FCC to vote on allowing prisons to jam cellphone signals

The Federal Communications Commission said on October 28 that it will vote on November 19 on a proposal that could allow state and local prisons and jails in the United States to jam cellphone signals. The change would give facilities a possible way to block contraband phones, while raising questions about interference with calls beyond prison grounds.

Use of jammers would be optional for eligible facilities, Engadget reported. The vote is scheduled for an FCC open meeting; the rules have not been adopted.

How prison jamming would be limited

Jamming would be confined to an FCC-authorized containment area where wireless devices are prohibited. The Verge reported that relevant carriers, FirstNet, public safety coordinators and 911 authorities would receive advance notice of on-site testing, while nearby communities would receive notice before deployment.

Why the FCC is considering a change

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said some incarcerated people have used contraband phones to order attacks, coordinate gang activity and aid criminal enterprises. Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin and Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr have also pushed for a change allowing prison jamming, The Verge reported.

Interfering with communications signals is currently illegal for non-federal parties, Engadget reported. The Federal Bureau of Prisons began testing micro-jamming in federal prisons in 2018, but the new proposal would open a route for state and local facilities as well.

Concerns about emergency calls and prison reporting

The FCC has previously resisted wider use of jammers because signals could disrupt emergency and public safety communications. Engadget also reported concerns that putting more jamming equipment into circulation could create security risks if others exploit it.

When the FCC approved a draft proposal last year, Commissioner Anna Gomez urged a pilot program to test effects on surrounding areas. She warned of unintended consequences from allowing non-federal actors to jam signals and bringing jamming equipment into the US market, according to The Verge.

Incarcerated journalists have argued that jamming could make it harder to send timely accounts of civil rights violations to the media. The Verge reported that they pointed to contraband-phone evidence connected to a 2024 Justice Department investigation that found severe conditions in Georgia prisons. The FCC's November 19 vote will determine whether its proposed licensing route moves forward.