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

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by HansTWN

I know from personal experience that both US and European phone services are way, way overpriced. I prefer the way it is done in most Asian countries. You can buy the phone you want at an unsubsidized price and pay a minimum for service.

You can do that in Europe, too. It's exactly what I did.

[HansTWN]

Americans pay a lot less for music, e-books, and electronics. They don't pay the 19% or more sales tax. But they get robbed by the telephone companies.

Harry, I know you can get a phone without a contract in the US. But even then you expect to pay US 30-40 with moderate use. I have seen the advertised rates for pay-as-you-go. No way you can stay below USD 15.- a month, unless you hardly use it. I don't know exactly how much pay-as-you-go is in Europe, but the charges per minute and the charges for data are significantly higher than in Asia.

[HarryT]

I'm in the UK, Hans, not the US. I'm on a "pay as you go" contract with Vodafone and pay only a few pounds a month for my moderate phone usage. I generally "top up" my phone with £20 of credit at a time, and that lasts me for several months.

[EowynCarter]

Mobile phones are even worse in France. First the "prepaid", have a validity limit. (15 euros = 1 month). Getting an un-simlock phone is a mess. When i went in Denmark and had a look at the prepaid price /per minute i though "I am converting right there ??", and credit there had a one year validity.

We have decent stuff for Internet though. ADSL + Internet TV + phone is 30 Euros

[HarryT]

Mobile phone credit in the UK lasts forever. We had a court ruling here a few years ago saying that it was illegal for the phone companies to set an "expiry date" on credit, because it was "real money" that the customer had paid to the company, and they couldn't take it away.

[EowynCarter]

cool, we need that one passed in France too !

[Shaggy]

Originally Posted by Elsi

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

Sounds to me like both are to blame. Neither side is saying "no", they just can't agree on the price. Is it one side's fault because they're asking too much, or the other side's fault because they won't pay it?

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by Shaggy

Sounds to me like both are to blame. Neither side is saying "no", they just can't agree on the price. Is it one side's fault because they're asking too much, or the other side's fault because they won't pay it?

IF you are a Kindle Fan... I would not be too worried. I know from Astak's experience with the phone companies that dealing with them is very difficult and that what died last week springs back to life next week. They may just be juggling for position.

Also, there is no love affair between Europe and American firms. IF Kindle strolled in trying to look like God's Gift to Europe they would be rebuffed.

I think it is far too early to say that Kindle will not be sold there.

[Shaggy]

Originally Posted by Robertb

IF you are a Kindle Fan... I would not be too worried. I know from Astak's experience with the phone companies that dealing with them is very difficult and that what died last week springs back to life next week. They may just be juggling for position.

That would be my guess as well, but you certainly know a lot more about it than I do.

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I'm in the UK, Hans, not the US. I'm on a "pay as you go" contract with Vodafone and pay only a few pounds a month for my moderate phone usage. I generally "top up" my phone with £20 of credit at a time, and that lasts me for several months.

I stand corrected.

[exreader]

i would think Amazon stood a better chance to get the Kindle into the Asian market, Japan first, in particuilar... much better phone system there.

if they simply released a "world version" with bluetooth for tethering, as well as wifi, they could get market penetration NOW. heck, there's probably a simple drop in card for them to do this. throw in a GPS and some maps for kicks, and people would go "gah"

as it stands now, telecomms are all uppity because they want us to think that a phone call is the most difficult thing in the world to manage, and omg, they cost $$$. yes, the infrastructure is expensive, and they (and the govts? and the people/taxes/fees) certainly pay for it... but once that network is up? oh yes, the data costs are ... pretty cheap. big $$$.

if Amazon wants to dominate, well, they'll find a way.


exReader

[Terisa de morgan]

Originally Posted by exreader

i

as it stands now, telecomms are all uppity because they want us to think that a phone call is the most difficult thing in the world to manage, and omg, they cost $$$. yes, the infrastructure is expensive, and they (and the govts? and the people/taxes/fees) certainly pay for it... but once that network is up? oh yes, the data costs are ... pretty cheap. big $$$.

You don't work at one, do you? Data costs? There're other levels supporting data, and the maintenance costs aren't cheap (no if you want to have service).

[exreader]

Originally Posted by Terisa de morgan

You don't work at one, do you? Data costs? There're other levels supporting data, and the maintenance costs aren't cheap (no if you want to have service).

you'll note i used the word "infrastructure" to assert that all of the front end stuff customers see, in particular support and maintenance costs DO cost, and isn't free. yup, real money.

still, i strongly feel they are nickel and diming us to death, and are generating vast profits for carrying bits around.

yes, we demand 24x7 uptime, and quality (something we don't actually get), and speed (another thing is often lacking)... some countries get it right. many do. the USA is behind on world cell communications, and compared to Japan, we're downright neolithic.

now with ATT wanting to surcharge my already being paid for SMS? and probably want to tack on $30 to use tethering, when i'm already paying a premium monthly fee for a low bandwidth low use connection? insane. nickels and dimes.

don't get me started on how much TV costs either. oh my god. especially with almost all the programming on "premium channels" and required minimum packages and gobs and gobs of shopping channels and very little real content. gods!

makes me appreciate my Kindles all the more. oh yes. reading. what a wonderful thing. Amazon giving me a free wireless network too? wow. sure doesn't compare to the $250/month people i know spend to get tv, phone (call and non cell), internet, and other "must have" services.

exReader

[HansTWN]

Well Exreader, all that money that you Americans save on e-books, music downloads, and most electronics must go somewhere. Phone, internet, TV --- that is where they take it back! And I agree, AT&T, Verizon, etc they have by the balls. I always thought it was funny how Americans are so happy to get a USD 600 phone for $200 upfront with a 2 year contract for $70 each month. I would feel I was getting ripped off.

[Terisa de morgan]

Originally Posted by exreader

you'll note i used the word "infrastructure" to assert that all of the front end stuff customers see, in particular support and maintenance costs DO cost, and isn't free. yup, real money.

still, i strongly feel they are nickel and diming us to death, and are generating vast profits for carrying bits around.

Originally Posted by exreader

makes me appreciate my Kindles all the more. oh yes. reading. what a wonderful thing. Amazon giving me a free wireless network too? wow. sure doesn't compare to the $250/month people i know spend to get tv, phone (call and non cell), internet, and other "must have" services.

exReader

I suppose that Amazon doesn't give you anything because the network doesn't belong to Amazon. They have an agreement in USA (not all the country as I've read) for an specific use and, if they want to use another networks, they've to get another agreements. I think you can't compare the two situations.