AG Announces Agreement with AOL

RALEIGH — Attorney General Mike Easley said Wednesday that North Carolina and 35 other states have agreed to a settlement with American OnLine regarding complaints about poor or no service.

The agreement calls for refunds up to $39.90 -- the cost of two months of AOL's unlimited service -- for subscribers who complain about accessibility during December 1996 and January 1997. Under the agreement, consumers can choose to get a refund or credit for one free month of future service, Easley said.

The exact amount of a refund is determined by the type of service and the amount of hours for which the subscriber was unable to access.

Specifically, subscribers to the flat monthly fee of $19.95 for unlimited service with get:

Full refund if access was limited to two hours or less during December and/or January.

50 percent refund for two to eights hours of access.

25 percent refund for eight to 15 hours of access.

Subscribers of the metered access plan ($9.95 a month) will get:

A full refund for less than one hour of access.

A 50 percent refund for one to three hours of access.

Subscribers to the $4.95 a month metered plan will get:

A full refund for less than one hour of access.

A 50 percent refund for one to two hours of access.

To register a complaint, call1-800-827-6364.Easley said consumers should have up to 120 days to register their complaint and refund request.

If consumers prefer, they can get a one-month credit on their bill rather than the refunds mentioned above. To get the credit, consumers must write to:AOL, P.O. Box 1600, Ogden, Utah, 84401.

Additionally, AOL has agreed to make it easier for subscribers to cancel service. They may fax a cancellation notice to AOL at 1-801-622-7469.

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