Amazon Kindle not coming to Germany any time soon, says report

[Alexander Turcic]

I put off writing about this because I wasn't ready in my heart to accept it, but according to German WirtschaftsWoche, e-book fans in Germany won't have the pleasure of using the Amazon Kindle in their country any time soon. According to the weekly, Amazon could not come to a pricing agreement with local mobile operators like T-Mobile and Vodaphone.

This report has apparently already been confirmed by German Amazon partners. Very big time bummer!

[AprilHare]

And the USA-centric Amazon Kindle bandwagon rolls on...

[daffy4u]

Originally Posted by AprilHare

And the USA-centric Amazon Kindle bandwagon rolls on...

Maybe some letters of displeasure to the telecom companies are in order since it seems Amazon was making an effort with 2 companies.

[Elsi]

Why pick on Amazon? It appears that the problem is with the telephone carriers.

[tompe]

Originally Posted by Elsi

Why pick on Amazon? It appears that the problem is with the telephone carriers.

Well, if Amazon really only have one model of how it should work and that model is impossible to implement in a country I would say it is Amazons fault that let for book reading and buying irrelevant details control if they will sell book or not.

[Terisa de morgan]

Originally Posted by tompe

Well, if Amazon really only have one model of how it should work and that model is impossible to implement in a country I would say it is Amazons fault that let for book reading and buying irrelevant details control if they will sell book or not.

I totally agree. I think that it should be an option but not the only way, and a customer should be able to decide if he buys the device without that feature.

[daffy4u]

Originally Posted by Terisa de morgan

I totally agree. I think that it should be an option but not the only way, and a customer should be able to decide if he buys the device without that feature.

You can do that now.

[kaas]

Originally Posted by daffy4u

You can do that now.

Yes,

albeit without a warranty, with horrendous shipping and VAT, as well as trouble buying books if you do not have an US credit card...

not worth the effort for me...

cheers,

kaas

[Terisa de morgan]

Originally Posted by daffy4u

You can do that now.

If you're not from USA you can buy it through different ways buy you can't register it, so no access to the settings, and you can't buy the books without tricks. For me, that isn't the same thing we're talking about.

[Dave_S]

Originally Posted by Elsi

Why pick on Amazon? It appears that the problem is with the telephone carriers.

Sprint-Nextel was desperate for customers for it's excess capacity. Maybe T-Mobile and Vodaphone are not so desperate for business that generates so little income? Since Amazon failed with two separate carriers, it is much more likely that Amazon is not offering sufficient incentive for a profitable carrier to accept their business model.

Could the Kindle DX save Sprint Nextel?

[rhadin]

Originally Posted by Elsi

Why pick on Amazon? It appears that the problem is with the telephone carriers.

Well, isn't that making an unwarranted assumption? We don't really know why terms couldn't be reached. If I had to choose between baddies, I'd choose Amazon as being the stumbling block. I would assume Amazon tried to steamroll the telecoms like it tries to steamroll publishers; I wouldn't expect it to change tactics just because the opposition is now a telecom in Germany.

However, it would be unfair to Amazon to assume it is the evil partner in this battle; similarly, without more detailed information on the negotiations, it is unfair to assume that the evildoers are the telecoms.

Note that in the U.S. Amazon cut a deal with the weakest of the national telecoms, not with the strongest or the ones who have a greater coverage area. Doesn't lead me to believe that Amazon didn't use hardball tactics with the U.S. telecoms and had to settle for Sprint.

[daffy4u]

Originally Posted by rhadin

Note that in the U.S. Amazon cut a deal with the weakest of the national telecoms, not with the strongest or the ones who have a greater coverage area. Doesn't lead me to believe that Amazon didn't use hardball tactics with the U.S. telecoms and had to settle for Sprint.

I've considered T-Mobile to be the weakest and Sprint to be one of the big 3 with AT&T and Verizon.

[Dave_S]

Originally Posted by daffy4u

I've considered T-Mobile to be the weakest and Sprint to be one of the big 3 with AT&T and Verizon.

And you would be right.

National Carrier Size Rankings.
#1 Verizon ( Was #2 until it's merger with #5 Altel Wireless )
#2 AT&T
#3 SPRINT/Nextel
#4 T-Mobile
#5 Altel Wireless

http://www.mobilook.com/CarriersUSA.asp

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by Dave_S

And you would be right.

National Carrier Size Rankings.
#1 Verizon ( Was #2 until it's merger with #5 Altel Wireless )
#2 AT&T
#3 SPRINT/Nextel
#4 T-Mobile
#5 Altel Wireless

http://www.mobilook.com/CarriersUSA.asp

Of course, Verizon now owns Alltell... so they are WAY out in front.

BOb

[rhadin]

Originally Posted by daffy4u

I've considered T-Mobile to be the weakest and Sprint to be one of the big 3 with AT&T and Verizon.

Daffy, my fault in a way. I don't consider T-Mobile a national carrier here in the US because there are so many places where it has no coverage. I live 70 miles north of New York City and T-Mobile coverage is so spotty that it can't really be considered. When I think of cell service, I think only of Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint. Even some of tghe business magazines, like Business Week, focus only on those 3 carriers.