The US Federal Communications Commission announced it will vote next month on relaxing its long-standing opposition to cellphone jammers in correctional facilities. The planned vote on November 19 would consider allowing state and local prisons and jails to opt in to using jammers to block illegal cellphone use by inmates.
The change reverses previous FCC policy that prohibited implementing jammers as a method of reducing illegal cellphone use in prisons. Past concerns included potential interference with emergency and public safety communications, as well as new security risks from putting more jamming tools into the wild.
Under the proposed rules, correctional facilities would need to meet standards including proving the jamming solution does not cause harmful interference outside designated geographic areas. Use of the technology would not be required.
This marks another shift in FCC approach toward prisons under the current administration. In July 2025, the department said it would delay implementing a cap on rates charged for prison phone calls. The Federal Bureau of Prisons began testing micro-jamming in federal prisons in 2018.
Source: Engadget · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing