<p>Anyone have any experience with this? We used to pay the $23/month for AOL but when they came out with the free version we dropped it to $9.95 for the premium version that supposedly gives the enhanced virus protection and Firewall. Im thinking about dropping the $9.95 plan. Is anyone knowledgeable about AOL and whether the $9.95 version is actually any better than the free version or if the free version is loaded with ads?</p>
<p>I’m on the $3.95 plan and can’t figure out how to cancel it.</p>
<p>When you cancel your plan, and go with the free one, I believe you no longer “load” AOL software per se, you just use IE over whatever broadband connection you have, and get your mail from signing in at AOL.com. </p>
<p>I do know that you cannot cancel online, you have to call them. </p>
<p>My husband had a separate AOL account for his work, and we had one for home. When home was on AOL broadband, and they stopped providing broadband, I kept the AOL 9.95 and he converted to the free version. I don’t think he uses “AOL” software now at all. But he has his own firewall and virus protection. I use the paid AOL with the newest AOL firewall/virus protection and I am happy with it. For awhile, I did so also for the parental controls, as I had a younger D who might be on all night if I did not. I don’t need that now. You also still get free AOL tech support with the paid plans.</p>
<p>We have free AOL, I see no difference. I only keep it at all for one message board that I’ve participated on for 12 years and because it would be a bother to get the two e-mail address I use most frequently.</p>
<p>I am on the free one. Go to your main screenname and go into your account- and then into billing. What you lose is access to phone customer service and dial-up (if you are not using aol access). This is an issue for me when I go to my dads and want internet access on my account. So, I change back to the 9.95/mo, go to see dad, and change it back when I return. If I do it within the month of my billing cycle, I never get a bill (they told me to do this).</p>
<p>I was late changing to free but see no difference. When I’m away from home, I just used the web version <a href=“http://www.aol.com%5B/url%5D”>www.aol.com</a>.</p>
<p>smdur-
That works only if the access is via cable or DSL. For dinosaurs like my dad who use dial-up, that doesnt work. I can get into his account, but not mine.</p>
<p>I also have free aol. It includes McAfee virus protection and a firewall. The only difference is that I don’t pay a bill…OH…one other thing. I can only get online tech support. I can’t get phone tech support. Since I couldn’t understand anything the phone folks said anyway, this really wasn’t much of a loss. Free aol is much like free yahoo. It’s fine…and free. Yep…when you’re away from home just use internet explorer and <a href=“http://www.aol.com%5B/url%5D”>www.aol.com</a>. No point in changing payment plans. Just not needed.</p>
<p>I tried to use internet explorer on my dad’s dial-up. No go. I can get into AOL, just not my account. Had to do that change payment plans thing to access it through dial-up- then change it back. Trust me- I tried every other option (including sitting out onthe stoop with my h’s laptop to “borrow” a neighbor’s wireless. Signal wasnt strong enough.) Bummer. So, we made a few visits to Starbucks, changed the AOL payment plan and then could get on my dad dinosaur computer when necessary. Again- I could get on his aol, but not as a guest into my account–even trying though IE. No go. If you dont pay for AOL, you dont get on via dial-up. Period.</p>
<p>Paying for AOL is like paying for someone to hit your computer with a sledgehammer.</p>