Web browsing on Kindle e-readers has never been an optimal experience, as signaled by the longstanding “experimental” label on the feature. But it has now become even less optimal for some people who do a lot of browsing over the mobile broadband connection on 3G-enabled Kindles.

Amazon has started enforcing a 50 MB/month data limit on the Kindle 3G, also known as the Kindle Keyboard, according MobileRead forum posts spotted by Nate Hoffelder on The Digital Reader blog. The rule has been in place, in theory, for a long time, but Hoffeider says Amazon appears to have started enforcing it only this month.

A MobileRead user explains what happened …

“I was using the browser when it popped up a message to say that I’d hit my 50 MB monthly limit of 3G Web access on my Kindle 3G. When I clicked the ‘OK’ button (which was my only choice, really), I got a second message saying that I’d have 24 hours of grace to continue to use 3G for Web browsing, but that after that I could use 3G only for visiting Amazon.com, Wikipedia, and the Kindle Store. Otherwise I will be obligated to use Wi-Fi.”

Amazon doesn’t allow web browsing over the 3G connection on the newer Kindle Touch, so in that way this is part of a larger trend.

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