FCC says yes to free Wi-Fi
TEXT OF STORY
SCOTT JAGOW: Yesterday, we got an important ruling on the future of wireless Internet. The FCC said Boston’s airport can’t force Continental Airlines to shut down free Wi-Fi service in its lounge. Lisa Napoli tells us why this could be a far-reaching decision.
LISA NAPOLI: The Massachusetts Port Authority told airlines last year they had to shut down any Wi-Fi service they were offering waiting passengers at Logan Airport.
MassPort didn’t want any competition with its new service, which costs $8 a day.
Now, the FCC is saying they can’t do that.
And Harold Feld of the Media Access Group says the ruling is good news for Wi-Fi users everywhere.
HAROLD FELD:“This is an important decision because the principle at stake here is whether a landlord can control the wireless equipment that a tenant uses.”
And Glenn Fleishman of Wi-Fi Networking News says that means . . .
GLENN FLEISHMAN:“A landlord of a mall, a mall owner, can’t simply say to its tenants you can’t use Wi-Fi on the premises.”
Experts say the ruling will be particularly critical as more cities install municipal Wi-Fi networks.
In Los Angeles, I’m Lisa Napoli for Marketplace.
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