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AOL in a Jam

Still gobbling your after-school snack, you rush to the computer. You can't wait to E-mail your online pen pals and then check out a chat room.

Sorry! You hear an annoying busy signal and see the screen's notice: PLEASE TRY AGAIN LATER.

Scenes like this have been frustrating many of the 8 million computer users who subscribe to America Online at school, home or work.

The troubles started when AOL, the country's largest online company, began giving customers unlimited time online for just $19.95 a month. That seemed like a bargain to subscribers who used to be charged by the hour.

But the deal was so popular that phone lines jammed, E-mail was delayed and customers got angry.

"You can't offer something to a subscriber and then not be able to deliver," said Illinois attorney general James Ryan. He and other state lawyers threatened to sue AOL.

Last week AOL agreed to give free time or money back (up to $40) to users who had problems connecting in December and January.

While it can't unclog busy lines, AOL hopes the agreement will calm its subscribers. But some, like Veronica Skelton of San Francisco, California, are switching to other online services like CompuServe and Microsoft.

AOL does "seem like it is working around the clock to fix the problem," said Skelton, whose job depends on E-mail. "But in the meantime, I've got to fix my problem."

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