Marriott hotels lobby FCC for right to block outside Wi-Fi

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Happy New Year. The date on the calendar has changed, but it's still the same-old, same-old. By which I mean this:

Marriott Pays $600,000 for Blocking WiFi at Nashville’s Opryland Hotel

Anyway, I took the sensational headline from redOrbit and linked to The Wall Street Journal. for the authority.

A Wi-Fi Problem for Hotels?

Law Journal
Industry Group Seeks Guidance From FCC on Blocking Other Wireless Networks Set Up on Hotel Properties

By Shira Ovide
December 29, 2014
[e-mail]

Modern technology has made it possible for people to set up their own personal Wi-Fi networks anywhere they want. Except in the occasional Marriott.

An industry group that includes Marriott International Inc. has petitioned the Federal Communications Commission for guidance on whether hotels are acting within the law when they disable unauthorized Wi-Fi access points set up on their properties. ... The hotels say they are trying to make sure their own wireless networks don’t get bogged down and to prevent criminals from tricking people into logging onto fake Wi-Fi networks.

The issue is a flash point for some consumers who believe hotels are trying to force people to use hotel Internet Wi-Fi service—often for a price. And it has broader implications for how convention halls, companies and hospitals manage what has become a must-have communications service.

The airwaves that have been set aside for Wi-Fi aren’t like those used for television broadcasts or cellphone service, which require often expensive licenses to use. Like baby monitors, garage-door openers and cordless phones, Wi-Fi uses unlicensed frequencies that are open to anyone.

Let's link to the redOrbit article anyway:

Marriott hotels lobby FCC for right to block outside Wi-Fi

December 29, 2014
Wade Sims

....
In a petition to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission made public last week, the American Hospitality & Lodging Association and Marriott International asked the FCC to declare that a hotel operate can deploy equipment that “may result in ‘interference with or cause interference’ to a Part 15 [Wi-Fi] device being used by a guest on the operator’s property.”
....

The petition was filed just before Marriott was fined $600,000 in October by the FCC for blocking consumer Wi-Fi networks at the Marriott-owned Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee. Hotel staff used a Wi-Fi monitoring system that would target and de-authenticate guests’ personal Wi-Fi hotspots but leave the hotel’s network unaffected.

Marriott also charged guests between $250 and $1,000 for hotel-provided Wi-Fi access.

In its petition and in comments following the FCC investigation, Marriott claims that blocking consumer hotspots is necessary to ensure a stable and secure hotel Wi-Fi experience that is free from rogue networks and hackers. ... Hilton Worldwide filed a brief in support of hotel blocking, claiming, “Hilton could not meet its guests’ expectations were it unable to manage its Wi-Fi networks, including taking steps to protect against unauthorized access point that pose a threat to the reliability and security of that network.”

[marym625]

1. interesting

Very interesting. Thanks for the post.

[Ilsa]

2. If they want to provide FREE access while disabling

Other networks to protect their network, fine. Bug don't block guests' access because they don't want to pay a ridiculous fee.

[edhopper]

8. exactly

Last time I was at one it was $12 a day!

[Historic NY]

3. Then again there are places that make you pay...

and block your access to other free sources.

[Demeter]

4. Marriott is making an interesting argument

That they own the spectrum within their walls.

Did they pay for it?

Spectrum is a commons item. If Marriott bought those rights from the People, then perhaps they could rent it back to the People who patronize their hotels as a private service and bar other private services. but that's not a good argument, IMO.

Next thing you know, you will not be able to open a window, because you have to pay for and use only Marriott air.

Or bring in your own food, drink, bottled water...

[pscot]

5. Is there a 1st Amendment question here?

One could argue that what Marriott wants to do is make its guests pay for the right to speak. The seems like a big deal.

[burfman]

6. lot's of pressure on the FCC to ruin the internet for us.....

Just another attempt to 'balkinize' the internet in order to allow 'the man' to rip us off and destroy it.

Same type of crap that Comcast, ATT and others would like to do.

Chop it all up & rip us off.....

Who will stand up for the average guy......

Burfman

[OrwellwasRight]

7. I will say that one time I joined a "fake network"

paid 10 or 15 bucks for access, which didn't work well, and when I called the front desk to seek help, they said the hotel had no network and they weren't sure what I had joined. So there is a problem of scammers. That's not fake.

Ah well, at least my identity wasn't stolen, so I've got that going for me.

However, would Marriott then disable free municipal access that is available in a very few places in the country? Not cool, Marriott. We can only hope the FCC stands up for the commons. 50-50 chance at best.