The FCC Enforcement Bureau’s New Orleans Office recently cited the Airport Inn & Suites, located in Kenner, LA, for failing to notify the FCC of its non-cable MVPD system’s operation in the aeronautical band and for exceeding the FCC’s cable signal leakage limits.

Under the FCC’s signal leakage rules, cable and non-cable MVPDs operating within frequency bands 108-137 MHz and 225-400 MHz must comply with specific reporting and technical requirements.  In this case, agents from the New Orleans Field Office found that the Airport Inn & Suites MVPD system was using aeronautical frequencies, but had not filed FCC Form 321 (Aeronautical Frequency Notification) to notify the FCC of its operation in the aeronautical band.

In addition, the agents conducted field strength measurements from the MVPD equipment room at the Airport Inn & Suites and determined that the signal leakage emitted violated the FCC’s allowable limits.

The citation requires the Airport Inn & Suites to take immediate steps to come into compliance and to provide to the FCC, within 20 days, descriptions of specific actions taken to correct the violations and preclude recurrence, and a time line for completion of pending corrective actions.  Future violations may result in monetary forfeitures, seizure of equipment, or criminal sanctions.

If you have questions regarding the FCC’s signal leakage rules, please contact Scott Friedman at (312) 372-3930 or sfriedman@cinnamonmueller.com.