From: David Farber
Date: August 5, 2005 9:21:26 AM EDT
To: Ip Ip <[email protected]>
Subject: [IP] Boston airport tries to kill free Wi-Fi node --
Boston should be ashamed of itself djf
Begin forwarded message:
From: Bradley Malin
Date: August 5, 2005 9:10:54 AM EDT
To: Dave.Farber
Subject: Boston airport tries to kill free Wi-Fi node
Boston airport tries to kill free Wi-Fi node
By Declan McCullagh, CNET News.com
Published on ZDNet News: August 3, 2005, 2:25 PM PT
Boston's Logan International Airport is attempting to pull the plug
on Continental Airlines' free Wi-Fi node, which competes with the
airport's $7.95-a-day pay service.
In an escalating series of threatening letters sent over the last
few weeks, airport officials have pledged to "take all necessary
steps to have the (Wi-Fi) antenna removed" from Continental's
frequent flyer lounge. Continental's free service poses an
"unacceptable potential risk" to communications gear used by the
state police and the Transportation Security Administration, the
letters claim.
For its part, Continental says that a 1996 law prevents local
officials from meddling with wireless service and has asked the
Federal Communications Commission to intervene. Its letter to the
FCC argues that the agency has "exclusive jurisdiction" over Wi-Fi
and should keep local authorities at bay.
"We believe that offering free Wi-Fi at Boston's Logan airport is
consistent with the FCC's regulations and its prior rulings on
similar issues and that it is permissible under the terms of our
lease," Continental spokeswoman Julie King said Wednesday. The
airline provides free wireless access at all of its Presidents Club
lounges worldwide.
The Massachusetts Port Authority, or Massport, the state government
agency that operates Logan airport, was not available for comment.
At stake is a sizable chunk of revenue that Massport receives from
its pay-per-use Wi-Fi service, which is operated by a commercial
provider called Advanced Wireless Group. Massport did not respond
to queries about the current sum, but the Boston Globe reported two
years ago that the contract gives Massport "up to a maximum of 20
percent of annual gross revenues, which could exceed $1 million
annually."
Whether Continental will be allowed to continue its free service in
its Presidents Club lounge may depend on the FCC's interpretation
of an obscure set of rules that grew out of the 1996
Telecommunications Act. While Congress appears to have intended to
authorize outdoor antennas and satellite dishes under a certain
size, the airline claims the law covers Wi-Fi antennas built into
access points--an interpretation the FCC also mentions on its Web
page on the topic.
Massport is conceding nothing. Deborah Lau Kee, an attorney for the
state agency, wrote in a July 5 letter that the FCC's regulations
may not even be "lawful." Kee added that Continental is free to
purchase access from Massport's partner at a "very reasonable rate
structure for airline use based on the number of emplanements at
Logan airport or on the number of 'hits.'"
The FCC has started its investigation of Continental's request and
is accepting public comments until Aug. 29.
--
NYCwireless - http://www.nycwireless.net/
Un/Subscribe: http://lists.nycwireless.net/mailman/listinfo/nycwireless/
Archives: http://lists.nycwireless.net/pipermail/nycwireless/
