AOL Inc. (previously America Online) is a U.S.-based online service provider and Internet service provider. It has been in business since 1985. Important services in the early years were online chat and online games. Most connections were dial-up. In 2001 AOL bought Time Warner. In 2009 after a spin-off from Time Warner they changed their name to AOL Inc. It was announced in May 2015 that Verizon Communications purchased AOL.