Key Takeaways
Older Kindle models will start to lose their built-in internet access in December. The change comes because mobile carriers are ditching 3G networking technology in favor of newer 4G and 5G networks. Aging Kindles without Wi-Fi won’t be able to connect to the internet at all.
Cutting the Cord
Don’t worry if you’ve bought a Kindle reading device recently. The newest Kindle devices with 4G will still work, but for older devices that shipped with support for 3G and Wi-Fi, including the Kindle Keyboard (3rd generation), Kindle Touch (4th generation), Kindle Paperwhite (4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th generation), Kindle Voyage (7th generation), and Kindle Oasis (8th generation), only will be able to connect using Wi-Fi.
“Using the built-in 3G internet on the Kindle is an entirely different experience from connecting via Wi-Fi.”
Worse news comes for the most elderly of Kindles, including the Kindle (1st and 2nd generation) and the Kindle DX (2nd generation). These older models don’t have built-in Wi-Fi, so using the 2G or 3G internet connectivity was the only way to get online. However, you will still be able to load new content onto your device using a micro-USB cable.
Big Kindle Blues
Using the built-in 3G internet on the Kindle is an entirely different experience from connecting via Wi-Fi. I bought a Kindle in the first place instead of using a tablet like an iPad to escape from the internet for a while and concentrate on reading. The best part was that once you paid for the slightly more expensive 3G Kindle model, you never needed to pay a monthly fee for a connection.
For me, the appeal of the 3G internet was about being just connected enough, which I think is the key to happiness in our overburdened digital age. I was able to download nearly any title ever published using 3G directly to my Kindle without having to mess with a Wi-Fi connection.
I had an even better experience a few years ago traveling in Europe. Since my DX is the international version, I could download books without Wi-Fi in a remote area of Spain.
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