Are you new around here? Or thinking of becoming an AOL member? Our free trial offers apply only to new AOL memberships, so free trial offers can’t be applied to existing AOL accounts; however, existing members can create an additional AOL account and test the benefits of having two AOL accounts (To be fair, we limit you to only one free trial).
Trial periods and AOL over high-speed connection
When you sign up for an AOL high-speed connection plan, we give you time to get your alternate broadband service set up. During this period, you can use unlimited dial-up access to connect to the AOL service without being charged the normal dial-up fees, even if you exceed your normal allotment of dial-up hours per month.
New members get unlimited dial-up access for the duration of the free promotional period.
If you’re a current member, since AOL Advantage Plan changes take effect on the next payment date after they’re requested, you’ll remain under the terms of your current AOL Advantage Plan until your next payment date. On your next payment date, you will switch to the AOL over a high-speed connection plan and be billed your regularly monthly fee and you will have unlimited dial-up access during your first month. After that first month, you will be billed for dial-up connections and monthly fees at the normal rate for your new AOL over high-speed connection AOL Advantage Plan.
Not clear yet on how it works? For example, if you’re an existing AOL member on the Unlimited Monthly Plan with a payment date of the fifth day of each month and you switch to the AOL High Speed Essentials plan over a high-speed connection on May 15, then your Unlimited Monthly Plan will stay in effect until June 5. On this day, you would be billed for the first time for your monthly AOL High Speed Essentials plan. From June 5 until July 4, you would be on the AOL over high-speed connection plan with one month of unlimited dial-up access. On July 5, you would be charged at the normal dial-up rate for the AOL High Speed Essentials plan.
If you don’t know your payment date, go to My Account and check under the View My Billing Statement section.
Note: All AOL plans may be subject to communications surcharges. These could be accumulated for dial-up access through an AOL 800 number or for one of our international access numbers. Also, if you select an AOL access number that is a long-distance call for you and not covered by your local calling plan, you will be charged on your telephone bill. Please check with your phone company to make sure the access numbers you select for your calling plan are local and not long-distance calls.
Length of the free trial
Our standard trial period for new accounts provides unlimited hours during the first 50 days after the activation of your account. This free time doesn’t apply to premium services, though, which carry additional charges even during the trial time. Communication surcharges may also apply and are charged monthly, along with any premium service charges or purchases made to your AOL bill.
Trial offers vary and some don’t include as much free time as our standard 50-day offer. To verify the free time you have available, sign in to My Account.
Note: Most members – even those on a nonstandard trial offer – can select one of our standard advertised AOL Advantage Plans. Please view our available AOL Advantage Plans for more information about each plan.
Additional charges at the time of the free trial period
You might incur additional charges, depending on which additional AOL service you use and how you access those services.
- Premium service charges are subscription fees for services not included in the basic AOL membership fee.
- Communication surcharges are assessed in addition to your AOL subscription fee, depending on how you access the AOL service.
Your first monthly fee from AOL
As a thank you for subscribing to AOL, we waive your first monthly fee as part of your free trial. We bill in advance for your online service, which means at the end of each month we will bill you for the following month’s service as well as for any communication surcharges, premium service subscriptions, etc., you accrued since your last bill. The monthly membership fee you saw at the bottom of your first month’s bill actually is for your second month of service. Remember: Any additional charges you may incur after we bill you (including surcharges and subscriptions) will be added to your next bill.