Editing AOL (section)

=== 2006–2009: rebranding and decline ===
[[File:AOL old logo.svg|thumb|left|Former AOL logo, used from 2005 to 2009]]
On April 3, 2006, AOL announced that it would retire the full name America Online. The official name of the service became AOL, and the full name of the [[Time Warner]] subdivision became AOL [[Limited liability company|LLC]].<ref name="pr">{{Cite news |date=April 3, 2006 |title=America Online Changes Its Name to AOL |url=http://www.timewarner.com/corp/newsroom/pr/0,20812,1179447,00.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060715034643/http://www.timewarner.com/corp/newsroom/pr/0%2C20812%2C1179447%2C00.html |archive-date=July 15, 2006 |access-date=July 24, 2006}}</ref> On June 8, 2006,<ref>{{Cite press release |title=AOL Launches Free Software to Improve PC Security for All Internet Users |publisher=[[Time Warner]] |url=http://www.timewarner.com/corp/newsroom/pr/0,20812,1201969,00.html |access-date=July 8, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929092635/http://www.timewarner.com/corp/newsroom/pr/0,20812,1201969,00.html |archive-date=September 29, 2007}}</ref> AOL offered a new program called AOL Active Security Monitor, a diagnostic tool to monitor and rate PC security status, and recommended additional security software from AOL or [[Download.com]]. Two months later,<ref>{{Cite news |date=November 11, 2010 |title=AOL News and Broadcast Center |url=http://press.aol.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=1025 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070623105247/http://press.aol.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=1025 |archive-date=June 23, 2007 |access-date=July 8, 2011 |work=Press.aol.com}}</ref> AOL released [[AOL Active Virus Shield]], a free product developed by [[Kaspersky Lab]], that did not require an AOL account, only an internet email address. The [[Internet service provider|ISP]] side of [[AOL Broadband|AOL UK]] was bought by [[Carphone Warehouse]] in October 2006 to take advantage of its 100,000 [[Local-loop unbundling|LLU]] customers, making Carphone Warehouse the largest LLU provider in the UK.<ref>{{Cite news |date=October 11, 2006 |title=Carphone Warehouse Buying AOL UK |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6039740.stm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090214023813/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6039740.stm |archive-date=February 14, 2009 |access-date=April 25, 2010 |work=BBC News}}</ref>

[[File:Aol subscribers Q201-Q407.png|thumb|right|Decline in AOL US subscribers Q2 2001 – Q2 2009, with a significant drop from Q2 2006 onward]]
In August 2006, AOL announced that it would offer [[email]] accounts and software previously available only to its paying customers, provided that users accessed AOL or AOL.com through an access method not owned by AOL (otherwise known as "third party transit", "bring your own access" or "BYOA"). The move was designed to reduce costs associated with the "walled garden" business model by reducing usage of AOL-owned access points and shifting members with high-speed internet access from client-based usage to the more lucrative advertising provider AOL.com.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Graham |first=Jefferson |date=Aug 2, 2006 |title=AOL Scraps Fees in Bid to Keep Users |url=https://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2006-08-02-aol-free_x.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110831084659/https://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2006-08-02-aol-free_x.htm |archive-date=Aug 31, 2011 |access-date=April 9, 2012 |website=USA Today}}</ref> The change from paid to free access was also designed to slow the rate at which members canceled their accounts and defected to [[Microsoft]] [[Hotmail]], [[Yahoo!]] or other free email providers. The other free services included:<ref>{{Cite news |last=Khurana |first=Gunika |date=October 4, 2006 |title=AOL Uses Refurbished Software to Woo Customers |url=http://www.themoneytimes.com/articles/20061004/aol_uses_refurbished_software_to_woo_customers-id-101785.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061110231338/http://www.themoneytimes.com/articles/20061004/aol_uses_refurbished_software_to_woo_customers-id-101785.html |archive-date=November 10, 2006 |access-date=November 11, 2006 |publisher=The Money Times}}</ref>
* AIM ([[AOL Instant Messenger]])
* AOL Video,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Video.aol.com |url=http://video.aol.com/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100801054139/http://video.aol.com/ |archive-date=August 1, 2010 |access-date=July 8, 2011 |website=Video.aol.com}}</ref> which featured professional content and allowed users to upload videos.
* AOL Local, comprising its CityGuide,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cityguide.aol.com |url=http://cityguide.aol.com/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100112145711/http://cityguide.aol.com/ |archive-date=January 12, 2010 |access-date=April 25, 2014 |publisher=Cityguide.aol.com}}</ref> [[Yellow pages|Yellow Pages]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Yellowpages.aol.com |url=http://yellowpages.aol.com/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100728230850/http://yellowpages.aol.com/ |archive-date=July 28, 2010 |access-date=July 8, 2011 |website=Yellowpages.aol.com}}</ref> and Local Search<ref>{{Cite web |title=Local.aol.com |url=http://local.aol.com/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://swap.stanford.edu/20090612082910/http://local.aol.com/ |archive-date=June 12, 2009 |access-date=July 8, 2011}}</ref> services to help users find local information like restaurants, local events, and directory listings.
* AOL News
* AOL My eAddress, a custom [[domain name]] for email addresses. These email accounts could be accessed in a manner similar to those of other AOL and AIM email accounts.
* Xdrive, which allowed users to back up files over the Internet.<ref name="Pogue">{{Cite news |last=Pogue |first=David |date=January 6, 2007 |title=Fewer Excuses for Not Doing a PC Backup |url=http://news.cnet.com/Fewer+excuses+for+not+doing+a+PC+backup/2100-1046_3-6147459.html?tag=nefd.lede |access-date=January 6, 2007 |work=The New York Times}} Quote: "Online backups, where files are shuttled off to the Internet for safekeeping, are suddenly becoming effortless, capacious and even free."</ref> It was acquired by AOL on August 4, 2005,<ref>{{Cite news |title=America Online, Inc. Announces Acquisition of Xdrive, Inc. |url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20050804005213/en/America-Online-Announces-Acquisition-Xdrive |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180714221905/https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20050804005213/en/America-Online-Announces-Acquisition-Xdrive |archive-date=July 14, 2018 |access-date=February 17, 2024 |language=en}}</ref> and closed on December 31, 2008.<ref name="shutdown">{{Cite news |title=AOL Begins Shutdown of AOL Pictures, BlueString and Xdrive |url=https://techcrunch.com/2008/10/24/aol-begins-shutdown-of-aol-pictures-bluestring-and-xdrive/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180710164334/https://techcrunch.com/2008/10/24/aol-begins-shutdown-of-aol-pictures-bluestring-and-xdrive/ |archive-date=July 10, 2018 |access-date=July 14, 2018 |work=TechCrunch |language=en-US}}</ref> It offered a free 5 [[Gigabyte|GB]] account (free [[online file storage]]) to anyone with an AOL screenname.<ref name="Pogue" /> Xdrive also provided remote backup services and 50&nbsp;GB of storage for $9.95 per month.<ref name="Pogue" />

Also in August, AOL informed its US customers of an increase in the price of its [[dial-up access]] to $25.90. The increase was part of an effort to migrate the service's remaining dial-up users to broadband, as the increased price was the same as that of its monthly [[Digital subscriber line|DSL]] access.<ref name="mills">{{Cite web |last=Mills |first=Elinor |date=February 28, 2006 |title=AOL Hanging Up on Dial-Up Customers? |url=http://news.cnet.com/AOL+hanging+up+on+dial-up+customers/2100-1025_3-6043910.html?tag=nl |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060814003308/http://news.cnet.com/AOL+hanging+up+on+dial-up+customers/2100-1025_3-6043910.html?tag=nl |archive-date=August 14, 2006 |access-date=February 13, 2021 |website=CNET}}</ref> However, AOL subsequently began offering unlimited dial-up access for $9.95 a month.<ref name="AOL">{{Cite web |title=AOL Price Plans |url=http://free.aol.com/thenewaol/plan_choice.adp |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061101213626/http://free.aol.com/thenewaol/plan_choice.adp |archive-date=November 1, 2006 |access-date=November 1, 2006}}</ref>

On November 16, 2006, [[Randy Falco]] succeeded [[Jonathan Miller (businessman)|Jonathan Miller]] as CEO.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Randy Falco Is the New CEO of AOL |url=http://techwhack.co/randy-falco-aol-ceo/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151231192658/https://techwhack.co/randy-falco-aol-ceo/ |archive-date=December 31, 2015 |access-date=January 10, 2015 |website=TechWhack}}</ref> In December 2006, AOL closed its last remaining call center in the United States, "taking the America out of America Online," according to industry pundits. Service centers based in [[India]] and the [[Philippines]] continue to provide customer support and technical assistance to subscribers.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Stafford |first=Jim |date=December 2, 2006 |title=America Online to Close City Call Center |url=http://newsok.com/america-online-to-close-city-call-center/article/2979966 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304062537/http://newsok.com/america-online-to-close-city-call-center/article/2979966 |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |access-date=April 17, 2015 |work=[[The Oklahoman]]}}</ref>

[[File:AOL_770.jpg|thumb|upright|left|AOL headquarters at [[770 Broadway]] in New York City]]
On September 17, 2007, AOL announced the relocation of one of its corporate headquarters from [[Dulles, Virginia|Dulles]], Virginia to [[New York City]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 11, 2023 |title=The Legacy of AOL — A Look Back at the Company’s Impact Locally |url=https://www.ashburnmagazine.com/features/the-legacy-of-aol-a-look-back-at-the-companys-impact-locally/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241207115945/https://www.ashburnmagazine.com/features/the-legacy-of-aol-a-look-back-at-the-companys-impact-locally/ |archive-date=December 7, 2024 |access-date=2024-11-30 |website=Ashburn Magazine}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Steel |first=Emily |date=September 17, 2007 |title=AOL Moves Headquarters to New York City |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB119003377082529719.html |access-date=September 17, 2007 |work=The Wall Street Journal}}{{Dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> and the combination of its advertising units into a new subsidiary called Platform A. This action followed several advertising acquisitions, most notably [[Advertising.com]], and highlighted the company's new focus on advertising-driven business models. AOL management stressed that "significant operations" would remain in Dulles, which included the company's access services and modem banks.

In October 2007, AOL announced the relocation of its other headquarters from [[Loudoun County, Virginia|Loudoun County]], Virginia to New York City, while continuing to operate its Virginia offices.<ref name="GoldfarbHQMove">{{Cite news |last=Goldfarb, Zachary and Sam Diaz |date=September 18, 2007 |title=AOL Moving Executives, Headquarters to New York |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/17/AR2007091700415.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104160951/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/17/AR2007091700415.html |archive-date=November 4, 2012 |access-date=May 7, 2009 |work=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref> As part of the move to New York and the restructuring of responsibilities at the Dulles headquarters complex after the Reston move, Falco announced on October 15, 2007, plans to lay off 2,000 employees worldwide by the end of 2007, beginning "immediately".<ref name="LayoffDay">{{Cite news |last=Hansell |first=Saul |date=October 15, 2007 |title=Tuesday Is Layoff Day at AOL |url=http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/10/15/tuesday-is-layoff-day-at-aol/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071017022954/http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/10/15/tuesday-is-layoff-day-at-aol/ |archive-date=October 17, 2007 |access-date=October 17, 2007 |work=The New York Times}}</ref> The result was a layoff of approximately 40% of AOL's employees. Most compensation packages associated with the October 2007 layoffs included a minimum of 120 days of severance pay, 60 of which were offered in lieu of the 60-day advance notice requirement by provisions of the 1988 federal [[Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act of 1988|WARN Act]].<ref name="LayoffDay" />

By November 2007, AOL's customer base had been reduced to 10.1&nbsp;million subscribers,<ref name="custBase">{{Cite news |last=Rosencrance |first=Linda |date=November 8, 2007 |title=AOL Revenue, Subscribers Plummet |url=http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9046103&intsrc=news_ts_head |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071117090816/http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9046103&intsrc=news_ts_head |archive-date=November 17, 2007 |access-date=November 12, 2007 |publisher=ComputerWorld}}</ref> slightly more than the number of subscribers of [[Comcast]] and [[AT&T Yahoo!]]. According to Falco, as of December 2007, the conversion rate of accounts from paid access to free access was more than 80%.<ref>{{Cite web |title=AOL (TWX): Randy Falco's Year-End Love Note to AOLers |url=http://www.alleyinsider.com/2007/12/aol-twx-randy-falcos-yearend-love-note-to-aolers.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071218120637/http://www.alleyinsider.com/2007/12/aol-twx-randy-falcos-yearend-love-note-to-aolers.html |archive-date=December 18, 2007 |access-date=December 18, 2007}}</ref>

On January 3, 2008, AOL announced the closing of its [[Reston, Virginia]], data center, which was sold to [[CRG West]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=January 3, 2008 |title=CRG West Announces the Acquisition of Data Center in Reston, Virginia |url=http://www.crgwest.com/PDFs/12100_Sunrise_Press_Release.pdf |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081217094718/http://www.crgwest.com/PDFs/12100_Sunrise_Press_Release.pdf |archive-date=December 17, 2008 |access-date=November 16, 2008}}</ref> On February 6, Time Warner CEO [[Jeff Bewkes]] announced that Time Warner would divide AOL's internet-access and advertising businesses, with the possibility of later selling the internet-access division.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Time Warner Will Split AOL: Financial News – Yahoo! Finance |url=http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080206/earns_time_warner.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080207234015/http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080206/earns_time_warner.html |archive-date=February 7, 2008 |work=biz.yahoo.com}}</ref>

On March 13, 2008, AOL purchased the social networking site [[Bebo]] for $850 million (£417 million).<ref>{{Cite news |title=AOL Acquires Bebo Social Network |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7294174.stm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080315021921/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7294174.stm |archive-date=March 15, 2008 |work=[[BBC]]}}</ref> On July 25, AOL announced that it was shuttering Xdrive, AOL Pictures and BlueString to save on costs and focus on its core advertising business.<ref name="shutdown" /> AOL Pictures was closed on December 31. On October 31, [[AOL Hometown]] (a web-hosting service for the websites of AOL customers) and the AOL Journal blog hosting service were eliminated.<ref>{{Cite web |title=We're Closing Our Doors |url=http://www.peopleconnectionblog.com/2008/09/30/were-closing-our-doors/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081028165439/http://www.peopleconnectionblog.com/2008/09/30/were-closing-our-doors/ |archive-date=October 28, 2008 |website=PeopleConnectionBlog.com |publisher=AOL}}</ref>