[MilkmanDan]

Hey, if for some reason you're actually paying for AOL, and you stop, can you still use your IM name with AIM? This is something that I've begun to think about now that my parents are getting their act together and thinking of ditching AOL. Does anyone have experience with ditching AOL and know this answer.

The only reason this matters to me is because I do kinda like my AIM name, and I've been using it for 8 years. Also, I grabbed my own name as a screen name within AOL, and would like to just move to that eventually. I know, I'm dumb. But how often does one snag JoshuaMZimmerman as a screen name?

[typoon]

Originally posted by MilkmanDan:
Hey, if for some reason you're actually paying for AOL, and you stop, can you still use your IM name with AIM? This is something that I've begun to think about now that my parents are getting their act together and thinking of ditching AOL. Does anyone have experience with ditching AOL and know this answer.

The only reason this matters to me is because I do kinda like my AIM name, and I've been using it for 8 years. Also, I grabbed my own name as a screen name within AOL, and would like to just move to that eventually. I know, I'm dumb. But how often does one snag JoshuaMZimmerman as a screen name?

AOL says no but I don't see why not. I mean it would/should still work under AIM.

[MilkmanDan]

Yeah, I figured it probably would, seeing how AOL screen names work fine under AIM. Does anyone know for a fact what happens?

[SMacTech]

Yes you can continue using your AIM screen names without the benefit of the AOL membership. Every one of my AOL screen names I used as long as 7 years ago are still available for my use with AIM.

[MilkmanDan]

Thanks, this is very helpful for moving my parents away from evil old AOL, which they pay for on top of their cable modem bill. Thanks a jiffy.

[jguidroz]

I can second what SMacTech says. Way back when, my parents had AOL, but it was my screenname. When they got rid of it, my screenname continued to work, still to this day.

[Boondoggle]

I have an AOL screen name from 1992 that still works with AIM and BELEIVE ME, I ain't been payin' them that long.

bd

[resImadA]

You will lose AIM names that originated as AOL names.

This change was made in the past 1-2 years, most likely in an attempt to keep people from dropping the AOL service.

[nuggetman]

resimada, is right

your AIM sn will now be deleted when the AOL account is cancelled

[wataru]

Entirely wrong forum.

[SMacTech]

Originally posted by resImadA:
You will lose AIM names that originated as AOL names.

This change was made in the past 1-2 years, most likely in an attempt to keep people from dropping the AOL service.

Last October I purchased an XP computer for my son and with it we got a free 6 month trial with AOL. I cancelled after the 6 months and all 7 screen names are still available for our use. It was cancelled in May of this year, so something is amiss here or it started happening just after that.

[lordshaq]

If the screen name was originally an AOL Screen name, it will not continue to work on AIM when the AOL account gets canceled. I was pretty much forced to recreate a screen name to use with AIM after i canceled my AOL account last year. :blah: