Exhibition Hall 4, Taipei International Convention Center.
Venue operators teamed up with the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) to better define best practices of internet rules and regulations at trade shows, exhibitions and meeting spaces at venues across the nation.
Initially, the FCC told hotel operators, venue managers and trade show organizers that they were not allowed to manage or deauthenticate internet providers — whether it be from a personal cellular device or an outside router — that disrupted other networks. However, without managing various networks, internet jamming took place, crippling wireless business at venues.
Essentially, the FCC’s enforcement bureau said the rules regarding radio jamming included the access points of a wireless network, which broadcasts a signal just like a radio or radio station.
Network provider Smart City, and others in the industry — hotels and convention centers — were cited by the FCC for utilizing the "deauthentication" containment features that are standard network management tools built into FCC approved wireless equipment. They claimed that they were "jamming" other rogue devices to force them to buy our services, said Mark Haley, president of Smart City. His company disputed the claim.
When industry experts asked the FCC how they could manage networks, the enforcement bureau said they didn’t know, but they can't use the deauthentication containment feature, which left venue operators “walking on eggshells” on how to manage wireless networks without violating FCC rules, Haley explained
"Convention center exhibit halls are the largest example of BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) and the enforcement bureau's ruling only told us what we couldn't do in terms of network management,” Haley said. “The route we and IAVM took was to work through the policy making side of the FCC to get blessing on what we could do to manage the wireless environment of the convention space.”
Thus, a working group was formed to work with the FCC to find a solution. The goal was to clarify what what actions could or could not be taken to manage the wireless on trade show floors and other big events.
Universities, wireless companies, convention centers and others joined the group that was named Working Group 9 under the FCC’s Communication Security, Reliability and Interoperability Council (CSRIC).
“The CSRIC is a Federal Advisory Committee that provides recommendations to the commission regarding best practices and actions the commission can take to ensure optimal security, reliability, and interoperability of commercial and public safety communications systems,” stated a press release from the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM).
The rules weren’t changed, per se, but instead, language was added that gives more flexibility to venues, and other industries, on how to manage multiple internet providers, security and fees.
The goal for venues was to make sure that trade show vendors, for example, are able to do business through fast, reliable and secure wireless connections to make transactions.
“Our industry got together… It was by the industry, for the industry, and the FCC was good enough to allow us to make our recommendations,” said Brad Mayne, president and CEO of IAVM. “So when you're an exhibitor and you need wifi service, you don’t need it disrupted because you spent good money to use that (convention) space. You want to have options you can pursue. Everyone has different needs.”
Convention centers have massive demand for fast and secure wireless internet connection at meetings, trade shows and conferences. Trade show and conference operators often hire outside companies, such as Smart City, to provide a wireless network that’s fast and reliable. Smart City also manages networks that interrupt business.
Rules were finalized from the CSRIC’s Working Group 9 and are called the “Common Sense Rules for Public Venues” that will guide the government and venue operators on how to provide secure and robust wireless at events.
The finalized rules from the report include:
* Be considerate of others. The wireless network has finite resources, so more users will degrade the wireless experience for everyone. Many visitors do not realize that their personal devices are turned on in a manner that degrades the wireless network. We ask that all visitors be considerate of the needs of the exhibitors, speakers and their fellow attendees. Upon entering the convention center, everyone is requested to voluntarily turn-off the WiFi and Bluetooth broadcasting features (“personal hotspot”) of their wireless cameras, cellular phones, gaming devices and other portable wireless devices. By voluntarily disabling these features, each visitor will enhance the wireless experience for the entire community in the convention center.
* Don't overpower your neighbors. Exhibit halls, meeting rooms and auditoriums in the convention center are closed spaces where high-power wireless devices may interfere with many other wireless users. This is unfair to your neighbors and may disrupt the event. For the convenience of your fellow attendees, a wireless device that requires a continuous connection to an electric outlet (or a battery independent of the wireless device) for its operation may neither be utilized nor plugged into an electrical outlet. At the discretion of the Convention Center or their designated representatives, the operator of such device will be required to unplug and remove the device from the convention center. Failure to unplug the device within 30 minutes of notification may jeopardize the wireless network for fellow attendees and is a license violation by the operator. In the event of such violation the convention center may require the operator of the offending device to discontinue its use for the remainder of the event and/or to undertake a wireless engineering and coordination plan for the neighboring wireless devices and bill the operator of the offending device the appropriate charges. If neither option is adhered to, the convention center may require the operator to leave the convention center.
* One user. One channel. Please. For many years, WiFi technology only allowed for access to one channel at a time. The latest WiFi protocols (such as 802.11ac) allow users to combine or bond multiple channels. Doing so, however, may significantly degrade your neighbors’ ability to use the common wireless network. For the benefit of the entire wireless community in the convention center, please do not hog the spectrum through channel bonding or other techniques.
* Acceptable use makes it fair for all. Please be considerate and share the wireless spectrum and bandwidth with your fellow attendees and exhibitors. Please do not use peer-to-peer traffic applications (such as Bit Torrent) nor actively scan the wireless network because these practices consume a disproportionately large amount of bandwidth and wireless network resources.