Global ISP America Online (AOL) is preparing to launch the latest revision of its client-side connection software - version 8 plus.

The new software is supposedly geared toward keeping migrating dialup subscribers (those swapping to broadband) within the ISPs fold:

"Our business is all about giving our members what they want, and they increasingly want to move into the high-speed world," Jonathan Miller, chief executive of the AOL unit, said in a statement.

AOL is the world's largest Internet service provider, but its greatest asset -- its dial-up subscribers -- is quickly becoming a potential liability as Internet customers make the shift from slow to fast connections.

The ZDNet item gives away few details regarding the new features, although there is a brief preview of what users can expect:

The most visible of these broadband changes will be the new welcome screen that includes snazzier graphics and video-streaming capabilities. The new screen also includes different versions depending on the time of day, more links to multimedia content, and more visibility for services such as Broadband Radio@AOL and Video@AOL. AOL will redesign content channels such as its news area to include more high-bandwidth services.

Typically AOLs software is always released in the states first, thus a UK release date has yet to be announced. It’s not clear how much, if any, of the v8 Plus enhancements will be carried over into the European release.