Amazon Limiting 3G Internet Access via its Kindle Web Browser to 50 MB a Month

[AndrewH]

http://goodereader.com/blog/electron...50-mb-a-month/

Amazon has offered various e-readers over the years with built in 3G internet access. This has always been a free service once you ponied up the initial amount of cash to buy a device with 3G enabled. It allows people to buy eBooks, newspapers and magazines while traveling. Recently, Amazon has imposed a bandwidth cap on customers using the internet browser to purchase content and surf the internet. They have imposed a 50 MB bandwidth limit on the Kindle Keyboard and Kindle DX’s internet access. All other e-readers with 3G access are immune to this new restriction, so it might be time to upgrade if you use it lots.

...

The limitations of internet access only applies to websites outside of Amazon and Wikipedia. You can continue to download content directly from Amazon as much as you want, without worrying that you will go over your cap.

[teh603]

The death of Open Internet made this one a given. It was just a question of how soon, and how long before all the other ISPs get the same idea.

[DiapDealer]

They have imposed a 50 MB bandwidth limit on the Kindle Keyboard and Kindle DX’s internet access. All other e-readers with 3G access are immune to this new restriction, so it might be time to upgrade if you use it lots.

I don't think this article has its facts/terminology quite straight. So my K2 and others' K1s are immune? Why upgrade?

Also, in one sentence:

imposed a bandwidth cap on customers using the internet browser to purchase content and surf the internet.

And in another:

You can continue to download content directly from Amazon as much as you want, without worrying that you will go over your cap.

Regardless ... I have no real feelings on the cap. It's not like I'd ever come close to bumping into it even if it does apply to me.

[RDaneel54]

Where is the link to Amazon's announcement?

[CWatkinsNash]

What's funny is that engadget's piece on it refers to us as a source.

According to users on MobileRead, you'll still be able to browse Amazon's Kindle store and Wikipedia, but anything beyond that gets locked down.

-from http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/24/a...it-web-browse/

Edit: Ah, from this thread: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=185765

[tubemonkey]

Since Amazon always paid for 3G access, capping it is no big deal.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by CWatkinsNash

What's funny is that engadget's piece on it refers to us as a source.

We iz important newz source

[frahse]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I don't think this article has its facts/terminology quite straight. So my K2 and others' K1s are immune? Why upgrade?
...
Regardless ... I have no real feelings on the cap. It's not like I'd ever come close to bumping into it even if it does apply to me.

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Since Amazon always paid for 3G access, capping it is no big deal.

I see this statement in particular:

All other e-readers with 3G access are immune to this new restriction, so it might be time to upgrade if you use it lots.

Is the "other e-readers with 3G access" referring to Amazon eReaders? i.e. Kindles?

[DiapDealer]

Also, I have to wonder if this isn't the existing 50Mb cap on 3G web browsing outside the US getting twisted/misrepresented a bit?

Experimental Web Browser

The Experimental Web Browser is currently only available for some customers outside of the United States and may be limited to 50MB of browsing over 3G per month. This limit does not apply when customers are browsing over Wi-Fi.

[frahse]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Also, I have to wonder if this isn't the existing 50Mb cap on 3G web browsing outside the US getting twisted/misrepresented a bit?

Excellent point. Nice sharpshooting. Makes me feel better. I don't use the 3G much, but maybe 1 or 2 months a year on vacation, I might go over 50MB/month.

[MidnightBlue]

Originally Posted by teh603

The death of Open Internet made this one a given. It was just a question of how soon, and how long before all the other ISPs get the same idea.

??? I am not sure what you are saying. What is the death of open Internet, and in what way is Amazon an ISP?

[WatchAdam]

Look, I don't like data caps more than the next guy, but is anyone here using that much data through the Kindle's experimental web browser? It's basically text only as is, and you can't stream videos or music as far as I know.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by teh603

The death of Open Internet made this one a given. It was just a question of how soon, and how long before all the other ISPs get the same idea.

Yep, data quotas are everywhere now. Verizon has/is eliminating unlimited plans which will affect me when I upgrade (as early as today...)

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

We iz important newz source

yes we iz!

(and the interwebz iz inceztuous)

[teh603]

Originally Posted by MidnightBlue

??? I am not sure what you are saying. What is the death of open Internet, and in what way is Amazon an ISP?

Open internet was an attempt by the Federal government over here (in case you're not in the US) to require all ISPs to treat every single data packet equally and prevent arbitrary throttling. It failed because the Tea Party decided to paint it as a move to censor the internet, and made sure it died a horrible death.

What makes Amazon an ISP is that you buy your Kindle's 3G data package from it, and that allows it to decide just what you can do with that internet access.