AOL Disconnects Subscribers Who Don’t Appear to Be Using Service

America Online Inc. is monitoring individual subscribers and disconnecting those who don’t appear to be using the service, in an attempt to clear up network delays.

AOL sends an online message to subscribers every 45 minutes asking whether they want to remain logged on. If customers reply “no,” or don’t answer within 10 minutes, AOL shuts off the connection.

The move, first reported in PC Week magazine, comes as America Online grapples with increased usage after it introduced a $19.95 flat monthly fee Dec. 1. The pricing plan has led to delays, busy signals and customers’ failure to get onto the service. To avoid these problems, some customers never log off once they log on.

The No. 1 online service said it’s using the monitoring system to free up room for customers who are using the service to peruse AOL’s news and entertainment, send e-mail, chat or search the Internet.

The Dulles, Va.-based company said it began sending subscribers the messages and disconnecting them during the last two weeks. Previously, subscribers would receive messages that asked them to log off if they weren’t using the service.

The network problems prompted at least four class-action suits and led to a settlement last week between AOL and 36 states. AOL agreed to refund as much as $39.90 per customer and place disclaimers on ads about potential network delays.

Shares of AOL rose $1.875 to close at $38.875 on the New York Stock Exchange.