FCC's Wi-Fi stop-block order leaves other questions unanswered

While the Federal Communications Commission is cracking down hard on Wi-Fi blocking and blasting Marriott International's request to do just that, the FCC so far hasn't addressed other questions that Marriott and the American Hotel & Lodging Association put forth in their petition in 2014.

Hotels like the Marriott use network management systems made by various vendors, including Aruba Networks, Cisco and Ruckus Wireless, that allow a hotel to manage its Wi-Fi networks. And even though the petition turned into something of a public relations nightmare, the petitioners and some vendors continue to seek clarity on what network management tools and techniques are allowed. Aruba's equipment, for example, allows a Wi-Fi network operator to identify what types of devices are on its network, where the devices are accessing the network, and the bandwidth they consume. Aruba's platform also uses wireless access points to scan the radio frequency environment for unauthorized devices that are interfering or potentially could interfere with the Wi-Fi operator's network. As to why the FCC is acting on this topic now, some believe the question wasn't posed before the commission until now. No one came to the FCC and said: Will you give us permission to interfere with Wi-Fi operations? Once someone asked that question, the FCC gave its answer.