Top 25 things vanishing in America: # 21 -- Dial-up Internet access
Filed under: Technology
This series explores aspects of America that may soon be just a memory -- some to be missed, some gladly left behind. From the least impactful to the most, here are 25 bits of vanishing America.
When I was growing up, any attempt to hop on the Internet was met with the tell-tale squeaks and squawks of a dial-up connection. The agonizing call of dial up users reaching out to connect is disappearing from America; in fact dial up connections have fallen from 40% in 2001 to 10% in 2008. The combination of an infrastructure to accommodate affordable high speed Internet connections and the disappearing home phone have all but pounded the final nail in the coffin of dial up Internet access.
For the longest time my employer, a small college in Ohio, has offered free dial-up Internet access to both current and retired faculty and staff as an additional benefit of employment. Just this past month, much to the dismay of a group of employees who used the Internet for email and an on-demand weather channel, the college decided to discontinue the dial-up access. The letter sent to current users of the dial up cited the cost of maintaining what amounted to a local dial-up Internet service provider (ISP) as well as the increased availability and affordability of high speed solutions. It seems that this group isn't alone, as a recent survey showed 62% of those with dial-up today don't want to upgrade!
The only real sad part about dial-up disappearing from America is that the many small local ISP's who were able to offer dial up service and provide competition are being forced out of business. I'm not shedding a tear because the demands of consumers have changed, leading to the downfall of those companies that failed to offer high speed Internet products. Unlike dial -up service, there are significant barriers to entry into the high speed Internet business, the most glaring being that the existing players don't let other companies use the existing infrastructure to deliver a connection. Hopefully something can be done to increase competition in the high speed market, or innovation could be the next thing we heave into the grave to rest forever next to dial-up.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
7-15-2008 @ 6:11AM
Warren said...
Is it that the demand of the consumer has changed or is it the demands of the ever growing demand for more income from over charging high speed internet services? Sure, the first year can be a deal for the consumer but after that, the charges more than double. Who's watching the hen house? The foxes?
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7-15-2008 @ 7:16AM
KELLI2L said...
First of all - I would like to be able to read this article but the print is way too small.
People have been forced to get away from Dial-up Internet Access or their computers will run slower. But broadban, etc., is more costly and not everyone has the funds to spend on these things. And in these lean times there are many people who would rather not have to pay that extra cost.
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7-15-2008 @ 8:08PM
elreyn said...
I agree. I do not have a cell phone, DSL, or cabel TV. I am a teacher with a small budget. I don't want to pay excess for technology that does not improve my livestyle. Instead, these items ruin one's budget. I laughed at a T-Mobile service person today--they can't understand why people don't want to pay extra for services that are provided as basic need by the "Old-fashion" providers. I have a land line and can't afford hig-speed internet.
7-15-2008 @ 7:31AM
Mike said...
I've heard that alot of people facing the economic crunch are cancelling cable TV and High Speed Internet service.
I am living on Social Security and the $23 raise I got this year doesn't even cover the increase in food costs let alone what it costs now to fill the gas tank of my car which is used to go to medical appointments and the store!
I have cancelled my cable service and high speed internet service for stricktly economic reasons and now to stay online at all I'm going to be forced to subscribe to high speed service just to pay my bills! With the elimination of personal checks too, it will become VERY difficult and more expensive to just pay bills at all!
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7-15-2008 @ 7:45AM
Fay said...
There is no high speed or cable where I live.I am surrounded by woods so getting a clear southern view is impossible for satellite.I will be very upset if dial-up is discontinued.I guess this is progress....right???
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7-15-2008 @ 10:57AM
Judy said...
Same thing over here, do we really think that will happen. This is rediculous. I have Dial Up and my husbands co. computer we had to hook up a antenna to the computer to connect to internet. Why make things costly for people? What happen to saving money like the olden days? I agree with you.
7-15-2008 @ 10:38AM
Josh Smith said...
I doubt that dial up will go away completely due to the ease of offering the service. Even if demand drops lower for dial up, you'll still see some niche companies offering dial up to keep internet going to areas without access to cable or DSL. Or you'll have a new generation of technology which can reach these areas.
7-15-2008 @ 9:58PM
Jeff said...
Hi fay, I understand what you are saying i also live in the country and all i can get is dial up. what r we to do?
7-15-2008 @ 10:04PM
David said...
Same with us in Western Virginia. We are only four miles from town, and dial-up is abominably slow, but there is no other service available except satellite, which we cannot afford, and our southern sky is blocked, too!
7-15-2008 @ 8:12AM
jenny whitman said...
It is so sad that technology is forcing those of us who don't have the cable access to our residential area and have to pay almost double the price of internet through satilite just to communicate with others.
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7-15-2008 @ 9:44PM
Elizabeth Jones said...
Amen. I think it's criminal to take away everything that is affordable just so those who are already rich can make more money. I have dial-up internet service and basic cable. I pay less than $10 for each per month. I refuse to pay more for either.
7-15-2008 @ 8:12AM
Terri said...
Great, I live far enough out of town nand straddle two county lines, that I can't get dsl, extra. Why should I be forced to purchase DirectTv or other service just to have internet access? I have to agree with Warren, it's not so much the consumer is changing and updating, it is the greed of these companies. I guess when the time comes and my dial up is no longer an option, I'll return to my passion of reading and I'll have to take up writing letters again. Oh wait, can't afford the postage, if you know me you know where I live, come sit a spell.
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7-15-2008 @ 8:43AM
ROSEMARY said...
I agree with the others who can't get high speed internet because of where we live, it's not fare on people like us, I live in an area where my dish service provides high speed in the city limits but if itry to get it it will cost so much and i can't afford it so i think if all this is going to happen then most people will give up on the internet all together, maybe they need to relize we pay them for this service not the other way around. just big buisness trying to bring the little man down as always!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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7-15-2008 @ 12:09PM
Marilyn said...
Yes, I too, think it is unfair. We live in a small, mostly Amish town and DSL is not available to us....We live here 5 months of the year. When in Florida, we do have DSL and actually have to pay for it all year in order to keep our deals on our combined bill. I would love to have DSL here in rural NY, as dial up is so slow. But---- I don;t think its fair to discontinue it and not let us have anything. That is not progress...
7-15-2008 @ 9:27AM
Bethiboo said...
We also live in the country. We have satellite service here, but to add the cost of internet access would by far outweigh the current cost of the home phone, so we just deal with the dial up. It's slow, but affordable. Maybe it's time to check into it again. I think they have some kind of package deal.
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7-15-2008 @ 9:55AM
AB said...
We all can just face the music, while this egotistical younger generation that we worked and sweated our blood so they could have things a little easier than we old folks did. We accompolished what we started and made things easier for them, so much in fact they have taken over and do not want to leave anything for us older folks to survive on. Mayve if we had not done away with the draft, the military would have yaught them more honor and respect !!!!
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7-15-2008 @ 10:00AM
AB said...
We all can just face the music, while this egotistical younger
generation that we worked and sweated our blood so they could have things a little easier than we old folks did. We accompolished what we started and made things easier for them, so much in fact they have taken over and do not want to leave anything for us older folks to survive on. Maybe if we had not done away with the draft, the military would have taught them more honor and respect !!!!
Reply
7-15-2008 @ 10:07AM
JLEWIS910 said...
HEY HAVEN'T YOU HEARD.... A LOT OF US CAN'T AFFORD YOUR GIMMICKS TO MAKE US PAY MORE MONEY! SO STOP AND SMELL THE COFFEE...EVERYTHING IN THIS WORLD DOESN'T NEED CHANGE! WE NEED TO HONOR THE WILL OF GOD THE FATHER AND JESUS CHRIST HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON AND REMEMBER ...THE RACE ISN'T GIVEN TO THE SWIFT BUT TO THOSE WHO ENDURE TO THE END!
GOD BLESS YOU ALL AND LET US KEEP OUR DIAL UP CONNECTIONS!
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7-15-2008 @ 10:35AM
Lisa said...
I am also way out in the boondocks, I can't get anything but dial-up. There is no cable and sat is out of the question . If they stop dial-up I'm back to the stone age with no internet at all. This is just corporate America trying to drive out "the little man"
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7-15-2008 @ 11:48AM
Mike Keppler, Sr. said...
I would have had broadband a number of years ago when I first got involved, but we live in a very rural area - and broadband is not available - we are so rural I cannot use my cell phone at our home - there is no close tower. What will happen to the non-urban people who live in areas where all the newest and fanciest gadgets are not available?
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