ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, February 6, 1997 TAG: 9702060064
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-13 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: NEW YORK
SOURCE: Associated Press
America Online Inc. was hit with a new technical snag Wednesday, frustrating customers just a week after the on-line service agreed to issue refunds for poor service.
Customers nationwide were unable to log on shortly after 5 p.m. EST because of an outage at the Vienna, Va., equipment center, an AOL spokeswoman said. Some users were able to log on by 6:30 p.m., and the problem was cleared up by 7:30, she said.
The trouble began as technicians were upgrading computer software as part of AOL's attempt to accommodate the recent surge of members that has overwhelmed its network, said spokeswoman Tricia Primrose.
America Online has been undertaking a huge refund program as part of a settlement announced last week. Threatened by lawsuits across the country, AOL agreed to give millions of dollars back to customers who frequently get busy signals when they try to sign on.
The system delays have been caused by a new pricing plan - $19.95 a month for unlimited usage - that attracted a surge in on-line demand and extensive bottlenecks in a network that serves 8 million customers.
- Associated Press
LENGTH: Short : 33 linesby CNB