Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

FCC to Fine MC Dean $78K for Wi-Fi Blocking at Baltimore Conventions

02/11/2015

Media Contact:

Will Wiquist, 202-418-0509

will.wiquist@fcc.gov

For Immediate Release

FCC PLANS $718,000 FINE AGAINST M.C. DEAN FOR BLOCKING WI-FI AT

BALTIMORE CONVENTION CENTER

WASHINGTON, November 2, 2015 - The Federal Communications Commission plans a $718,000

fine against M.C. Dean for blocking consumers' Wi-Fi connections at the Baltimore Convention

Center. The FCC's Enforcement Bureau investigation found that M.C. Dean, Inc., one of the nation's

largest electrical contracting companies, blocked personal mobile hotspots of convention visitors

and exhibitors who tried to use their own data plans to connect to the Internet rather than paying M.C.

Dean substantial fees to use the company's Wi-Fi service.

Consumers are tired of being taken advantage of by hotels and convention centers that block their

personal Wi-Fi connections, said Travis LeBlanc, Chief of the FCC's Enforcement Bureau. This

disturbing practice must come to an end. It is patently unlawful for any company to maliciously block

FCC-approved Wi-Fi connections.

As the exclusive provider of Wi-Fi access at the Baltimore Convention Center, M.C. Dean charges

exhibitors and visitors as much as $1,095 per event for Wi-Fi access. Last year, the Commission

received a complaint from a company that provides equipment that enables users to establish hotspots

at conventions and trade shows. The complainant alleged that M.C. Dean blocked hotspots its

customers had tried to establish at the Baltimore Convention Center. After receiving the complaint,

Enforcement Bureau field agents visited the venue on multiple occasions and confirmed that Wi-Fi

blocking activity was taking place.

The Enforcement Bureau's investigation found that M.C. Dean engaged in Wi-Fi blocking at the

Baltimore Convention Center on dozens of occasions in the last year. During the investigation, M.C.

Dean revealed that it used the Auto Block Mode on its Wi-Fi system to block consumer-created

Wi-Fi hotspots at the venue. The Wi-Fi system's manual describes this mode as shoot first, and ask

questions later. M.C. Dean's Wi-Fi blocking activity also appears to have blocked Wi-Fi hotspots

located outside of the venue, including passing vehicles. The Commission today charges M.C. Dean

with violating Section 333 of the Communications Act by maliciously interfering with or causing

interference to lawful Wi-Fi hotspots.

This is the FCC's third major enforcement action regarding 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, Tennessee. In

August 2015, the FCC fined Smart City Holdings, LLC $750,000 for similar Wi-Fi blocking at

multiple convention centers across the country.

The M.C. Dean Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture is available at:

https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-15-146A1.pdf

A 2015 Enforcement Advisory on Wi-Fi blocking is available at:

https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-15-113A1.pdf

Action by the Commission October 28, 2015 by Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture (FCC 15-

146). Chairman Wheeler, Commissioners Clyburn and Rosenworcel approving with Commissioners

Pai and O'Rielly dissenting. Commissioners Pai and O'Rielly issuing statements.

###

Office of Media Relations: (202) 418-0500

TTY: (888) 835-5322

Twitter: @FCC

www.fcc.gov/office-media-relations

This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action. Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes

official action. See MCI v. FCC, 515 F 2d 385 (D.C. Cir. 1974).
LINK: http://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-fine-mc-dean-718k-wi-fi-blocking-balti...
See more stories from fcc

Most recent headlines

19/11/2025

PlayBox Neo Wraps NAB Show New York 2025 with Big Energy...

PlayBox Neo departed the NAB Show New York 2025 on a high note. The company's all-new PlayBox Neo Suite made a splash on the show floor, drawing strong inte...

19/11/2025

AAVBR Boosts Event Production Efficiency With Pliant Tech...

AAVBR (American Audio Visual Baton Rouge), a leading full-service event production company serving Louisiana and the Gulf Coast region, has enhanced its product...

19/11/2025

Calrec gives Phoenix Broadcast Solutions its full support...

In its mission to deliver live event services combining advanced engineering with a creative approach to captivating live sports and entertainment experiences, ...

19/11/2025

Popularity of Online Short-Form Content Moving Beyond Social Media

NEW YORK Short-form vertical video has exploded across platforms like TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, but a new survey commissioned by Media.net, a provider of c...

19/11/2025

YES Network, CAMB.AI Strike AI Translation Partnership

NEW YORK YES Network, the regional sports network home of the New York Yankees and Brooklyn Nets, and CAMB.AI have struck a partnership they said will leverage ...

19/11/2025

FCC Releases New Filing Deadlines

WASHINGTON The Federal Communications Commission has issued detailed guidance on filings that were disrupted by the government shutdown. While many of those fil...

19/11/2025

NFL's Popularity Advances TV Seasonal Viewership Growth

NEW YORK The popularity of NFL games is largely responsible for continued seasonal momentum in TV viewership into October (measured Sept. 29-Oct. 26), according...

19/11/2025

MyFree DirecTV Adds Seven New Channels

DirecTV has announced that its MyFree DirecTV streaming service has added seven new channels. Those include four sports services, NBA FAST, Red Bull TV, DAZN Ri...

19/11/2025

MRMC's Flair Bridge Simplifies Robot Control Across Any Platform

SURREY, U.K. Mark Roberts Motion Control (MRMC) has launched Flair Bridge, a compact device that transforms how operators control the company's motion-contr...

19/11/2025

FCC Sets Deadlines for 2022 Quadrennial Review

WASHINGTON The Federal Communications Commission, which is continuing to rapidly ramp up its operations after the end of the federal government shutdown, has se...

19/11/2025

Nexstar Urges FCC to Waive Ownership Rules, Quickly Approve of Tegna Acquisition

IRVING, Texas Nexstar Media Group and Tegna filed applications on Nov. 18 with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) seeking its consent to transfer broad...

19/11/2025

New RT documentary on the life of former President Michael D. Higgins

Michael D. Higgins: Ireland's Ninth President features RT Archives footage and interviews across seven decades Watch Wednesday 19 November at 9:35pm on RT...

19/11/2025

November 18, 2025

Scripps Research scientists receive $1.1 million to advance AI modeling for HIV vaccine development New AI system helps scientists rapidly pinpoint the most pro...

18/11/2025

AGILE: Securing the Future of Independent Journalism

Independent media across Central America are operating under intensifying financial pressure, yet there is a clear appetite for models that can sustain both ind...

18/11/2025

NBA Debuts New Comms Infrastructure and Systems for Referees

NBA Debuts New Comms Infrastructure and Systems for RefereesTwo-phase rollout is intended to improve game flow, enhance officiating accuracyBy Dan Daley, Audio ...

18/11/2025

Platinum White Paper: How Aggreko Delivers Certainty for Broadcasters on the World Stage

Platinum White Paper: How Aggreko Delivers Certainty For Broadcasters On The Wor...

18/11/2025

Kiswe Extends DTC Products With Kiswe Core Cloud-Based Tool for Distributing Content to Any Platform

Kiswe Extends DTC Products With Kiswe Core Cloud-Based Tool for Distributing Con...

18/11/2025

Spanish Basketball Federation Partners with ScorePlay to Power Digital Transformation

Spanish Basketball Federation partners with ScorePlay to power digital transform...

18/11/2025

HBS Selects BBright Encoders and Decoders to Connect ST 2110 Live Production Workflows to the Cloud via SRT

HBS selects BBright encoders and decoders to connect ST 2110 live production wor...

18/11/2025

Ashes to Ashes: Inside TNT Sports' Hybrid and Maverick' Production Plan for Coverage of Cricket's Oldest Rivalry

Ashes to Ashes: Inside TNT Sports' hybrid and maverick' production plan...

18/11/2025

SVG All-Stars: Mimi Fotopoulos, Director, Talent and Production Operations, Tennis Channel

SVG All-Stars: Mimi Fotopoulos, Director, Talent and Production Operations, Tenn...

18/11/2025

Sports and Entertainment Convergence: Productions Share Tech, Infrastructure

SVG LIVE! Conference Explores the Tech Side of Sports and Entertainment ConvergenceLive sports and music productions increasingly share gear and infrastructureB...

18/11/2025

LPGA Ups Its Production Game in 2026 With 50% More Cameras, SSMO's & Drones, and Additional Mics

LPGA Ups Its Production Game in 2026 With 50% More Cameras, SSMO's & Drones,...

18/11/2025

ESPN's Dunk the Halls Real-Time Animated NBA Game Set to Return for Christmas Day

ESPN's Dunk the Halls Real-Time Animated NBA Game Set to Return for Christma...

18/11/2025

Get a Sneak Peek at the BAPE x SPOTIFY x SYNA by Central Cee Capsule Collection

Earlier this year, we announced the BAPE x SPOTIFY x SYNA by Central Cee (aka Cench) capsule collection, a collaboration that blends sound, style, and street c...

18/11/2025

Spotify Expands Audiobook Access for Premium Subscribers in Five More European Countries

Our mission to make Spotify the ultimate home for all things audio continues. St...

18/11/2025

SGL Carbon and Linkping University inaugurate advanced laboratory for next-generation graphite coatings

SGL Carbon and the renowned Link ping University inaugurated an advanced coating...

18/11/2025

L3Harris Unveils Sovereign Software Router for Australia

CANBERRA, Australia, Nov. 18, 2025 - L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX) has launched a new, next-generation software device called NETCASTER - the NETwork Contr...

18/11/2025

L3Harris and EDGE Group to Collaborate on Defense Technology Programs in UAE

Pictured are L3Harris ISR President Jason Lambert and Waleid Al Mesmari, EDGE President-Space & Cyber Technologies, signing with Carlo Igniades, L3Harris Region...

18/11/2025

The Gauge: Mexico October 2025

During October, streaming's share of TV viewing in Mexico settled at 23.7%, a marginal shift of -0.8 share points from the previous month. Disclaimer: YUMI...

18/11/2025

Nielsen's The Gauge: NFL Viewership Underscores How Sports Are Redefining Audience Behavior

Broadcast Builds On Lead Over Cable, Driven by Football and Drama Programming Ga...

18/11/2025

Scripps Sends Mixed Messages in Response to Possible Sinclair Deal

CINCINNATI E.W. Scripps has issued a statement responding to news that Sinclair has acquired about 8.2% of the outstanding class A (nonvoting) shares in the com...

18/11/2025

Tegna Shareholders Approve Nexstar Merger

TYSONS, Va. Tegna has announced that its shareholders have voted overwhelmingly to approve the proposed $6.2 billion merger with Nexstar Media Group....

18/11/2025

Popularity of Online Short Form Content Moving Beyond Social Media

NEW YORK Short-form vertical video has exploded across platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, but a new survey commissioned by Media.net, a provider of ...

18/11/2025

DJI Introduces Osmo Action 6 Camera With Variable Aperture

SHENZHEN, China DJI today unveiled the Osmo Action 6, an all-in-one action camera featuring a variable aperture with a range from f/2.0 to f/4.0, the company...

18/11/2025

Veteran Production Sound Mixer Tony Johnson Captures the...

In the high-stakes world of film sound, there's no room for second chances. When an actor whispers a line with the weight of an entire scene, or lets loose ...

18/11/2025

Sonnet Announces Black Friday Sale on Select Products

Sonnet Technologies is having a sale on a selection of popular products, including a Thunderbolt 4 dock, an eGPU chassis, SATA and M.2 SSD PCIe cards, and mor...

18/11/2025

4Fangs Launches Horror and Suspense FAST Channel on Amagi...

Amagi, a cloud-based SaaS technology solutions provider for broadcast and streaming TV, today announced the launch of 4Fangs, a new Free Ad-Supported Streaming ...

18/11/2025

WIM 8th Annual Holiday Toast to Honor Mandy Walker ASC AM...

Women In Media (WiM) announces its honorees for the 2025 Holiday Toast. The annual celebration recognizes legendary creatives whose work uplifts and inspires th...

18/11/2025

Unforgettable Cinematography of Adam Newport-Berra with Z...

Cinematographer Adam Newport-Berra ( Good Fortune , The Bear , Euphoria ) emerged from the 2025 Emmy season with a statuette celebrating his Outstanding Cinem...

18/11/2025

Thomas Secures - Friends and Lovers - Moving Lights Usin...

Atlanta-based gaffer and lighting programmer Quinton Thomas brings the same practical, problem-solving instinct of a board op to every set he walks onto. With a...

18/11/2025

Suitelife Systems Appoints Veterans Charles Sotto and Reb...

Suitelife Systems, a division of NFB Consulting Group, headquartered in California, has announced the appointments of Charles Sotto as Director of Media Technol...

18/11/2025

Scott Kramer Turns to NUGEN Audio to Bridge Creativity an...

Sound Director and Audio Product Manager Scott Kramer has built a career around shaping stories through audio, guiding projects across film, television and stre...

18/11/2025

iWedia Strengthens Long-Term Operator Partnerships and Cu...

iWedia, a global leader in software solutions for connected TV devices, announces its participation at the APAC TV Summit 2025, taking place November 18 20 in B...

18/11/2025

MRMC Introduces Flair Bridge - Simplifying Robot Control...

Mark Roberts Motion Control (MRMC) is proud to announce the launch of Flair Bridge, a groundbreaking solution that redefines how operators control MRMC's in...

18/11/2025

LiveU Delivers a Solid Connection to Groovy Gecko for Dra...

Over the summer, world famous musician and rapper Drake continued the rollout of his new album Iceman, by live streaming the second and third episodes of a seri...

18/11/2025

Oregon Municipal Channel Upgrades Visuals With Telycam PTZs

KEIZER, Ore. Municipal broadcaster Keizer City Television, K23 TV, has deployed four Telycam PTZ cameras to upgrade the visual quality of its live meeting cover...

18/11/2025

Peacock to Stream EA Sports Madden NFL Cast on Thanksgiving

STAMFORD, Conn. NBC Sports and Peacock have announced that they are working for the second consecutive year with the National Football League, EA Sports and Gen...