MSN vs AOL, David vs Goliath
Both Microsoft and AOL Time Warner are getting ready to launch version 8.0 of their services along with bundles with broadband access (with only 15 million broadband subscribers in the country, there's much upside there if subscribers feel there's enough content that warrants its use -- until now that has not been the case). MSN has only 9 million subscribers vs AOL's 35 million worldwide says this New York Times story (registration required).
According to a June report by Forrester Research, MSN retained 43 percent of its subscribers from 2000 to 2001, while 79 percent of AOL's members stayed with the service.
...MSN subscribers will pay monthly fees of $9.95 for a ``bring your own access'' plan -- connecting through another Internet service provider -- $21.95 for a dial-up connection; and between $39.95 and $49.95 for broadband connections, depending on users' location.
AOL will charge monthly fees of $14.95 for bring your own access, $23.90 for dial-up and $54.95 for broadband. AOL spokesman Andrew Weinstein defended the company's higher prices, saying they have not stopped AOL from outpacing MSN's subscriber growth in recent years.