Jammin', we know you hate jammin' too: Marriott U-turns on guest Wi-Fi ban

Marriott has lifted a ban on personal Wi-Fi hotspots in its hotels.

Citing concerns about rogue wireless hotspots, Marriott disrupted guests' Wi-Fi networks by flooding the aether with disassociation packets.

The move – which meant that guests and conference delegates were obliged to use the (expensive) Marriott-supplied Wi-Fi services – earned the hotel chain a $600,000 fine from the FCC back in October. Marriott swallowed the fine without admitting that its underlying policy was wrong.

Fast forward three months and the hotel chain has had a change of heart, deciding to lift the ban in response to customer feedback, as a statement by the hotel explains.

Marriott International listens to its customers, and we will not block guests from using their personal Wi-Fi devices at any of our managed hotels. Marriott remains committed to protecting the security of Wi-Fi access in meeting and conference areas at our hotels. We will continue to look to the FCC to clarify appropriate security measures network operators can take to protect customer data, and will continue to work with the industry and others to find appropriate market solutions that do not involve the blocking of Wi-Fi devices.

The change in policy comes days after Marriott unsuccessfully attempted to justify its personal Wi-Fi prohibition. Marriott, Hilton, and the American Hotel & Lodging Association, petitioned communications watchdog the FCC for clarification on whether it was permissible to limit either standalone Wi-Fi hotspots or wireless-tethered smartphones on the grounds they might hamper the hotel's own network.

The trio conceded that usage of personal hotspots is fine in guests' rooms, focusing their concern on other areas of the hotel such as the lobby and conference areas. ®