AOL’s Free Services Could Boost Growth

AOL said a surprising rise in new users after it began to offer free services could help the once-mighty Internet unit of Time Warner Inc. resume growth as early as the fourth quarter.

Chief Executive Jonathan Miller said usage of AOL products could grow year over year in the fourth quarter, although the company was more likely to report growth at the beginning of next year.

Dulles, Va.-based AOL in August began to offer most of its services for free in a restructuring of its business aimed at boosting online traffic to increase advertising sales.