Amazon is reportedly considering a move into the mobile market by offering mobile contracts with Prime subscriptions in the US. The company is said to have engaged in discussions with leading carriers such as Verizon, T-Mobile, Dish, and AT&T to explore possible collaborations. The offering would provide mobile connectivity through existing Prime subscriptions or at a low cost of $10 a month. However, Amazon spokesperson Bradley Mattinger stated, “We are always exploring adding even more benefits for Prime members, but don’t have plans to add wireless at this time.”
Carriers T-Mobile and Verizon have also refuted the claims, mentioning that they are not in any ongoing negotiations with Amazon. AT&T went on record to say, “AT&T is not in discussions with Amazon to resell wireless services.” Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal published an article claiming that mobile operator Dish is also in talks with Amazon about potential mobile plans. Dish, however, asserted that it does not currently have a distribution deal or partnership with Amazon.
If Amazon does decide to enter the mobile market, it would not be relatively surprising, given the company’s history of venturing into diverse industries such as groceries, TV production, and cloud computing. Amazon’s strong customer base in the US would serve as an advantage for such an offering. However, despite the rumors, all parties involved have remained tight-lipped about the possibility, leaving the market to wait and see if these speculations come to fruition.
