Marriott Fined $600K for Blocking Wi

Marriott Hotel Services will shell out $600,000 to resolve an investigation into whether it intentionally interfered with its own Wi-Fi networks.

According to the Federal Communications Commission, hotel employees disabled the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Convention Center's service, leaving guests unable to log onto the Web via a personal Wi-Fi connection.

Instead, visitors to the Nashville resort were forced to pay up to $1,000 per device to access the Marriott's Internet.

'Consumers who purchase cellular data plans should be able to use them without fear that their personal Internet connection will be blocked by their hotel or conference center,' FCC Enforcement Bureau Chief Travis LeBlanc said in a statement.

The incident was reported in March 2013, when the commission received an anonymous complaint that the Gaylord Opryland was 'jamming mobile hotspots so that you can't use them in the convention space.'

An investigation confirmed the charge—which defies Section 333 of the Communications Act of 1934 —revealing that employees sent de-authentication packets to the targeted access points, knocking out Internet access.

Their only option: conference exhibitors and other attendees had to pay between $250 and $1,000 per device to use the Gaylord Wi-Fi service.

'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,' LeBlanc said. 'This practice puts consumers in the untenable position of either paying twice for the same service or forgoing Internet access altogether.'

Based on the FCC's agreement, Marriott—which has managed the day-to-day operations of the Gaylord Opryland since 2012—must cease the unlawful practice of blocking Wi-Fi networks, and take 'significant steps' toward improvement.

Specifically, the hotel must institute a compliance plan and file compliance and usage reports with the Bureau every three months for three years, in addition to paying that $600,000 civil penalty.