Old Kindle devices will be kicked off the internet, Amazon warns

(REUTERS/Lucas Jackson)

Older Kindles are about to lose their access to the internet, Amazon has warned.

Many of the earlier generations of the ereaders relied on 3G internet connectivity to download books and other content, and will no longer be able to access it.

Those that have WiFi will still be able to connect when they are near a network. And even those that can no longer log onto the internet will still be able to be updated by plugging into the computer.

But the change will mean that many devices lose some or all of their internet connectivity soon.

The change is not being made by Amazon but by the networks themselves, which are turning off their older 3G and 2G service to free up space in the spectrum for the new 5G.

That means the Kindles will have no network to connect to.

The change will happen in the US on AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint and Verizon, starting from the end of the year. Similar changes are expected to happen in the UK soon.

Amazon is offering affected users a promotional code to buy a new device. Those who are impacted should receive the cod ein their email.

The biggest problems will come for the first- or second-generation Kindles, or the second-generation Kindle DX, which will be cut off from the internet entirely. Some other newer devices have 3G connections too, but are also able to connect to WiFi.