Marriott's change of heart in abandoning its practice of blocking use of personal Wi-Fi devices is an acknowledgment of the fact that it was an untenable position for Marriott in the face of legal challenges from the FCC as well as backlash from customers and technology behemoths like Microsoft and Google.

We caught up with Tejas Mehta, research analyst at Parks Associates. Mehta told us that although Marriott may have been spurred more by financial considerations than security, network security is a valid concern for venues.

"Marriott's motive aside, the whole episode has broader implications and does raise legitimate questions about security, interference and network congestion issues at venues such as conferences, stadiums, and hospitals," Mehta said in an e-mail.

"These venues will need to work with device manufacturers, technology partners, and service providers to find technology-based solutions to address these concerns without infringing on customers' rights," he said.

From the article "Under Pressure, Marriott Stops Blocking Wi-Fi Hotspots" by Jef Cozza.

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