The Federal Communications Commission said a Florida man could be fined up to $48,000 for using a cellphone jammer from his automobile that interfered with first-responder communications.
The agency noted that Jason Humphreys of Seffner, Fla., used a jammer for nearly two years while commuting along a section of Interstate-4. The FCC Enforcement Bureau said it was able to track the interference to Humphreys “by using sophisticated interference detection techniques,” and that it worked with the local sheriff’s office to pull over the suspect. The sheriff officers said their communications with police dispatch was interrupted as they approached Humphreys’ automobile and that they then confiscated an “illegal jamming device.”
The FCC noted that the suspect’s actions “could and may have had disastrous consequences by precluding the use of cellphones to reach life-saving 9-1-1 services provided by police, ambulance, and fire departments.”
The agency added that while such devices are available for sale, it’s illegal for U.S. consumers to use such devices. “Unlawful use of signal jammers could result not only in substantial monetary fines, but also imprisonment,” the FCC explained.
The use of jammers has been a contentious issue for regulators as previous rules have allowed the use of such device by law enforcement agencies in cases where an explosive device could be triggered by a cellphone or to interrupt communications for cellphones that are smuggled into prisons.
The issue was also brought up in the case of wireless signal repeaters sold by third parties that if not installed correctly could interfere with wireless communication signals generated by mobile operators. The FCC has since approved the use of signal boosters, though they have to conform to stringent regulations.
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