We have just been broadband enabled in our area....... wow eeee speeds up to 512kb!!!!

we have used Aol for our dial up and found thier service very reliable, just wondered how good the Broadband side of it was?

Just ordered it but have a cooling off period of 7 working days, so any advice would be helpful

i presonally dont like aol, alot of their bundled software is a pain, and really hogs system resources.

i also recommend people to avoid them, but if you have just been using their services for dial up, and enjoyed the experience, then you will probably like their broadband services too.

go to adslguide.org and compare some providers, their results are compiled by the customers themselves, so it gives you a good idea of the quality of the providers services

I have to agree, AOL (people like to call it Always Off Line :hihi: )suck big time. Try the adsl guide web site, I would try Plusnet or Demon internet :)

I have to go with the trend of not being a fan of AOL.

I don't say this out of reading forums, reports and general AOL haters. I've had to sort out a good few problems on peoples systems that AOL has been a cause.

There are many other ISP's out there that offer better deals and you dont have to riddle your system with pointless junk that AOL likes to bundle.

Get a standard broadband package (No download restrictions)
Download Zone Alarm - Firewall (Free)
Download AVG - Antivirus (Free)
Download Spybot - Spyware removal (Free)

Choose which you prefer on the above, these are pretty good ones but there are plenty of other free apps to do the job.

And I think you and your PC will be a lot happier without AOL ;)

Ugh, anyone who willingly signs up for AOhell needs a slap as a matter of urgency IMO :gag:

I'm sorry, but they are the absolute WORST! Their software doesn't work and fecks up your PC, and their tech "support" staff know sweet F all about anything to do with what they get PAID to help people with :loopy:

Even I have more technical nounce and I'm not a "trained" IT support technician... :lol:

If you go with AOL you'll also be restricted to the kind of wireless ADSL modem / routers you can get.

I'll get on to that 7 day cooling offperid then.....Thanks Guy's sounds like you saved me a lot of hassle!!:thumbsup:

Strange...having been with AOL for the past 2 years, and also knowing five other people who switched to them after problems with BT or Plusnet, I can honestly say I cannot understand the 'problems' everyone says there are with them.

The software doesn't have to be used...I never use the AOL browser etc, but even if you do use it, I've not known it to mess up a PC. (I do have it installed in case I need to access my account, or buy from the rewards center as it makes it so much easier - so the software is on my system, just never experience problems with it in the 2 years I have subscribed.)

The connection speeds I have been getting have been amazing, and I can't recall ever being dropped from my connection.

As for the restriction of routers..yeah, there are only some that AOL works with, however as this includes Netgear routers (a very respected brand) there isn't a problem there.

As for their tech support..not had to use them (like I said, 2 years of using - no troubles), but reading the previous threads on other companies on here (Telewest, PlusNet, BT, Tiscali, etc) I can't say that they can be any worse! Fact is that the majority of call center people know jack about computers, getting all their information on what to do in case of a problem from a guide (similar to the Windows Help function).

Before I comment properly I should note that I have for years been an AOL loather... But as with all things you have to open your ears and listen when it's been 6 years since you last used them.

Originally posted by Beakerzoid
Strange...having been with AOL for the past 2 years, and also knowing five other people who switched to them after problems with BT or Plusnet, I can honestly say I cannot understand the 'problems' everyone says there are with them.
I've started hearing more and more positives, or rather, satisfied customers when it comes to the actual service itself and in that respect perhaps it's worth considering them..

But as someone who fixes software and security issues, the AOL software issue has always been a major stumbling block and the writers should have been lined up against a wall and shot a long time ago.

The software doesn't have to be used...
I wasn't aware of this so I'm glad of the knowledge, thanks for sharing.

I never use the AOL browser etc, but even if you do use it, I've not known it to mess up a PC. (I do have it installed in case I need to access my account, or buy from the rewards center as it makes it so much easier - so the software is on my system, just never experience problems with it in the 2 years I have subscribed.)
You're a rare user... As a I said earlier it's bloody awful in my experience.


As for their tech support..not had to use them (like I said, 2 years of using - no troubles), but reading the previous threads on other companies on here (Telewest, PlusNet, BT, Tiscali, etc) I can't say that they can be any worse! Fact is that the majority of call center people know jack about computers, getting all their information on what to do in case of a problem from a guide (similar to the Windows Help function).
Yeah, that seems true of most of them, although some are better than others...

All in all I have to say I don't recommend them, still hate the software but as a bare bones ISP I don't see as much reason to loath them as I once did.

DONT USE AOL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thousands of reasons why!

Such as? Can we see the list please?

Originally posted by Beakerzoid
Such as? Can we see the list please?

Off the top of my head

1. Non-existent technical knowledge of their alleged "technical support" staff

2. Tied in to the hardware they provide unless you can work it out for yourself.

3. No idea when it comes to network downtime (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/09/26/aol_network/)

4. borderline fraudulant (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/08/25/aol_customer_service_probe/) sales practices.

5. disgruntled (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/08/18/aol_spam_man_jailed/) staff selling your details to spammers.

6. zombie infested (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/06/16/aol_rebuffs_prolexic_zombie_report/) network...

Apart from that, go for it... :rolleyes:

I was on A-O-HELL for over 2ys and had nothing but problems with it.booting-never been able to get on line-,never ever will i use it again.I did go from silver to gold then it was the platium i think it was called and even affter up gradeing i still had problems with it.I know a few people that ditch AOL to go on other network since i went.At first it was ok to use.I got to say tho i did get a better on the internet connection wile i was on dile up but soon as i turn onto AOL broadband that were all the trouble started.

Originally posted by steev
Off the top of my head

1. Non-existent technical knowledge of their alleged "technical support" staff

2. Tied in to the hardware they provide unless you can work it out for yourself.

3. No idea when it comes to network downtime (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/09/26/aol_network/)

4. borderline fraudulant (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/08/25/aol_customer_service_probe/) sales practices.

5. disgruntled (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/08/18/aol_spam_man_jailed/) staff selling your details to spammers.

6. zombie infested (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/06/16/aol_rebuffs_prolexic_zombie_report/) network...

Apart from that, go for it... :rolleyes:

1: A problem that you will find in the majority of ISPs, and if you search these very boards you will find the same complaints aimed at other companies. This is becasue call center work is not the highest ranked of jobs, so anyone who has technical skills will be working in a different envirnoment.

2: Not too hard to work out. In fact, so simple my non-pc-savvy mate managed it easily.

3: As I have stated before I have NEVER had connection probelms and downtime (and trust me, I tend to be permenantly connected).

4: Hmm..so let me get this right...the US branch of the company (ie not the AOL who run the UK) have a reward scheme for the employees that gives them cash if they get customers to stay? Ok, this is nothing new, 3 Mobile do the same, as do the power companies like British Gas etc. Some of the employees used this to manipulate contracts to get a bonus, so AOL stopped the reward scheme. Which means that becasue some human employees breached the rules set in place by AOL themselves, AOL have now withdrawn the bonus. Where, exactly, was it AOL's fault that some employees were scamming against the wishes of the company?

5: And I'm sure AOL were totally to blame for this man breaking the law? Just as, I suppose, if an employee of Cineworld were to sell details of Unlimited card holders to spammers, it must be Cineworlds fault? Hate to tell you this but people like this exist in every company. There have been cases where employees of record stores have used people's credit card details for their own purchases. Sadly there are some humans who will do this, AOL didn't condone it.

(NOTE: I think the true morals of those two points are to not go with any company that hires humans as they are seriously flawed!)

6: Did you read that article? Go back and recheck it....I think that it makes some point about number of users and average which even the researcher agreed with. Larger user base = bigger chance of being used. This is true for Microsoft, Hotmail, and IE. Why is Firefox more secure than IE? Becasue it is used by less people so is not considered much of a target (although holes in that are now being exploited). Then to quote a later paragraph..

"The disruption compromised Windows PCs cause to the wider internet is a recognised problem. Recently, internet firms banded to together in an industry wide push dubbed Operation Spam Zombies to wipe zombies off the net. AOL is a leading member of this initiative. It has also placed increased emphasis on consumer security in its recent software releases."

So, they are a leading member in trying to make the net safer - obviously a bad thing!

I've stated before, and will state again, I have had fantastic service on AOL for the past couple of years, and have never encountered the problems everyone seems so sure exist - perhaps that is only on the US AOL networks, which is curiously where all the negative press seems to emanate from?


In additon, the thing about your sources (ie The Register) is that a quick search for the majority of ISPs in their engine will reveal a variety of news stories, and you can easily find negatives about them all (some of the Plus Net ones are terrible). That's the thing with news archive sites - they store news from lots of sources.

Dude you asked for a list :hihi:

God I forgot how arguing with fanboys is like trying to pin diarrhoea to a wall. Now I know how Intel fans feel when having CPU discussions with me...

1. Maybe, certain companies do have that problem. However, every other ISP I've ever had to contact at least had a technical person they could ask, or put you through to. Try & find out MTU settings from them for a non-AOL supplied router over the phone... In fact, try & find someone who knows what the hell you're talking about when you mention it.

2. Well excuse me, so all the techies who have had problems are put in the shade by your "non-pc-savvy mate". OK, I know who I'll believe.

3. See last sentence of 2

4. Last 3 times I've phoned them I've got through to an American sales person. Do they import them? And it wasn't down to their employees, it was down to the company policy & bonus scheme.

5. Fair point, but I was on a roll with theregister's search engine, y'know...

6. The most annoying bit of that is their ads. They advertise (in the UK at least) their abso-fraggin-lutely amazing security suite, & their own software, to people with NO technical knowledge, giving them a false sense of security. If anyone wants to contact AOL when they realise their PC has a problem see 1.

Also the fact remains that, while AOL may have 20 million odd customers, 2 million or so have dumped them in the last year.

And as for...

[i]Originally posted by Beakerzoid
...they are a leading member in trying to make the net safer...

:hihi: :hihi: :hihi: :hihi: :rolleyes:

Yeah I asked for a list, preferably the 'thousands' that were put forward as reasons not to choose AOL.

It's not about being a "[insert techy brand name here] fanboy", but about being a satisfied customer. All I see from the critics here are second hand accounts of "my mate says" or "this site says". Only one person so far has posted bad experiences they personally have had with AOL. If I am, therefore, a 'fanboy' simply becasue I can put forward examples of personal experience, then we all must be fanboys of whatever we use - so by definition you are a "[insert techy brand name here] fanboy" of your ISP provider, operating system, etc, etc.

So..you don't belive me on point 3? Fine, I can't force you to believe what I say, but what I said was truth. I had d/c problems when with my previous supplier from time to time, but have not as of yet encountered any problems with AOL. That is a simple statement of fact. Perhaps I am just the lucky one in a million who never has problems, or maybe others have blown the problems out of proportion.

Curiously the phone numbers for AOL Uk service are UK based landlines...perhaps they do actually import them in.

I used to have a negative view of AOL, but when looking for a new provider (after BT told me they were going to put a download cap on the line) I was recommended them. I haven't regretted it at all. Trust me, if I seriously had problems I would switch at the first instant - no one complains like me when it comes to bad service (as British Gas, NPower, Telewest and many other companies have discovered).

As for the final thing you quoted me on....I was paraphrasing the very same article you tried to use as a negative point. The article (as I pointed out by quoting from it) explained that

"internet firms banded to together in an industry wide push dubbed Operation Spam Zombies to wipe zombies off the net. AOL is a leading member of this initiative."

steady guys, Didn't mean to cause a row!!


Called Aol Last night told them that i had decided not to go ahead, they instantly dropped the price from £17.99 to £12.99 per month indefinitely, and said that my cooling off period was now 28 days, in which i could trial the product and cancel.

So I have decided to give them a go......what have I got to lose.
I really don't like Aol browser, So I just don't use it.

I used to work in one of the leading broadband company's complaint depts, and I can honestly say that we had on average 300 - 400 complaints arriving daily admitted not all were regarding broadband, but most were regarding the issues that everyone else has pointed out on this thread, ie lack of service, bad service and lack of product knowledge (employees) After seeing and hearing some of the stories which I did I personally wouldn't touch them with a barge pole let alone allow them to supply my internet service. but I'm sure that there are loads of people out there who are perfectly happy with said company!!!

I am pretty confident no matter which company I'd have posted on here there would have been the same amount of complaints.

Thanks to everyone who posted.....I'll let you know how I get on