Marriott Slapped with $600k Penalty by FCC for Jamming Mobile Hotspots

[randomness]

Unsurprising, but noteworthy.

Marriott blocked Wi-Fi signals so that it could sell it own internet services to hotel guests.

As a result of the FCC’s investigation, Marriott has agreed to pay $600,000 to settle the matter.

“It is unacceptable for any hotel to intentionally disable personal hotspots while also charging consumers and small businesses high fees to use the hotel’s own Wi-Fi network,” said FCC Enforcement Bureau Chief Travis LeBlanc. “This practice puts consumers in the untenable position of either paying twice for the same service or forgoing Internet access altogether.”

Although only one of Marriott’s 4,000 managed and franchises properties worldwide was busted by the FCC, as a part of the settlement, the company has to ensure that safeguards are in place at all locations to prevent incidents like this from happening again.

Comments

[nathanjw]

This is a weird statement: “It is unacceptable for any hotel to intentionally disable personal hotspots while also charging consumers and small businesses high fees to use the hotel’s own Wi-Fi network". The "while" clause is unnecessary and giving them way, way too much credit. It is unacceptable, in fact illegal, to deliberately interfere with devices operating in that band, end of story. It doesn't matter if they're doing it to charge for their own services or if they want it to be a no-network-zone or anything else.

[achinhibitor.livejournal.com]

The added clause may mean "We're really pissed about this and we're going to make sure you hurt if you try it." that is, a way to signal that they're going to use their discretionary power in an unpleasant way. (Wasn't there some movie theater that did cell blocking and got told not to? It would be worth checking the comparative fines.)

[achinhibitor.livejournal.com]

And the hotel's WiFi was particularly expensive, something like $250 to $1,000 per day.