dial-up

[dahy-uhl-uhp, dahyl-]

adjective

Computers.

1. relating to or denoting a type of computer data transmission encoded in audio format and transmitted through a telephone call to an internet service provider.

   A dial-up connection to the internet is too slow to play most online video games.

Word History and Origins

Origin of dial-up¹

First recorded in 1960–65; adjective use of verb phrase dial up

Example Sentences

From what I saw, I’m convinced agentic and AI browsers are the future, but the current iteration feels a bit like when I first tried America Online to use the internet over dial-up modems.

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The rolling green grassy hills and blue sky of our Windows XP background greeted me, and I’d feel feverish waiting as the AOL dial-up internet made its torturously slow connection.

Read more on Slate

The firm's dial-up offering connects to the internet via a phone line and currently only exists in the US and Canada.

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Launched more than 30 years ago, AOL dial-up was known for its chirpy whirring start-up sound, but it has long since been replaced by faster alternatives.

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AOL is shutting down the dial-up service that introduced homes across the US to the internet.

Read more on BBC