Marriott back tracks on Wi-FI

BANGKOK  Marriott International went into reverse gear, fast, over its ill-advised decision to block personal Wi-Fi devices in its hotels’ meeting and event spaces.
US-based, Travel Pulse, broke the news on Marriott’s initial decision to block guests from using personal Wi-Fi a report that was picked up worldwide by the trade media.
Travel Pulse’s Thursday edition quotes a Marriott statement released Wednesday: “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.”
Inside no.5Last August, according to the Travel Pulse report, the global hospitality company requested permission from Washington’s Federal Communications Commission to block personal Wi-Fi devices in its hotels, claiming security reasons.
Critics of the initial decision argued that it was only a matter of time before the company would have to reverse its stance.
Free Wi-Fi has been identified as the number one amenity travellers expect to receive free while staying at hotels.
In Marriott’s case it was blocking the use of personal Wi-Fi in its meeting spaces—thus, forcing business travellers to pay for its Wi-Fi service.
Many business travellers claim their own Wi-FI was faster than what hotels offer.
Marriott’s Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Convention Centre allegedly used technology to block attendees’ personal Wi-Fi in its convention space without them knowing in 2013 and it understood it agreed to settle by paying a USD600,000 fine.
Marriott’s latest PR dustup comes after the company took heat from travel professionals in 2014 for offering free Wi-Fi to guests only if they booked directly through its channels, practically pushing travellers away from travel agents.

sourced:traveldailynews.asia