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 $750,000 for similar Wi-Fi blocking at
multiple convention centers across the country.
The M.C. Dean Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture is available at:
https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-15-146A1.pdf
A 2015 Enforcement Advisory on Wi-Fi blocking is available at:
https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-15-113A1.pdf
Action by the Commission October 28, 2015 by Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture (FCC 15-
146). Chairman Wheeler, Commissioners Clyburn and Rosenworcel approving with Commissioners
Pai and O'Rielly dissenting. Commissioners Pai and O'Rielly issuing statements.
###
Office of Media Relations: (202) 418-0500
TTY: (888) 835-5322
Twitter: @FCC
www.fcc.gov/office-media-relations
This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action. Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes
official action. See MCI v. FCC, 515 F 2d 385 (D.C. Cir. 1974).
Most recent headlines
17/12/2025
Investigative journalists across the Western Balkans and T rkiye continue to con...
17/12/2025
Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame Inducts 10 Industry Icons During Unforgettable ...
17/12/2025
ESPN to Debut MNF Playbook with Next Gen Stats, a New AI-Driven NFL Data-AltCastThe series, powered by Adrenaline TruPlay AI, launches Dec. 22 and runs through ...
17/12/2025
Inaugural Optum Golf Channel Games Debut Under the Lights' in Primetime on ...
17/12/2025
The right playlist is essential on New Year's Eve, building the energy as you get ready and keeping it high as you count down to midnight. This year, Spotif...
17/12/2025
eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({...
17/12/2025
Audiences Watched Over 103 Billion Minutes of TV on Thanksgiving Day
NFL Games ...
17/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
17/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
17/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
17/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
17/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
17/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
17/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
17/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
17/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
17/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
17/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
17/12/2025
KPop Demon Hunters Stars Visit Berklee for Weeklong Celebration Andrew Choi and EJAE, who voiced the film's main characters and contributed to its soundtr...
17/12/2025
Wednesday 17 December 2025
Heated Rivalry will be coming to Sky and streaming service NOW on 10 JanuaryTurn on cookies to view this content. Go to Privacy opti...
17/12/2025
Back to All News
Inside The Unseen World Of Indian Customs: Netflix Reveals The...
17/12/2025
Back to All News
Netflix announces PAPARAZZI KING: the docu series coming to Ne...
17/12/2025
Back to All News
Netflix Unveils First Look at Jo Nesbo's Detective Hole Pr...
17/12/2025
Back to All News
Netflix Welcomes Warner Bros. Discovery Board Recommendation
Business
17 December 2025
Global
Link copied to clipboard
After Careful Revi...
17/12/2025
RT has announced that Kathy Fox has been appointed Commissioning Editor with re...
17/12/2025
The Hao AI Lab research team at the University of California San Diego - at the forefront of pioneering AI model innovation - recently received an NVIDIA DGX B...
17/12/2025
Editor's note: This post is part of Into the Omniverse, a series focused on ...
17/12/2025
With the new season of Dancing with the Stars shimmering in the not-too-distant future this New Year, the celebrity and dancer pairings of the twelve couples ha...
16/12/2025
Hawkins has landed on Spotify, just in time for Stranger Things Season 5, Volume...
16/12/2025
Wherever you are, your favorite music and audio content should go seamlessly with you. That's why Spotify has partnered with NAVER Corp, Korea's leading...
16/12/2025
2025 Wrapped arrived bigger and bolder than ever. This year's experience is designed to be ultra personal and shareable, with new features like Wrapped Part...
16/12/2025
Three 12-kilowatt Advanced Electric Propulsion System thrusters, supplied by L3Harris Technologies, form the core of Gateway's propulsion system. Pictured i...
16/12/2025
The challenge facing America's defense industrial base is not just about speed - its about rebuilding the foundation that makes speed possible. Our nations ...
16/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
16/12/2025
SEVILLE, Spain Canal Sur, the public broadcasting service for Andalusia, Spain, has completed a total technology refresh based on Pebble's resilient, softwa...
16/12/2025
NEW YORK Teleprompting hardware provider Telescript International has acquired all software code and intellectual property previously owned by Telescript West. ...
16/12/2025
As cable operators face increased competition from 5G fixed wireless access providers, a new report from Ookla Research finds that T-Mobile is the FWA speed lea...
16/12/2025
Apple has announced a major upgrade to the Apple TV app for device owners outside the Apple ecosystem with news that the Apple TV app for Android now supports G...
16/12/2025
Space42 grows Direct-to-Device partner ecosystem through a Memorandum of Underst...
16/12/2025
16 Dec 2025
VEON Announces Release Date for Full Year and Fourth Quarter 2025 R...
16/12/2025
16 Dec 2025
VEON's Kyivstar Invests in Renewable Energy in Ukraine with Acq...
16/12/2025
Back to All News
Emma Appleton, Fares Fares, Frida Gustavsson and Jakob Oftebro...
16/12/2025
Back to All News
Docu-reality My Korean Boyfriend Gets a Trailer and Premiere D...
16/12/2025
Harmonic's XOS Advanced Media Processor Improves Streaming Video Quality and Boosts Viewer Engagement SAN JOSE, Calif. - Dec. 16, 2025 - Harmonic (NASDAQ: ...
16/12/2025
RT Sport Awards 2025 live on RT One and RT Player at 8:05pm on Saturday 20 December.
On Saturday 20 December live on RT One and RT Player at the earlier t...
16/12/2025
Singer -songwriter Brian Kennedy has been announced as the final celebrity dance...
15/12/2025
Harlem Globetrotters Celebrate 100th Anniversary With New Brand Campaign From Th...
15/12/2025
Top L-R: La Tierra Del Valor (The Home of the Brave), Mangittatuarjuk (The Gnawe...
15/12/2025
L3Harris will leverage 15 years of experience supporting the E-4B Nightwatch and...
Media Contact: 
