Quote:
Originally Posted by HarryT
The logistics of negotiating wireless access arrangements with all the countries in Europe, each of which has its own telecoms operator, would be a nightmare. I'm not surprised if Amazon have decided that it's not feasible.
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Harry, I have to disagree a little here. While it would be a little difficult, it would by no means be infeasible.
Keep in mind that just a few major Telecom's such as Vodafone, Deutsche Telekom (T-Mobile), France Telecom (Orange) and Telefónica (O2) control or have access to most if not all countries in Europe. Indeed some like Vodafone have large presence all over the world.
If the Kindle model is a success, then I don't think the Telcos here are going to turn down another source of revenue, to help cover the cost of some of the 3G networks. And with the EC breathing down their necks to keep roaming and data charges reasonable, and in line with actual costs and not pure profit, think Amazon and any other company may be able to get a good deal.
Also, launching in europe, provides a good base to launch into other countries as most places have a GSM/UMTS network, allowing them to standardise on the hardware.
The bigger concern may be with getting publishing rights to the e-books, unless they already have an agreement in place for worldwide distribution.