Re: Where to Buy a Cellular Phone Jammer?

>>> The operation of transmitters designed to jam or block wireless
>>> communications is a violation of the Communications Act of 1934, >>> as amended ("Act"). See 47 U.S.C. Sections 301, 302a, 333. The Act >>> prohibits any person from willfully or maliciously interfering with >>> the radio communications of any station licensed or authorized under >>> the Act or operated by the U.S. government. 47 U.S.C. Section 333. >>> The manufacture, importation, sale or offer for sale, including >>> advertising, of devices designed to block or jam wireless >>> transmissions is prohibited. 47 U.S.C. Section 302a(b). Parties in >>> violation of these provisions may be subject to the penalties set >>> out in 47 U.S.C. Sections 501-510. Fines for a first offense can >>> range as high as $11,000 for each violation or imprisonment for up >>> to one year, and the device used may also be seized and forfeited >>> to the U.S. government. > Don't miunderstand me here. I basically agree with your position. > But didn't the more recent communications act render the > Communications Act of 1934 obsolete? I don't think that cell phone > technology was considered when it was written, either.

Note that IANA Communications Lawyer. There are probably more recent laws and more relevant rulings, I just did a search at the FCC Website and that was the first cite that popped up. Since they still list it, I'm willing to bet it's more or less still relevant.

I do think that perhaps use of such jamming devices (if properly > designed) might be useful in prisons where there is a problem with > contraband cell phones running being used for drug deals and other > problematic things. Of course, we'd have to address the issues and > how to correctly make it legal for use (so that situations like you've > described can be avoided).

Jamming wouldn't be very effective. They would have to block the entire 800, 900, 1800 and 1900 MHz bands to get all cellulars, with enough power that they would splatter them within at least 1/2 mile around the facility (if not more) - and that would miss things like Nextel iDEN service, commercial radio, amateur radio, and other services. And if they have the capability to do spread spectrum that would make it even harder to stop.

If the prisoners are making illegal communications from a contraband phone or other device inside a prison, they probably don't care that they are not operating in the proper band on an assigned channel, they'll use whatever they can make work. Aircraft, marine, military, CB, FRS or GMRS, an unused broadcast TV channel ...

Heck, avoid radio -- use a modulated IR laser beam aimed out a window to a transceiver secreted on a nearby hilltop. (Or rooftop in an urban setting.)

If they want to stop those communications, they need to attack them at the source: regularly lock the cellblocks down and do top to bottom strip searches of prisoners and the cells & common areas, severely restrict the types and amounts of prisoner personal property allowed in the cells to approved items only -- like special TV and Radio sets with clear cases sold in the canteen. Trashing any even slightly questionable items. And let the ACLU lawsuits commence ...

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