Would you switch to AIM if AOL gave you a free local phone number?

[Rehan]

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2006-05-04-aim-phone_x.htm?csp=34

AOL's 'AIM Phoneline' offers free local phone number

Updated 5/5/2006 9:16 AM ET
By Kevin Maney, USA TODAY

DULLES, Va. — AOL is close to unveiling a voice-over-Internet service, based on its AIM instant messenger, that would give any AIM user a local phone number for free.

Dubbed AIM Phoneline, the free number would only allow for incoming calls from any phone.

Still, it's the first offer of a free number. To get a number that can be called on Skype costs about $4 a month.

An upgraded version, AIM Phoneline Unlimited, will cost $14.95 a month for calls to all local and long-distance numbers and 30 foreign countries. Calls must be made with a headset plugged into a computer and logged onto AIM through a broadband connection. AOL plans to launch the service in the top 50 U.S markets in late May.

...

I'm assuming not many people here use AIM anymore, if they ever did at all. But this is an interesting offer from AOL.

Would you start using AIM if this was offered in Canada?

[CodecX81]

The company is just too fat for me to contribute to.. Its very existance gives me nightmares of bloatware.

Now if you extend that offer from a smaller---Canadian based business... or even a larger telecom like Bell or Rogers.. Yea I probably would. Just to save $25 in phone fees.