Quote:
Originally Posted by ATDrake
Back when all Kindle models were 3G only (pre-K3) and the apps were in very primitive stages and the WiFi didn't exist, so it was reasonable to assume that anyone getting a Kindle book outside the US had a very high likelihood of owning an actual hardware Kindle and using the 3G to download their books, according to what I've read on the Amazon discussion boards back when I was still reading them, their CS used to quasi-officially admit that the $2 extra was a surcharge to pay for the cost of the 3G.
This was before Amazon had gotten into place a number of the carrier agreements it currently has and thus had to pay the delivery costs piecemeal at a much higher price. US-registered Kindlers who for whatever reason used the 3G book download function outside the States (travelling overseas, lying about actual address, etc.) had a corresponding $1.99 per book downloaded via 3G fee which would be automatically charged to their account, which was noted in the official help literature. I think they've since ended the overseas "roaming" fee.
Of course, with the advent of the WiFi-only models and the proliferation of the various Kindle for Apps to the point where a mild majority of the respondents in this actual post have no actual Kindle hardware listed in the Device section of their profile blurb-box, the entire idea of it being a surcharge for the previously 3G-only Whispernet insta-delivery service became quietly pushed to the background and now there's no actual official-ish reason admitted to for it.
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Okay, I wondered if 3G was the reason. So it seems to me as if there is really no longer a legitimate reason to charge customers in certain regions extra if they are not using a 3G Kindle? If so, then Amazon should abolish the fees.
As if that would ever happen.....