AOL broadband

[Andiesean]

Any AOL broadband users out there, would like to hear some comments on your likes or dislikes with their service.

[avx]

Ive never understood the purpose of AOL broadband...if you go to broadband...toss AOL out the though I have heard of some great rebates and deals you get where you c0ould end up paying just like 5 bucks a month for it...but Im guessing they lasso you in with some contracts and stuff...I think a buddy of mine has it, I will have to double check, but I will see what he thinks...and then Ill post back

[glc]

I just don't like the idea of choking down a great broadband connection with proprietary AOL software. You won't be able to network your connection with a router or ICS to the best of my knowledge.

[Xayd]

AOL is hardly broadband.

Their software restricts you from downloading files directly, it throws them into an AOL "download manager" from which you can download later....at about 10k/sec. They also use cache servers for website traffic.

If you like paying for real DSL and getting shafted with roughly double the speed of 56k, you'll love it.

[rs125]

I have AOL broadband and to be honest have found it quite good..

I don't use the AOL browser i use IE ..

Download speeds are ok - currently downloading from kazaa at over 54kb/s which is about 450kpbs and my max is 512 so im not to far off..

There customer services are sh1t - 5 times ive rang and told them i have a faulty DSL filter and each time they have said they will send one out - idiots....

[morriswindgate]

In my way of thinking, if it has anything to do with AOL software or AOL features, STAY AWAY FROM IT!
IN every single computer that I have worked on with software problems, everyone of them had AOL software on it and the glitch could be traced back to it.
The last three computers that I worked on that had been destroyed by a virus were all owned by AOL users.
Every single virus that I have had sent to me on my home computers (where I protect the E-Mail address) were sent from the address books of AOL users.
Now if you want to pay a premium above regular cable so that you can get the above, not to mention the excellent advertising and other garbage feel free. But I will never use it.

[Confused]

Why pay a premium to AOL. Get the broadband yourself from your local cable/DSL provider. Use IE, Mozilla, Opera, ect for browser and get a firewall. XP has a good one built in or look into ZA or a hardware one. I prefer hardware firewalls that routers provide.

Chas

[autotran]

I am one of the original users of AOL DSL Broadband. It is thru Verizon and it is suppose to be 640/128. My cost for it, up until three or four months ago was about $20.00 a month. Making my monthly AOL cost about $40.00. My total is now about $51.00 a month. I typically download at about 90-92kb/s (have seen over a 100kb/s) and upload at 15kb/s. I have no real problems with it and the customer service being 24/7 has generally been OK (some of the reps are excellent, only a couple should have been doing something else).
I have run my business from it for aprox. the last four years. Due to the amount of work and effort it takes to get listed in search engines you can't just change providers on a whim. For the last year I have been using a second Web hosting service ($5.00 mo. and my own US domain name $10.00 yr.) and have been getting that listed in the search engines. I still do not get as many hits as AOL but it is getting closer. (I use eXTReMe Tracking for my results)

glc You can network and I can have seven networked at a time using Broadband or six on Broadband and one dialup.

Regarding a lot of the other remarks above go to DSLReports and read about other AOL DSL/Broadband users to get the straight scoop, it's not as bad as some of the above remarks make it out to be. Dave