Marriott fined for wifi blocking at Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville, TN
Oct 3, 2014, 6:48 pm
#31
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Last edited by angatol; Mar 1, 2015 at 1:19 am
Oct 3, 2014, 7:24 pm
#32
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 889
Marriott Busted Jamming Customers Wifi
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-1...ers-wi-fi.html
It was just plain stupid to try and pull such a stunt but what is truly beyond comprehension is the Marriott spokesman's response to the company getting caught. Rather than apologize or at least keep his mouth shut he comes up with nonsense about how they were doing this to protect guests. Clearly this guy hasn't got a clue but that doesn't stop him because he continues first asking the FCC to clear up confusion (what confusion?) and then suggesting the FCC is wrong in not permitting Marriott (and therefore presumably anyone) from jamming legitimate, legal radio transmissions.
It was just plain stupid to try and pull such a stunt but what is truly beyond comprehension is the Marriott spokesman's response to the company getting caught. Rather than apologize or at least keep his mouth shut he comes up with nonsense about how they were doing this to protect guests. Clearly this guy hasn't got a clue but that doesn't stop him because he continues first asking the FCC to clear up confusion (what confusion?) and then suggesting the FCC is wrong in not permitting Marriott (and therefore presumably anyone) from jamming legitimate, legal radio transmissions.
Oct 3, 2014, 7:25 pm
#33
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http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-1...ers-wi-fi.html
It was just plain stupid to try and pull such a stunt but what is truly beyond comprehension is the Marriott spokesman's response to the company getting caught. Rather than apologize or at least keep his mouth shut he comes up with nonsense about how they were doing this to protect guests. Clearly this guy hasn't got a clue but that doesn't stop him because he continues first asking the FCC to clear up confusion (what confusion?) and then suggesting the FCC is wrong in not permitting Marriott (and therefore presumably anyone) from jamming legitimate, legal radio transmissions.
It was just plain stupid to try and pull such a stunt but what is truly beyond comprehension is the Marriott spokesman's response to the company getting caught. Rather than apologize or at least keep his mouth shut he comes up with nonsense about how they were doing this to protect guests. Clearly this guy hasn't got a clue but that doesn't stop him because he continues first asking the FCC to clear up confusion (what confusion?) and then suggesting the FCC is wrong in not permitting Marriott (and therefore presumably anyone) from jamming legitimate, legal radio transmissions.
Oct 3, 2014, 7:31 pm
#34
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 889
Yeah, just did. Duh. OPs please delete. I apologize.
But savor the representatives response. The original transgression was hopefully the work of the Marriott location, not headquarters. That corporate would do anything other than apologize for what is clearly illegal behavior is pretty baffling.
Whoever made the decision to try and defend what they did should find himself in Mr. Marriott's office getting a lesson in 1) the law and 2) corporate ethics.
But savor the representatives response. The original transgression was hopefully the work of the Marriott location, not headquarters. That corporate would do anything other than apologize for what is clearly illegal behavior is pretty baffling.
Whoever made the decision to try and defend what they did should find himself in Mr. Marriott's office getting a lesson in 1) the law and 2) corporate ethics.
Last edited by sbedelman; Oct 3, 2014 at 8:41 pm
Oct 3, 2014, 7:35 pm
#35
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 889
CNN has the following on its website. I hope it is from the hotel rather than Marriott because it only makes a bad situation worse...
Marriott issued the following statement Friday afternoon defending its actions:
"Marriott has a strong interest in ensuring that when our guests use our Wi-Fi service, they will be protected from rogue wireless hot spots that can cause degraded service, insidious cyber-attacks and identity theft," the statement said. "Like many other institutions and companies in a wide variety of industries, including hospitals and universities, the Gaylord Opryland protected its Wi-Fi network by using FCC-authorized equipment provided by well-known, reputable manufacturers.
"We believe that the Opryland's actions were lawful. We will continue to encourage the FCC to pursue a rulemaking in order to eliminate the ongoing confusion resulting from today's action and to assess the merits of its underlying policy."
Marriott issued the following statement Friday afternoon defending its actions:
"Marriott has a strong interest in ensuring that when our guests use our Wi-Fi service, they will be protected from rogue wireless hot spots that can cause degraded service, insidious cyber-attacks and identity theft," the statement said. "Like many other institutions and companies in a wide variety of industries, including hospitals and universities, the Gaylord Opryland protected its Wi-Fi network by using FCC-authorized equipment provided by well-known, reputable manufacturers.
"We believe that the Opryland's actions were lawful. We will continue to encourage the FCC to pursue a rulemaking in order to eliminate the ongoing confusion resulting from today's action and to assess the merits of its underlying policy."
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-1...ers-wi-fi.html
Oct 3, 2014, 7:35 pm
#36
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Maybe a lot of Marriott's lawyers are out of the office today and let that official response slip. I bet they walk it back next week.
Oct 3, 2014, 8:34 pm
#37
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Oct 3, 2014, 9:18 pm
#38
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wow! google "Marriott news" and this story is everywhere. Terrible publicity and then on top of this trying to defend the practice? I can't believe management can be so stupid.
Oct 3, 2014, 9:34 pm
#39
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 889
This wouldn't have been a story if Marriott just said it was a dumb thing to do, they regret doing it, they won't do it again and they'll be making refunds to any customers who were affected.
Putting aside the terrible PR of trying to defend what they did given interfering with a radio signal is a criminal act you would think the company would have been extremely careful to made sure this was handled properly.
Putting aside the terrible PR of trying to defend what they did given interfering with a radio signal is a criminal act you would think the company would have been extremely careful to made sure this was handled properly.
Oct 3, 2014, 9:46 pm
#40
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what is truly beyond comprehension is the Marriott spokesman's response to the company getting caught. Rather than apologize or at least keep his mouth shut he comes up with nonsense about how they were doing this to protect guests. Clearly this guy hasn't got a clue but that doesn't stop him because he continues first asking the FCC to clear up confusion (what confusion?) and then suggesting the FCC is wrong in not permitting Marriott (and therefore presumably anyone) from jamming legitimate, legal radio transmissions.
Cheers
Oct 3, 2014, 9:48 pm
#41
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This is where I hope there is a class action lawsuit that makes couple of lawyers few million Marriott $. Plus FCC sits on them beyond 3 years to verify on compliance and hopefully include other Marriott properties who could be doing this. Total boneheaded response on top of it when you have been cited by FCC for violation. I really hope FCC gets annoyed and ask for compliance reports from all Marriott properties.
Kudos to the person who filed the FCC complaint. Hope more people do the right thing.
Kudos to the person who filed the FCC complaint. Hope more people do the right thing.
Oct 3, 2014, 9:51 pm
#42
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First it wasn't speculative but my opinion (which of course is as valid or invalid as anyone else's).
Second, given you don't even know what you'r e speculating about you sound silly.
Cheers
Oct 3, 2014, 10:37 pm
#43
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 889
There are few things in life that are certain but this is one of them.
http://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/jammer-enforcement
http://transition.fcc.gov/eb/jammere...ent/jamfaq.pdf
Also see Section 333 of the Communications Act
Here is the consent order with Marriott.
http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Rele...-14-1444A1.pdf
The Enforcement Bureau (Bureau) of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission), Marriott International, Inc., and Marriott Hotel Services, Inc. (collectively, Marriott) have entered into a Consent Decree for $600,000 to settle the Bureau’s investigation of allegations that Marriott interfered with and disabled Wi-Fi networks established by consumers in the conference facilities at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee (Gaylord Opryland) in violation of Section 333 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended (Act), 47 U.S.C. § 333.
There is a reason the FCC fined them $600,000 and ordered them to submit to ongoing compliance, including submitting Compliance Reports.
I'm sure the individuals responsible didn't have a clue what they were doing but Harvey Kellman knew when he signed on behalf of Marriott and yet the company issued out this idiotic statement.
I guess Marriott still believes they should be able to jam legitimate communications as they see fit from their property and is hoping the FCC will change the rules to allow them to do so. Good luck with that.
In any event its hard to see how their spokesman, or anyone else at Marriott, could still be confused regarding what the Communication Act says given both the clarity of the law and the FCC Order of Oct 3rd.
And yet, apparently they are. Go figure.
http://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/jammer-enforcement
http://transition.fcc.gov/eb/jammere...ent/jamfaq.pdf
Also see Section 333 of the Communications Act
Here is the consent order with Marriott.
http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Rele...-14-1444A1.pdf
The Enforcement Bureau (Bureau) of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission), Marriott International, Inc., and Marriott Hotel Services, Inc. (collectively, Marriott) have entered into a Consent Decree for $600,000 to settle the Bureau’s investigation of allegations that Marriott interfered with and disabled Wi-Fi networks established by consumers in the conference facilities at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee (Gaylord Opryland) in violation of Section 333 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended (Act), 47 U.S.C. § 333.
There is a reason the FCC fined them $600,000 and ordered them to submit to ongoing compliance, including submitting Compliance Reports.
I'm sure the individuals responsible didn't have a clue what they were doing but Harvey Kellman knew when he signed on behalf of Marriott and yet the company issued out this idiotic statement.
I guess Marriott still believes they should be able to jam legitimate communications as they see fit from their property and is hoping the FCC will change the rules to allow them to do so. Good luck with that.
In any event its hard to see how their spokesman, or anyone else at Marriott, could still be confused regarding what the Communication Act says given both the clarity of the law and the FCC Order of Oct 3rd.
And yet, apparently they are. Go figure.
Oct 3, 2014, 10:48 pm
#44
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This wouldn't have been a story if Marriott just said it was a dumb thing to do, they regret doing it, they won't do it again and they'll be making refunds to any customers who were affected.
Putting aside the terrible PR of trying to defend what they did given interfering with a radio signal is a criminal act you would think the company would have been extremely careful to made sure this was handled properly.
Putting aside the terrible PR of trying to defend what they did given interfering with a radio signal is a criminal act you would think the company would have been extremely careful to made sure this was handled properly.
Cheers
Oct 4, 2014, 1:11 am
#45
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 889
They can easily turn this around.
All Bill Marriott Jr. has to do is issue a statement that this Jeff guy doesn't know what he is talking about and the company apologies, will issue refunds, won't let it happen again and he's personally going to make darn sure that everyone in the company who was involved with both the original problem and the ridiculous public statement gets a lesson in Marriott corporate ethics and anyone failing to comprehend the way Marriott is committed to doing business will be summarily shown the door.
That's it and it's over assuming kicks a few butts.
It's such a trivial, stupid thing to lose one's reputation over. I can understand a few idiots at a hotel trying to be cute, but that corporate doesn't get that Marriott of all companies has so much to lose if they are thought to believe this kind of thing is acceptable.
They not just broke the law, they did so specifically to cheat their customers. And for what, a few extra bucks? Pretty stupid.
Maybe Bill should just fire the executives who had a part in this. You pay those people big money to make good decisions and they weren't doing the company any favors when they decided to try and justify what had happened. Let them find a job elsewhere so they can damage somebody else's brand.
All Bill Marriott Jr. has to do is issue a statement that this Jeff guy doesn't know what he is talking about and the company apologies, will issue refunds, won't let it happen again and he's personally going to make darn sure that everyone in the company who was involved with both the original problem and the ridiculous public statement gets a lesson in Marriott corporate ethics and anyone failing to comprehend the way Marriott is committed to doing business will be summarily shown the door.
That's it and it's over assuming kicks a few butts.
It's such a trivial, stupid thing to lose one's reputation over. I can understand a few idiots at a hotel trying to be cute, but that corporate doesn't get that Marriott of all companies has so much to lose if they are thought to believe this kind of thing is acceptable.
They not just broke the law, they did so specifically to cheat their customers. And for what, a few extra bucks? Pretty stupid.
Maybe Bill should just fire the executives who had a part in this. You pay those people big money to make good decisions and they weren't doing the company any favors when they decided to try and justify what had happened. Let them find a job elsewhere so they can damage somebody else's brand.