The FCC Wants To Know Why Journalists Had To Pay $200 For WiFi At Presidential Debate
from the patriotic-price-gouging dept
Journalists and citizens attending this week's Presidential debate at Hofstra Univserity found themselves facing an unexpected surprise when they were informed that WiFi at the event would cost them $200. Worse, perhaps, was that attendees said that the college was going around using this $2,000 WiFi signal detector to identify those using their smartphone as a mobile hotspot, and encouraging them to instead shell out the big bucks for a few hours of Hofstra WiFi:Technicians patrolling #debatenight press file using this device to detect & shut down hotspots, so they can sell $200 wifi accounts instead pic.twitter.com/JzbkzlZR1g
— Kenneth P. Vogel (@kenvogel) September 26, 2016
Something not right with the #WiFi situation at @HofstraU last night. Here's what #FCC precedent says: https://t.co/r9fWFnfJLm
— Jessica Rosenworcel (@JRosenworcel) September 27, 2016
The difference in this instance is that Hofstra wasn't actively jamming personal hotspots in the same way conference centers have. And when pressed for comment, Hofstra representatives laid the blame for the $200 price tag at the feet of the Commission on Presidential Debates. They also claim they worked to shoot down people's personal hotspots out of fear that they might cause interference with the existing network:
"The Commission on Presidential Debates sets the criteria for services and requires that a completely separate network from the University’s network be built to support the media and journalists. This is necessary due to the volume of Wi-Fi activity and the need to avoid interference. The Rate Card fee of $200 for Wi-Fi access is to help defray the costs and the charge for the service does not cover the cost of the buildout.While interference is certainly real, it's not particularly likely that a user's personal tethered hotspot would grind the Hofstra network to a halt if properly designed. Regardless, Rosenworcel says she has urged the FCC Enforcement Bureau to take a closer look at whether debate staffers went too far. Regardless of the outcome, Rosenworcel is probably happy to have her name in print for something other than her failure to support the FCC's quest for cable box competition, a position fueled largely by inaccurate claims by the US Copyright Office.
For Wi-Fi to perform optimally the system must be tuned with each access point and antenna. When other Wi-Fi access points are placed within the environment the result is poorer service for all. To avoid unauthorized access points that could interfere, anyone who has a device that emits RF frequency must register the device. Whenever a RF-emitting device was located, the technician notified the individual to visit the RF desk located in the Hall. The CPD RF engineer would determine if the device could broadcast without interference."
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Filed Under: fcc, jessica rosenworcel, journalists, presidential debate, wifi
Companies: hofstra university
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Welcome to unlicensed spectrum!
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Re: Welcome to unlicensed spectrum!
A check of the Washington DC area last year found signs of at least 18 of them in use in two days.
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Re: Re: Welcome to unlicensed spectrum!
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Re: Welcome to unlicensed spectrum!
But it's a real prick move.
The university no doubt gets a genuine benefit for hosting the presidential debates. The dignity of the debates -- especially when Trump is one of the master debaters. :-)
But I can also imagine the university no longer being invited to host the debates. :-O How would they react to that?
And I'll give the same advice as I said to the Marriott hotel when they did their jamming. If you really want to make a better WiFi network, for legit reasons, then make it FREE TO USE for all. That will ENCOURAGE people to use it rather than interfere with it by using their own equipment.
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Re: Re: Welcome to unlicensed spectrum!
"It's technically impossible without charging $$$$!"
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Properly designed?
Given that reports are their network ended up crashing even without the help of other people's personal tethered hotspots, I have little doubt that the network was not in fact properly designed.
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Completely Fitting
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Re: Completely Fitting
If people don't like the available choices, let them do without. /sarc
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Wambulance?
Put your big boy pants on Karl, the world doesn't center around your every whim.
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Re: Wambulance?
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And yet it apparently wasn't 'super easy' for you to just ignore the article...
I also like to save time by combining one complaint with another, entertaining myself by complaining when other people point out absurd, unjust, greedy or flat out stupid things, because my time is worth more than that dammit and it's the fault of everyone else for highlighting things that I don't care about.
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They wanted to do a MITM attack *and* charge $200
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Well, duh!
Obviously they didn't Nerd Harder.
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Re: Well, duh!
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Just Plain Illegal
Hofstra might want to actually read up on this, that without FCC authorization (such as the military has), it is AGAINST THE LAW to jam any public telecommunications. I know this as a direct experience when my wife's company's IT department thought it 'cool' to install a cell phone jammer to stop the use of personal cell phones in the building. I called the FCC and reported them. With threats of fines up to $20,000 a day, and a pending search warrant for the facility, magically, the jammers disappeared.
Seems the CEO decided that his IT department got a little 'over zealous' at something he said about 'curtailing personal communications' (when in reality, he directed them to 'block it' if at all possible).
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Re: Just Plain Illegal
They, physically, walked up to the operator of a hotspot and asked (demanded?) them to turn it off.
Communications Act of 1934 states in part that you may not intentionally interfere with the wireless communication of any user on unlicensed frequencies.
Now whether physical interference -- destroying a transmitter/receiver or demanding it be turned off -- is considered "intentional interference", or whether only electronic interference (would an EMP be regarded as physical or electronic? ;) ) is a breach I do not know.
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Was that Hoffa Univserity?
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The only thing that prevents this is some use of encryption which once again surprise the powers at be want permanently compromised.
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The FCC has the exclusive regulatory control ("competency" for you EU types) over the use of the airwaves and regulation of transmitting devices in the U.S. That includes the exclusive right to prohibit and limit transmitting devices.
I'm guessing that they will re-write rules to make that clear, and to provide specific areas where they cede their authority (rather than leave ambiguity if they have the authority). Exceptions will include listed areas where all transmitting devices are allowed to be banned for safety reasons: certain areas of hospitals (although it is questionable if that is technically required), on aircraft (again questionable), prisons (although prohibiting contraband should cover that), areas being prepared with explosives, and parts of the federal government exempt from FCC rules (the US DoD cooperates with the FCC, but does not need to follow the rules).
They will specifically state the banning other devices so that your devices work better is usurping their exclusive authority. Banning devices for safety reasons will be a narrowly interpreted, especially if you want to use transmitting devices while banning everyone else.
There is a fresh urgency to clarify the rules, since this case might be opening the floodgates to every contract, ticket and venue purporting to be able to regulate how you can use the public airwaves.
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