America Online, hoping to encourage subscribers to sign up for its high-speed service, is raising the price of its main dial-up plan from $23.90 to $25.90 a month - the price of its broadband offering, beginning March 9, reports the Associated Press, pointing out that AOL executives have said broadband will help boost usage and, as a result, ad revenue.
Subscribers are being notified by email that they can get high speed for the same price as dialup. Those who can't get or don't want broadband can request lower-priced plans, including an unadvertised offering of about $18 with a one-year commitment.
As of Dec. 31, AOL had 19.5 million U.S. subscribers, down from a peak of 26.7 million in September 2002. About 75 percent are on dial-up.
