I switched over to the free pricing plan (isn't that an oxymoron?) in the wee hours last night. Let me warn you: AOL is not making it easy for us paying customers to stop paying. If they were, we'd be able to switch to the free plan online, in our member account area. But we can't. As of very early this morning, the free pricing plan was not listed among the other pricing plans from which I could choose.

After reading the FAQ about the new direction AOL is taking, I learned that I had to call customer support to switch to the free plan. And we all know what that means: a lot of time on hold.

I tried using the automated system to change pricing plans, but again, the plan wasn't listed among the available choices. I finally figured out how to get in the queue to speak with a real live human being and I waited my turn.

I was told my wait could be as long as 2 1/2 minutes. It was almost ten minutes. But hey, at 2:00 a.m., who's counting?

The upshot: If you want to stop paying for AOL service, call 1-800-984-6207 (in the U.S.). Skip the automated menus and get to a live support person as quickly as you can. Be prepared to tell the service rep that yes, you understand that a) you can't stop paying if you still use dial-up, b) you can't access AOL via dial-up if you're on the road, say, in East Jabib, and c) you can no longer get customer or technical support from AOL.
I've been a member for 13 years. Last night marked the second time I ever called them. I think I'm safe. But if you're worried about needing AOL's timely help, you can still pay $4.95 for the privilege of knowing you can use their technical support services.

Lastly, the customer support rep will to try to switch you to someone who can enter you in some contest or other for a chance to win some Very Important Free Item or something. I recommend you just hang up and start reading all that junk email you're no longer paying for.