Company fined $750k for blocking Wi-Fi at convention centers
Cincinnati among cities where actions took place
Federal regulators have reached a $750,000 settlement with a company for blocking consumers' Wi-Fi signals at convention centers around the country, including in Cincinnati.
The Federal Communications Commission said Smart City Holdings had been blocking personal mobile hotspots used by convention visitors who used their own data plans instead of paying Smart City's substantial fees for Wi-Fi signals.
“It is unacceptable for any company to charge consumers exorbitant fees to access the Internet while at the same time blocking them from using their own personal Wi-Fi hotspots to access the Internet,” said Travis LeBlanc, Chief of the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau, in a news release. “All companies who seek to use technologies that block FCC-approved Wi-Fi connections are on notice that such practices are patently unlawful.”
The FCC said Smart City charged exhibitors and visitors $80 to access the company's wireless internet services for a day.
If they didn't, the company would automatically block users from accessing the Internet from their hotspots.
The investigation began after a 2014 complaint from a company that provides equipment enabling users to establish hotspots. The complaint charged that its customers could not connect to the Internet using the complainant’s equipment at several venues where Smart City operated or managed the Wi-Fi access.
Specifically, the company alleged that Smart City transmitted deauthentication frames to prevent the company’s customers’ use of their Wi-Fi equipment.
Investigators say Smart City blocked signals at convention centers in Columbus, Florida, Indianapolis and Arizona as well. The news release did not mention which convention centers were involved, but Smart City's website lists the Duke Energy Convention Center as a partner.
The enforcement decision is the FCC's second on Wi-Fi blocking. In October 2014, the FCC fined Marriott International, Inc. and Marriott Hotel Services, Inc. $600,000 for similar Wi-Fi blocking activities at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Convention Center in Nashville.
The FCC said Wi-Fi blocking violates amended Section 333 of the Communications Act.
If you have reason to believe your personal Wi-Fi hot spot has been blocked, you can file a complaint with the FCC. To do so, you can visit www.fcc.gov/complaints or call 1-888-CALL-FCC.