Unable to Use Amazon Music - Again!

  • 27 December 2018
  • 30 replies
  • 1041 views

Userlevel 2
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After the farce of getting this setup and the complete lack of help or knowledge from anyone in Sonos, I'm stuck with this crappy kit now.

I live in Mexico. I purchased the Sonos here in Mexico. When I purchased it my Amazon account was UK based. Sonos worked fine with this. I changed my country to Mexico in my Sonos Profile and it stopped working altogether. After spending ages trying to sort it out, with no help whatsoever, from Sonos, I discovered that the country is used to determine what services are available. At this time, Amazon did not have their music service in Mexico. I switched the Sonos profile back to the UK and it worked again.

My Amazon Unlimited Music subscription expired at the end of November. By this time Amazon had launched the service in Mexico, so since I live here, I purchased it here (approx. £50 annually compared to £150 in the UK). To do this, I had to change my Amazon account to be an Amazon.com.mx account. This worked fine with all my Alexa devices. They are still registered to the UK but happily play from the unlimited subscription.

The Sonos, will not work, at all, with Amazon music registered in Mexico. Sonos claim this is an Amazon problem and use this as a standard "get out of jail free" of we can't do anything. Amazon say it is down to Sonos. Amazon are correct as they are simply providing an API to Sonos. Sonos determine how it is consumed with their app, but despite this, they still refuse to do anything.

After a month of speaking to repeated uninformed "support" staff (using the term loosely), I have no choice other that to revert my Amazon account to a UK account, and change my Sonos profile to the UK. This I did, but still Sonos reports that Amazon Music can only be used in the UK, US, France etc.

Not to put too fine a point on it, but this is complete rubbish. The Amazon account is a UK account. Amazon music plays everywhere apart from on Sonos. Harmon Kardon works, Alexa's work, and the Amazon Music app works. Sonos, however does not. This is a Sonos issue, nothing else.

What the heck Sonos???? I've jumped through your hoops, I've solved problems that shouldn't be problems without your help and it still doesn't work.

Your products are not good, and your customer service is worse. Amazon are unable to take the products back as I've had them for 6 months now. Sonos refuse to do so. This implies that you are only interested in my money.

If you stand by your products, you should be willing to take them back when you have let customers down so badly. Instead once you have my money, you no longer give a monkey's. What are you going to do about it Sonos?????

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30 replies

Now why does the old adage "You catch more flies with honey than vinegar" suddenly come to mind . . .
Userlevel 2
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Not sure what you mean, jgatie. I have had constant problems with Sonos and their "support" staff have done nothing but try to pass the problems off to someone else every time. If it worked, I would be happy. The fact is, it doesn't. It may work for those with simple, us only, lives, but those of us with international connections are no longer the minority. If Sonos can't support this, they should be open about it up front. The fact that they are not, implies their focus is on getting your money not providing a satisfactory customer experience. Why even sell Sonos in Mexico if they don't support any music here?????? It's ridiculous!!!
Not sure what you mean, jgatie. I have had constant problems with Sonos and their "support" staff have done nothing but try to pass the problems off to someone else every time. If it worked, I would be happy. The fact is, it doesn't. It may work for those with simple, us only, lives, but those of us with international connections are no longer the minority. If Sonos can't support this, they should be open about it up front. The fact that they are not, implies their focus is on getting your money not providing a satisfactory customer experience. Why even sell Sonos in Mexico if they don't support any music here?????? It's ridiculous!!!

To the bolded:

https://support.sonos.com/s/article/3248?language=en_US

Where is Amazon Music available?

Amazon Music Library:
US, UK, DE, AT, CH, FR, IT, ES

Prime Music
US, UK, DE, ES, FR, IT

Amazon Music Unlimited:
US, UK, DE, ES, FR, IT


It looks like Sonos is pretty up front about it.

As to the meaning behind my post, if I were hoping to get a refund on an item which is beyond the return date, I wouldn't be posting a diatribe that constantly insults the very people who will be deciding on my refund. Aka, I would be using honey, not vinegar, to catch that fly.
Userlevel 2
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I have been trying to get this to work properly, or get a refund for about 4 months. If it worked, I would have no problem. Sonos are simply not interested and never have been. Since I get these, Sonos have repeatedly assured me that they can resolve problems, only to find that they can't.

As for insulting the people who will "decide" on my refund. There is nothing to "decide". Who would think it acceptable that a product stops supporting all the features? I'm not asking for them to do me a favour. I have been more than patient with this. 6 months of patient. Obviously the retailer won't refund it now. I didn't really expect Amazon to do so since it works as a speaker. As far as the retailer is concerned the speaker plays, anything else is down to the manufacturers choices.

Sonos aren't upfront about stuff at all. Nor is the information above accurate. My Amazon Unlimited is UK based and it still doesn't work. If you change your country from UK to Mexico on the Sonos profile (nothing to do with Amazon) it still doesn't work. How is that upfront about it??? Also check out the link on the amazon.com.mx (https://www.amazon.com.mx/Sonos-One-Bocina-inteligente-controlada/dp/B074XLMYY5/ref=sr_1_2/142-4168245-9851940?ie=UTF8&qid=1545928148&sr=8-2&keywords=sonos) sold by Sonos. No mention of the fact that Mexican accounts don't work. Selling a product in a region you don't support is the definition of misleading. Again, how is this up front????
Sonos are focussed on the domestic US market. Everything else is just a money grab. See who we can mislead and screw the consequences. If you are US based, and never travel to anywhere other than contiguous US states, I'm sure Sonos is an acceptable product. For the rest of the world (i.e. the majority), who gives a crap??? Not Sonos that's for sure.
Userlevel 7
Badge +20
I have been trying to get this to work properly, or get a refund for about 4 months. If it worked, I would have no problem. Sonos are simply not interested and never have been. Since I get these, Sonos have repeatedly assured me that they can resolve problems, only to find that they can't.

As for insulting the people who will "decide" on my refund. There is nothing to "decide". Who would think it acceptable that a product stops supporting all the features? I'm not asking for them to do me a favour. I have been more than patient with this. 6 months of patient. Obviously the retailer won't refund it now. I didn't really expect Amazon to do so since it works as a speaker. As far as the retailer is concerned the speaker plays, anything else is down to the manufacturers choices.

Sonos aren't upfront about stuff at all. Nor is the information above accurate. My Amazon Unlimited is UK based and it still doesn't work. If you change your country from UK to Mexico on the Sonos profile (nothing to do with Amazon) it still doesn't work. How is that upfront about it??? Also check out the link on the amazon.com.mx (https://www.amazon.com.mx/Sonos-One-Bocina-inteligente-controlada/dp/B074XLMYY5/ref=sr_1_2/142-4168245-9851940?ie=UTF8&qid=1545928148&sr=8-2&keywords=sonos) sold by Sonos. No mention of the fact that Mexican accounts don't work. Selling a product in a region you don't support is the definition of misleading. Again, how is this up front????
Sonos are focussed on the domestic US market. Everything else is just a money grab. See who we can mislead and screw the consequences. If you are US based, and never travel to anywhere other than contiguous US states, I'm sure Sonos is an acceptable product. For the rest of the world (i.e. the majority), who gives a crap??? Not Sonos that's for sure.


Wrong! 🙂
I hope nothing serious ever happens to you. Music services are all geographically limited in some way, and that can vary by platform. The service you have chosen happens not to be available though Sonos in your chosen place of residence. It is hardly a catastrophe, and it isn't really anybody's fault.

Just for the record, music services integrate via the Sonos API, not the other way around.

As a UK resident who also uses Sonos in France, I am embarrassed by your totally baseless suggestion that Sonos cares only about the US market and US users.
Userlevel 7
Badge +20
I have been trying to get this to work properly, or get a refund for about 4 months. If it worked, I would have no problem. Sonos are simply not interested and never have been. Since I get these, Sonos have repeatedly assured me that they can resolve problems, only to find that they can't.

As for insulting the people who will "decide" on my refund. There is nothing to "decide". Who would think it acceptable that a product stops supporting all the features? I'm not asking for them to do me a favour. I have been more than patient with this. 6 months of patient. Obviously the retailer won't refund it now. I didn't really expect Amazon to do so since it works as a speaker. As far as the retailer is concerned the speaker plays, anything else is down to the manufacturers choices.

Sonos aren't upfront about stuff at all. Nor is the information above accurate. My Amazon Unlimited is UK based and it still doesn't work. If you change your country from UK to Mexico on the Sonos profile (nothing to do with Amazon) it still doesn't work. How is that upfront about it??? Also check out the link on the amazon.com.mx (https://www.amazon.com.mx/Sonos-One-Bocina-inteligente-controlada/dp/B074XLMYY5/ref=sr_1_2/142-4168245-9851940?ie=UTF8&qid=1545928148&sr=8-2&keywords=sonos) sold by Sonos. No mention of the fact that Mexican accounts don't work. Selling a product in a region you don't support is the definition of misleading. Again, how is this up front????
Sonos are focussed on the domestic US market. Everything else is just a money grab. See who we can mislead and screw the consequences. If you are US based, and never travel to anywhere other than contiguous US states, I'm sure Sonos is an acceptable product. For the rest of the world (i.e. the majority), who gives a crap??? Not Sonos that's for sure.


Hi timfoster,

At this time Amazon Music is not available on Sonos in Mexico. You can see the full list of countries where it is available here. The country in which you purchased your Sonos system, or in which you created your Amazon account don't determine which music services are available. These are determined by the region in which your system is being used, and there are different licenses and restrictions for services in different areas. While I can't comment on future plans, I will send in a feature request to our team to add support for Amazon Music in Mexico to the Sonos system.
Userlevel 2
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Sorry John B, it is someone's fault. It's Sonos' fault. The implementation is entirely with them. Amazon aren't pushing the service to Sonos, Sonos request it.

Slightly odd way to start a comment. No-one is claiming this to be a catastrophe, but after 4 months of patiently trying to make it work, Sonos should be man enough to accept that this is a imitation they have implemented and allow those that purchased in good faith, to return the units. If you believe in the product why would you not?
Utter drivel. Amazon Music is not available on Sonos in Mexico. There is nothing for you to try to get to work.
The present limitation has surely been clearly explained. Amazon currently doesn't support their service on Sonos in Mexico for whatever reasons, quite possibly related to royalty agreements. To enforce this the service is geofenced based on IP address.

The options are to re-sell the Sonos kit or subscribe to a service that's officially supported in the country in question.
Userlevel 2
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Jeff S, Firstly, my Amazon account is UK based. Secondly, it is not determined by the country in which I reside. If anything it's determined by the country setting in the Sonos profile. When I moved here I had an Amazon account from the UK and it was working fine (until I made the mistake of changing my country in the profile) in Mexico, with a Mexico IP address. This is the same as it was before, yet now it doesn't work. Nothing has changed my end. The Amazon account is still Amazon UK, the IP Address is still provided by AT&T Mexico, and the Sonos units are the same ones purchased here in Mexico. If anything has changed it has to be at your end.
Userlevel 7
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Jeff S, Firstly, my Amazon account is UK based. Secondly, it is not determined by the country in which I reside. If anything it's determined by the country setting in the Sonos profile. When I moved here I had an Amazon account from the UK and it was working fine (until I made the mistake of changing my country in the profile) in Mexico, with a Mexico IP address. This is the same as it was before, yet now it doesn't work. Nothing has changed my end. The Amazon account is still Amazon UK, the IP Address is still provided by AT&T Mexico, and the Sonos units are the same ones purchased here in Mexico. If anything has changed it has to be at your end.

When streaming media, the location from which you are streaming determines the licenses. Your IP is in Mexico, that's where the data would be streaming to. That's where the restrictions apply.
Sorry John B, it is someone's fault. It's Sonos' fault. The implementation is entirely with them. Amazon aren't pushing the service to Sonos, Sonos request it.
Factually incorrect
I am bailing out. Simply a waste of time trying to explain the facts.
Userlevel 2
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John B, This is not the case. Amazon account is UK. Sonos device is purchased in Mexico. This worked when we purchased it in July. Same config.

Even the message in the Sonos, after going through the process of authorising the Amazon account multiple times, says "Amazon Music is only available for Amazon accounts located within the US, UK …" My Amazon account is located in the UK. If this was geofencing, (a) it would never have worked (which it did in July) and (b) the message would say Amazon music can only be played in the UK. The message clearly states Amazon accounts located in the UK, not Sonos devices.

This is all without even considering the fact that Amazon works on all my Alexa devices, my Harmon Kardon device, and that Amazon Music is available in Mexico.

If this no longer works, fine. But this is a change made by Sonos since July/August. As such it's not unreasonable to expect that I can return it
Whatever the reason for an Amazon UK account temporarily continuing to work, the Sonos kit was never sold in Mexico on the pretext that the Amazon service was available on it.
Userlevel 2
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When streaming media, the location from which you are streaming determines the licenses. Your IP is in Mexico, that's where the data would be streaming to. That's where the restrictions apply.

Then explain why it worked when I purchased it? If it wasn't working in July/August I would have returned it to Amazon immediately. If Sonos change the software to make it inoperable with the service I have paid for, why would you expect me to foot the bill for this? I didn't buy some sort of test unit. I bought a seasoned product to work with my already paid for service.

If it isn't going to work with a UK Amazon account in Mexico any longer, fine. That's a business decision, but don't expect me to foot the bill for that. It's not at all unreasonable to expect me to want my £700+ back.
It seems to me that what changed is that the Amazon service launched in Mexico. They may have tightened up georestrictions which until then had turned a blind eye to remote use of a UK account.
Userlevel 2
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Whatever the reason for an Amazon UK account temporarily continuing to work, the Sonos kit was never sold in Mexico on the pretext that the Amazon service was available on it.

That is exactly what it was sold as:
"https://www.amazon.com.mx/SONOS-PLAY-Bocina-compacto-wi-fi/dp/B00EWCUK1Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1545933805&sr=8-1&keywords=sonos"
Transmite de forma inalámbrica todos tus servicios de música preferidos, como Amazon Music Unlimited, Pandora, Apple Music y Spotify.
[...] The Sonos, will not work, at all, with Amazon music registered in Mexico. Sonos claim this is an Amazon problem and use this as a standard "get out of jail free" of we can't do anything. Amazon say it is down to Sonos. Amazon are correct as they are simply providing an API to Sonos. Sonos determine how it is consumed with their app, but despite this, they still refuse to do anything. [...]
Incorrect. It's the other way around.

https://musicpartners.sonos.com/?q=node/224
Translation: "Wirelessly transmit all your favorite music services, such as Amazon Music Unlimited, Pandora, Apple Music and Spotify.

I'd note that Pandora is also not available in Mexico. The phrase appears to be a straight translation of that which appears on the amazon.com site.
Userlevel 2
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Translation: "Wirelessly transmit all your favorite music services, such as Amazon Music Unlimited, Pandora, Apple Music and Spotify.

I'd note that Pandora is also not available in Mexico. The phrase appears to be a straight translation of that which appears on the amazon.com site.


Possibly it is. But as the listing on Amazon is sold by Sonos, it is Sonos that are very clearly saying that it does work with Amazon Music Unlimited in Mexico. Nobody would be expected to not believe this and look at a different website to verify the information that the manufacturer is presenting (especially if you're claiming that they should go to the manufacturers website). If Sonos list it as supporting Amazon Music Unlimited, and for a while it did, it's not at all unreasonable to expect them to refund me when I purchase based on the information they provide. How could a purchaser possibly know that this incorrect? Would it be reasonable to buy anything based on what the seller says, only to find that what they said wasn't true?? The law on advertising, whether in the UK, US or Mexico is the same. It must be true and accurate. If not, everyone would be selling money trees!
I would suggest you press your case with Amazon. The Amazon lawyers might however argue that "all your favorite music services, such as ... " is not a commitment as it merely illustrates what your favourites could be, whether or not they're available.
Userlevel 7
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When streaming media, the location from which you are streaming determines the licenses. Your IP is in Mexico, that's where the data would be streaming to. That's where the restrictions apply.

Then explain why it worked when I purchased it? If it wasn't working in July/August I would have returned it to Amazon immediately. If Sonos change the software to make it inoperable with the service I have paid for, why would you expect me to foot the bill for this? I didn't buy some sort of test unit. I bought a seasoned product to work with my already paid for service.

If it isn't going to work with a UK Amazon account in Mexico any longer, fine. That's a business decision, but don't expect me to foot the bill for that. It's not at all unreasonable to expect me to want my £700+ back.


In the past I've seen users bypass regional restrictions by using VPNs and the like. This violates the terms of service for the music services and we don't recommend it. Sometimes that works, sometimes the services actually trace the IPs and disable this sort of workaround. In any rate, we don't have anything to do with that.

Arguing at this point isn't going to change the fact that your system is trying to send digital property to Mexico via streaming. This is why it isn't working. We can't provide a list of our large number of services, for every country you might potentially move to. If you look at the FAQs we provide for any music service, you'll see where that service will work on Sonos. If you'd like to make the case for a refund, out of the period, I'd recommend calling our phone team and explaining the situation. They may or may not grant an exception. You can find our phone number and hours here.
Jeff S, Firstly, my Amazon account is UK based. Secondly, it is not determined by the country in which I reside. If anything it's determined by the country setting in the Sonos profile. When I moved here I had an Amazon account from the UK and it was working fine (until I made the mistake of changing my country in the profile) in Mexico, with a Mexico IP address. This is the same as it was before, yet now it doesn't work. Nothing has changed my end. The Amazon account is still Amazon UK, the IP Address is still provided by AT&T Mexico, and the Sonos units are the same ones purchased here in Mexico. If anything has changed it has to be at your end.

https://music.amazon.com/EU/help?nodeId=202204440