AOL is discontinuing its dial-up service, which helped millions of households connect to the web during the internet's formative years and was instantly recognizable for its beep-laden, scratch-heavy ring tone in the 1990s and early 2000s.

The company, which once dominated as the world's largest internet provider, confirmed the move to CBC News on Sunday, saying it would discontinue dial-up as a subscription option on Sept. 30 "as we innovate to meet the needs of today's digital landscape."

Dial-up services were a mainstay of the early internet — as famously depicted in the 1998 romantic comedy — and involved using a phone line to connect devices to the web. Those of a certain age will recall that this meant choosing between your landline and your internet access.

The company, which o

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