Legacy Open Mesh: CALEA Compliance

Topic

This article describes Open Mesh networks' CALEA compliance.

Environment

  • CloudTrax

Answer

Open Mesh users sometimes ask if their network complies with local telecommunications laws, such as CALEA in the US. In general, Open Mesh behaves the same as any other wireless LAN solution (including Aruba, Cisco and Meraki) in that sense.

However, CALEA does not apply to a customer who merely wants to provide a public WiFi hotspot for their customers.

The connecting entity with the CALEA obligation is the commercial Internet Service Provider from whom an Open Mesh user obtains its Internet access.
A cafe, restaurant, public library, hotel, apartment complex, service department at a car dealership, or any other customer type that wants to provide WiFi for its customers, guests or residents is not obligated to comply with CALEA. It is their ISP that is obligated to the FCC to comply with CALEA.