Amazon Kindle Fire Cleared By FCC For 4G Service
In what amounted to a bold move, Amazon took the unusual step of announcing a new product -- Kindle Fire H 8.9" 4G LTE Wireless -- without first receiving approval from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Amazon was gambling on the fact that the FCC would eventually approve the 4G LTE radio plopped inside its flagship Kindle device, and the mega e-tailer appears to have won that bet.
According to Reuters, a company spokeswoman for Amazon confirmed that it now has the FCC's full blessing to sell Kindle tablets equipped with 4G LTE radios. As such, Amazon has gone and removed disclaimers on its website that previously alerted visitors that FCC clearance had not yet been obtained.
All wireless gadgets have to receive approval from the FCC, both to ensure that they operate safely and as a confirmation that they won't interfere with other signals. Amazon felt all along that its Kindle devices would clear FCC regulations, and in fact was so confident that it wouldn't run into any snags that it announced a release date of November 20, 2012 for its Kindle Fire HD with 4G LTE baked in. That date is still in effect, though it will be interesting to see if Amazon ships out units early now that it's been given the green light.
The Kindle Fire HD 8.9" 4G LTE Wireless sells for $499 for the 32GB and $599 for 64GB model, both with Special Offers beamed to the lock screen. You can pick up versions that don't include Special Offers, which run $514 for 32GB and $614 for 64GB.
According to Reuters, a company spokeswoman for Amazon confirmed that it now has the FCC's full blessing to sell Kindle tablets equipped with 4G LTE radios. As such, Amazon has gone and removed disclaimers on its website that previously alerted visitors that FCC clearance had not yet been obtained.
All wireless gadgets have to receive approval from the FCC, both to ensure that they operate safely and as a confirmation that they won't interfere with other signals. Amazon felt all along that its Kindle devices would clear FCC regulations, and in fact was so confident that it wouldn't run into any snags that it announced a release date of November 20, 2012 for its Kindle Fire HD with 4G LTE baked in. That date is still in effect, though it will be interesting to see if Amazon ships out units early now that it's been given the green light.
The Kindle Fire HD 8.9" 4G LTE Wireless sells for $499 for the 32GB and $599 for 64GB model, both with Special Offers beamed to the lock screen. You can pick up versions that don't include Special Offers, which run $514 for 32GB and $614 for 64GB.
