] Like America Online, Microsoft's MSN Internet service is
] feeling the pinch of competition from both high-speed and
] budget dial-up ISPs.
]
] Microsoft on Tuesday reported that MSN in the first
] quarter witnessed a decline of 300,000 subscribers from
] the preceding quarter, leaving the second-largest
] Internet service provider with 8.7 million total
] subscribers. Company executives attributed the decline to
] further churn among subscribers who signed up for MSN as
] part of multiyear PC rebate programs with offline
] retailers such as Best Buy that have begun to expire.

Indeed, friends of mine that got MSN as a computer "discount" at Best Buy are now switching to cable or DSL. I promised them they'd be so much happier with their internet experience. And indeed, they are.

Microsoft shrugs off dial-up decline