you demanded it, you can now change your plan online -- you don't have to do it via phone. Just can go to Keyword: Change Plan (AOL in-client link only); you'll see a screen that looks like this:

Keyword: Change Plan (AOL in-client link only)
Journaler Joseph Manna, who just happens to work in Member Services, has a few good entries of his own talking about what this all means (he's the guy who told me about the Change Plan keyword), including what other plans are available (there's an unlimited dialup+live help plan for $9.95, and a low-usage plan for $4.95 [you have to talk to Billing for the low-usage plan]), etc.

Check out his blog, Happenings.

(That means go bug him.)
Update: UK Journaler Pharmolo (of Northern Trip) and CA Journaler (that's Canada, not California) Plittle (of Aurora Walking Vacation) remind me to remind you that all this stuff about the New AOL and the free plan only applies currently to US AOL folks. I am not sure what the plan is for International, since those are all separate businesses. Apologies for being unclear -- it's my nationalist point of view talking.

Hope this helps answer some of your questions.

Thanks -- Joe

Tags: AOL Journals, New AOL

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This entry has 10 comments: (Add your own)

#10 Comment from journalseditorEntry Author
8/7/06 7:57 PM | Permalink

Sharon -- I don't know the specifics of your account, so I can't answer for sure -- you'll probably have to speak to someone in Member Services.

Thanks -- Joe (posted & mailed)
#9 Comment from lisbnjvi
8/5/06 3:35 PM | Permalink

Thanks for the link to change AOL for free. I was trying to get the page open from "Billing" keyword and it wouldn't let me, kept telling me that the page was "unavailable", so this helped me a great deal! Thanks for all that you do Joe!
Hugs,
Lisa
#8 Comment from plittle
8/5/06 9:19 AM | Permalink

elleme2,
AOL.com is a web page. Anyone can visit it using any web browser and internet service. The AOL software is what comes on the CD, and you install on your computer, which allows you to access the AOL environment, and access AOL features that are exclusive to members.
-Paul
http://journals.aol.ca/plittle/AuroraWalkingVacation/
#7 Comment from elleme2
8/5/06 2:27 AM | Permalink

Some basic basics, Jo, for the dim-witted amon us:
"....if you use both the AOL software and AOL.com.... What is the difference between these two? Describe each briefly. Thanks.
#6 Comment from tpiez4me
8/4/06 8:05 PM | Permalink

Thanks Joe. I took this screen name at work many years ago, one of the 5 available on the plan. Can I still use it in the Free AOL? Is it hard to switch it off of boss's list of 5 or do I even need to?
Sharon

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Followup on Some of Your New AOL Strategy/Free Plan Questions