Taking the plunge

[Rick Munroe]

OK, Derek and I finally decided on a new email address. It might not sound like much, but apparently, to many people, it's a big deal and a major "coming of age" move when you drop AOL. That is, if you can get them to let you drop it. The sales rep. kept dropping the price until it was $4.95/month but we still wouldn't budge. We kept telling him it was a political statement and that we were cancelling our account in protest of AOL's new [a href=http://www.dearaol.com] email tax [/a] (which is partially true), but he just kept reciting all of their "great new features." He was good, but we're New Yorkers so we won (but it took about 20 minutes).

 

So, without further ado, our new email address:

 

ricknderek@gmail.com

[+ ArVaGuy]

Congratulations on leaving AOHell.

 

Now watch out that in about six months you will hear from a collection agency for the past due payments for the service you just cancelled. x( Furthermore, based on advice from a friend who works there, be sure to call your bank or credit card compmany and cancel the electronic payment transfer completly.

 

AOL does not let go very easily they have all the zeal of a Jehova's Witness on crack. Its a wonder they weren't offering to pay you $4.95 a month to stay.

 

Welcome to the real internet.

[Guest skrubber]

>OK, Derek and I finally decided on a new email address. It

>might not sound like much, but apparently, to many people,

>it's a big deal and a major "coming of age" move when you drop

>AOL. That is, if you can get them to let you drop it. The

>sales rep. kept dropping the price until it was $4.95/month

>but we still wouldn't budge. We kept telling him it was a

>political statement and that we were cancelling our account in

>protest of AOL's new [a href=http://www.dearaol.com] email

>tax [/a] (which is partially true), but he just kept reciting

>all of their "great new features." He was good, but we're New

>Yorkers so we won (but it took about 20 minutes).

>

>So, without further ado, our new email address:

>

>ricknderek@gmail.com

>

>

>

>

AOL is horrible like that. I heard once that the reps (?) get penalized for every cancellation so they try their best to keep you. After being on the phone with them for over twenty minutes myself I finally gave up and took a $9.95 deal. Cheap enough for as much as I actually use AOL. I kept getting the great new feature and pluses of AOL as well.

[BigD]

Rick, How interesting. Just prior to reading this I had emailed my provider about changing. I have been with compuserve for 8 years, which I understand was bought out by aol at least 5 years ago. So I am an aol costumer by default, although my email address is still cs.com (compuserve). Initially, I arranged for the annual rate with automatic billing. At the time it appeared to be the best deal, but now it sounds ridiculously high in comparrision to those I hear from others. I suspect they will offer me a better deal NOW. In some ways I hate to give up my email address, which I have had so long. But maybe I will have the courage to take the plunge too.

Thanks

BigD

[DelawareGuy]

I'd advise anyone taking a reduced rate from AOL to read the fine print. I've had friends say that the lower rate is only for a short period of time, and you are locked into a year or more contract after that at a higher rate.

[+ deej]

AOL did indeed buy Compuserve. I finally got rid of my CS account a couple of years ago and it apparently took a good bit of effort. I say apparently, because I just had the company bookkeeper make the call. She's a bulldog and just kept saying "No, really, just cancel the account ... no he didn't tell me why, just cancel it".

 

I walked by her office 20 minutes later and she was still repeating it, mixed with "Let me speak to your supervisor. No, really, I need to speak to your supervisor".

 

AOL actually got hit with a couple of class-action suits over this kind of tactic so they MAY have diminished, but from Rick's description it doesn't sound like it.

[Rick Munroe]

>Welcome to the real internet.

 

Thank you. It feels great. I haven't gotten used to the new dress code yet but I'm sure I'll adjust.

[Rick Munroe]

>In some ways I hate to give up my email address, which I have

>had so long.

 

Same here...however, I was able to recreate all of my AOL names on gmail so it's all good.

 

>But maybe I will have the courage to take the

>plunge too.

>Thanks

 

Hey BigD, if I can help just one other person wean himself off The Man, then it was all worth it.

[Guest zipperzone]

>Congratulations on leaving AOHell.

>

>Now watch out that in about six months you will hear from a

>collection agency for the past due payments for the service

>you just cancelled. x( Furthermore, based on advice from a

>friend who works there, be sure to call your bank or credit

>card compmany and cancel the electronic payment transfer

>completly.

 

I would even go so far as to send then a registered letter confirming that you had verbally cancelled and stating that you would not honor any more charges from them (with a registered c.c. to my credit card company and/or bank.

 

I would also be tempted to stamp the letter with a big "FUCK YOU" but that probably would not be a good idea.

[Guest Mikel]

Hey, I am proud of you!

 

However, after reading the title of the post, "Taking the Pliunge"...I feel let down that it referenced AOL...I thought it was going to be something exetremely erotic! (lol)

[Guest PWIT]

>However, after reading the title of the post, "Taking the

>Pliunge"...I feel let down that it referenced AOL...I thought

>it was going to be something exetremely erotic! (lol)

 

Me too! I was expecting at least some hot photos! <hint, hint> Maybe plunging into the pool. NO...my perverse mind was more on the line of Rick getting plunged by Derrick! Come on Rick, throw us a bone!

[doctordoctor]

> The

>sales rep. kept dropping the price until it was $4.95/month

>

 

these "sales reps" are actually called something like "customer retention agents" by AOL and it's an entirely different division there, it seems...you get connected over to them if you start talking about quitting...my town has an AOL call center and I've heard them advertising for "customer retention" employees over the last several years....alas, several hundred employees are now being laid off at the local AOL center as of a couple weeks ago...fortunately, I've never had AOL and have to laugh at whomever does...I like unfettered access to the net without bells, whistles, and pretty graphics

[RockHard]

RE: AOL deserves its bareback fuck.

 

I think I was one of the few gay men in NYC who didn't get suckered-in to signing on with AOL at the beginning. But, then again, I had no interest in gay chat rooms or hooking up online.

 

Nowadays I can't do business with AOL email clients because most attachments from my Mac will not open for them. I almost always have to go through some other email service provider. Time Warner has always been a prick of a company and AOL had every reason not to blend well with those folk. This venture was a disaster waiting to happen.

 

It seems to me when AOL went pro family, they basically said "fuck you" to their loyal gay customers. Frankly, I'm surprised it took Rick and Derek so long to make the switch. AOL has been out of fashion in the NYC gay community almost as long as long as seeking quality entertainment at Splash. :-)

[+ deej]

AOL meets Karma

 

AOL has always had a heavy "ick" factor.

 

When they were first starting up, 25+ years ago, in the DC area, they first actively courted local BBS users. Fair enough, I suppose. And it was an attractive proposition to have one local call to reach far-flung content rather than long distance charges to a distant BBS.

 

The problem was the content lagged way behind the hype.

 

Then they started actively courting Compuserve users by sending email directly to their Compuserve accounts. Very aggressive, but fair enough. At one point they offered free membership for life to any Compuserve member willing to give up their Compuserve account. That's a monopolistic practice.

 

About that time, they outed a gay sailor to the Navy and started cracking down on "questionable" screen names and chat rooms, being "big brother" in ugly ways, practices that continue to this day.

 

There's a quote that floats around the internet that's particularly appropriate here:

 

"AOL is like the Chlamydia of the Internet. It's easy enough to cure, but the people who have it don't realize they're infected."

[SAdler]

RE: AOL meets Karma

 

Like the AOL infection comment. Very true in some ways.

 

The point for me from an escort point of view is how you use AOL versus how AOL uses you.

 

I pay my $14.95/month and I'm more than happy about it. Granted I may try to cancel now for the $4.95/month but I digress.

 

I log on, stick myself in a chatroom and walk away. If I get ONE legit client off AOL per month, I thinks my benefits outweigh my costs. Moreso, a bulk of my regulars saw me on AOL which led to countless profit instead of simple one-timers.

[Greathands]

RE: AOL deserves its bareback fuck.

 

RockHard .... I guess I've missed something. What do you mean by AOL going "pro family"?