AOL Dial-up Service Versus Netzero Dial-up Service

This article will compare AOL dial-up service against Netzero dial-up service. I have used both AOL and Netzero as my ISP (internet service provider) on my very old computer. My computer uses a Pentium II processor and operates on Windows 98. It has 32mb of ram and 4GB of hard drive space.

AOL dial-up service and Netzero dial-up service both offer virus and spyware protection. AOL dial-up service uses McAfee security suite while Netzero uses the Norton anti-virus system.

I cannot operate the latest version (9.0) of AOL dial-up service on my computer. I must use the older (7.0) version. However, I can operate the latest Netzero dial-up service version (8.0).

I have had numerous problems with the AOL dial-up service software. The pages load much slower as compared to the speed at which the Netzero program loads them. This often results in a previous page reloading when I trying to get to a different web page. Example: I am on Hotmail's web page and want to go to my Associated Content page. I close out the Hotmail web page and the screen clears. I believe that everything is working normally and I expect the Associated Content web page to appear, however, it does not. Instead, the Hotmail page appears once again.

In addition, my system often locks up when I am running the AOL dial-up service program. In order to regain control of my system, I have had to shut my computer off. I also have received numerous error messages. When I receive these error messages, the AOL dial-up service software closes down the program and I have to begin again.

With the Netzero dial-up service software, I do not have these problems. In fact, the only problem that I have had with this software happened after my power temporarily shut off while I was in the program. When the power came back on, I could no longer load the Netzero dial-up service program, I received a fatal error message. The only way to correct this error was to reload the program from the CD.

Netzero dial-up service uses Google as its search engine while AOL dial-up service uses its own search engine. When I am searching for a topic, I get better results from the Netzero dial up service Google search engine; then I do from the AOL search engine.

I also have some compatibility problems with the AOL dial-up service browser and other sites. Netzero uses Internet Explorer browser, which is compatible with any site that I visit.

When I had originally signed up with AOL dial-up service, it was for a 6 months free trial. The cost of regular service at the time was $23.95 per month. When I went to cancel the service after the six-month trial period, I had a very difficult time with customer service. First, it took me forever to get through and then the customer service would not let me just terminate the service. They kept arguing with me. Finally, under duress, I agreed to keep the AOL dial-up service, at the lower price of $9.95 per month. Netzero dial-up service costs $9.95 per month.

I have also called the Netzero dial-up service's customer service department. I had no trouble getting through quickly to the proper department. They handle my call professionally and I was satisfied with the outcome.

Because of the numerous problems that I had encountered using AOL's dial-up service, I no longer run their program. I am strictly a Netzero user. However, due to recent changes at AOL, I can now access most of the services that AOL dial-up service provided by entering www.aol.com in the address bar of my Netzero dial-up service site. This gives me access to everything that I need at AOL without the hassles that I had when I ran the AOL dial-up service program on my computer.

While it is probably true that most of the problems that I had encountered while running the AOL dial-up service program, were due to the age of my computer and its configuration; Netzero dial-up service is still the choice for me.