The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is set to vote on a new regulation on November 19 that will permit the use of mobile signal jamming equipment in prisons. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr announced the upcoming vote, marking a shift in policy regarding wireless interference technology.
Previously, federal law prohibited the use of signal jammers, with only limited exceptions for specific federal facilities. Carr noted that the change is driven by the prevalence of contraband mobile phones in prisons, which inmates have used to coordinate gang violence, order murders, and facilitate criminal activities.
To deploy the technology, institutions must follow strict technical standards and testing protocols. Applicants are required to obtain an experimental license for initial testing to ensure that jamming does not disrupt communications outside the designated zone.
Once an official license is granted, operators must conduct further testing at the prison site before full activation. Jamming is restricted to approved control zones, and operators must notify telecommunications carriers, FirstNet, public safety agencies, and local communities before testing or deployment.
