 |
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| 1985 |
| Control Video launches the Q-Link online service, predecessor to AOL. |
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| 1989 |
| Control Video launches nationwide online service America Online. |
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| 1991 |
| Control Video changes its name to America Online. |
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| 1992 |
| AOL goes public. |
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| 1993 |
| Steve Case becomes chief executive. |
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| 1994 |
| Has 1 million subscribers by the end of the year. |
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| 1995 |
| Teams with German media firm Bertelsmann to offer online services in Europe. |
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| 1996 |
| Begins charging a flat rate, vastly increasing the amount of time spent
online. Has 7.8 million subscribers by year-end. |
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| 1997 |
| MTV founder Bob Pittman joins AOL as president and tries to focus on network
problems. Facing possible lawsuits, AOL agrees to pay refunds to customers
who had trouble getting online. |
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| 1998 |
| Acquires CompuServe's online services division. Also buys interactive
TV company Net Channel. |
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| 1999 |
| Buys Netscape Communications for $10 billion. Acquires MovieFone, the
largest movie listing and ticketing service. Strikes a major marketing deal
with Gateway computers. Acquires MapQuest. Has 20 million AOL subscribers
by year-end. Compuserve has an additional 2.2 million. |
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| January 10, 2000 |
| Announces that it is purchasing Time Warner for over $180 billion in stock in what will be the biggest U.S. corporate merger in history. |
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