Letting prisons jam contraband phones is a bad idea, phone companies tell FCC

A recent proposal from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) aims to empower state and local prisons to jam contraband cell phone signals. While this initiative is backed by some Republican attorneys general and prison phone service providers, it has sparked significant backlash from major wireless carriers. These companies argue that such jamming would not only target illegal devices but would also disrupt essential communications for the public. The wireless industry, represented by the CTIA, voiced strong concerns in their comments submitted to the FCC. They emphasized that jamming technology indiscriminately blocks all communications, raising alarms about the potential loss of access to emergency services, including 911 calls. The CTIA contended that the FCC lacks the authority to implement such jamming measures. Major telecommunications providers like AT&T and Verizon echoed these sentiments in their responses, criticizing the proposed legal framework as fundamentally flawed. AT&T pointed out that the Communications Act prohibits any interference with authorized radio communications. They argued that the FCC's approach attempts to circumvent this prohibition by suggesting the de-authorization of certain signals, which is based on an incorrect assumption that jammers can selectively block only unauthorized communications. AT&T further stressed that there is no technological solution to the issue of jammers being unable to differentiate between contraband devices and legitimate ones. They noted that the FCC itself acknowledged this limitation back in 2013, explaining that jammers operate on the same frequencies as their targets, rendering all devices on those frequencies unusable. Consequently, the concern remains that using such jamming technology could have dire implications for both public safety and lawful communication.