Verizon to offer AIM

America Online will offer a version of its AOL Instant Messenger program over Verizon Wireless' service, the companies said Wednesday. The service will allow Verizon Wireless customers to use their existing AIM accounts and to send messages from their cell phones to computers, phones and wireless devices.

The price for the service is calculated in one of two ways. It is either pay-as-you-go, which costs 2 cents per message received and 10 cents per message sent. Or customers choose one of three bundled plans: 100 sent or received messages for $2.99 per month; 200 sent or received messages for $3.99 per month; or 600 sent or received messages for $7.99 per month.