"Jamming devices create serious safety risks. In the coming weeks and months, we'll be intensifying our efforts through partnerships with law enforcement agencies to crack down on those who continue to violate the law. Through education, outreach, and aggressive enforcement, we're tackling this problem head on."
-- P. Michele Ellison, Chief, Enforcement Bureau

Jamming Prohibition

The use of "cell jammers" or similar devices designed to intentionally block, jam, or interfere with authorized radio communications (signal blockers, GPS jammers, or text stoppers, etc.) is a violation of federal law. Also, it is unlawful to advertise, sell, distribute, or otherwise market these devices to consumers in the United States. These devices pose serious risks to critical public safety communications, and can prevent you and others from making 9-1-1 and other emergency calls. Jammers can also interfere with law enforcement communications. Operation of a jammer in the United States may subject you to substantial monetary penalties, seizure of the unlawful equipment, and criminal sanctions including imprisonment.

File a Complaint

If you are aware that someone is operating, selling, leasing, advertising for sale, shipping, distributing, and/or importing jammers, you can file a complaint at: http://www.fcc.gov/complaints.

Applicable Law

• The Communications Act of 1934
  • Section 301 - requires persons operating or using radio transmitters to be licensed or authorized under the Commission’s rules (47 U.S.C. § 301)
  • Section 302(b) - prohibits the manufacture, importation, marketing, sale or operation of these devices within the United States (47 U.S.C. § 302a(b))
  • Section 333 - prohibits willful or malicious interference with the radio communications of any station licensed or authorized under the Act or operated by the U.S. Government (47 U.S.C. § 333)
  • Section 503 - allows the FCC to impose forfeitures for willful or repeated violations of the Communications Act, the Commission's rules, regulations, or related orders, as well as for violations of the terms and conditions of any license, certificate, or other Commission authorization, among other things.
  • Sections 510 - allows for seizure of unlawful equipment (47 U.S.C. § 510)
• The Commission's Rules
  • Section 2.803 - prohibits the manufacture, importation, marketing, sale or operation of these devices within the United States (47 C.F.R. § 2.803)
  • Section 2.807 - provides for certain limited exceptions, such as the sale to U.S. government users (47 C.F.R. § 2.807)
• The Criminal Code (Enforced by the Department of Justice)
  • Title 18, Section 1362 - prohibits willful or malicious interference to US government communications; subjects the operator to possible fines, imprisonment, or both (18 U.S.C. § 1362)
  • Title 18, Section 1367(a) - prohibits intentional or malicious interference to satellite communications; subjects the operator to possible fines, imprisonment, or both (18 U.S.C. § 1367(a))

• GPS, Wi-Fi, and Cell Phone Jammers: Frequently Asked Questions
• Sale or Use of Transmitters Designed to Prevent, Jam or Interfere with Cell Phone Communications is Prohibited in the United States, Public Notice, DA 05-1776 (2005).
• Office Of Engineering and Technology and Compliance and Information Bureau Warn Against the Manufacture, Importation, Marketing or Operation of Transmitters Designed to Prevent or Otherwise Interfere with Cellular Radio Communications, Public Notice, DA 99-2150 (1999).

Enforcement Advisories

Contacts

For additional information regarding compliance with and enforcement of the Commission's equipment marketing rules as they apply to jamming devices, contact Kevin Pittman or Neal McNeil of the Enforcement Bureau at (202) 418-1160 or jammerinfo@fcc.gov.

Blogs on Jammer Enforcement

Tweets on Jammer Enforcement

Recent Enforcement Actions

09-30-2011	Bling Wholesalers, St. Louis, MO; Brilliant Store, Inc., Fremont, CA; Consumer Security Products, Mill Creek, WA; Espow International, Ltd., Jersey City, NJ; Jabiru Bamboo Ltd., Keene, NH; Junker Signal Solutions, Bremerton, WA; Molary Alexent, New York, NY; NOVA Retail Ent., Woodbridge, VA; Papatek, Santa Clara, CA; PJS Gifts, Shorewood, IL; SAFI Service, LLC, Houston, TX; Secret Service, Inc., Rosemead, CA; Silver Valley Tech, Kellogg, ID; Simply Surveillance, Bessemer, NC; Sleuthtek, Mill Creek, WA; Sunvalleytek International, Inc., Santa Clara, CA; The Signal Jammer, Los Angeles, CA; Tna International Electronics, Norwalk, CA;World Mall Electronics, East Greenwich, RI; Yapper Zapper, Corona, NY.	CITATION & ORDER
06-21-2011	Gladys A. Jones, Waterford, CA	NOUO
06-06-2011	James K. Tepfenhart, Felton, DE	NOUO
06-02-2011	Chris Ott, Winchester, VA	NOUO
05-25-2011	Professional Beauty School, Yakima, WA	NOUO
05-20-2011	Pyong Kon Eun, Knoxville, TN	CITATION
05-04-2011	GadgetTown Inc. d/b/a GadgetTown.com	CITATION
04-22-2011	Tommy Nguyen, Santa Clara, CA	NOUO
04-08-2011	Palm Desert High School, Palm Desert, CA	NOUO
03-18-2011	Hair Mechanix, Las Vegas, NV	NOUO
03-18-2011	EDN Aviation, Inc., Van Nuys, CA	NOUO
03-15-2011	Johnsburg High School, Johnsburg, IL	NOUO
02-09-2011	Shenzhen Tangreat Technology Co., Ltd.	ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE
02-09-2011	Share Enterprises Unlimited, Inc.	CITATION
02-09-2011	DealExtreme	CITATION
01-26-2011	DeadlyDeal.com	CITATION
01-26-2011	Comtrex Communications Ltd.	CITATION
01-21-2011	New Century Technology Limited, Shenzhen, China	CITATION
12-06-2010	Everbuying.com, Nanshan District, Shenzhen 518057, China	CITATION
11-26-2010	Jammer World/theJammerStore.com	CITATION
11-16-2010	Scott Ventura, Buffalo, New York	NOUO
09-15-2010	Hansen's Cakes, Los Angeles, CA	NOUO
07-09-2010	Michael Herring, Philadelphia, PA	NOUO
05-19-2010	Lonnie Hale dba The Package Store, Fort Payne, AL	NOUO
05-18-2010	Anoy Wray, Carteret, New Jersey	NOUO
04-20-2010	Phonejammer.com	NAL
04-06-2010	Arthur Edelstein, Downey, CA	NOUO
03-23-2010	Stephen Pearson, Marathon, FL	NOUO
03-23-2010	Krishnaswamy Prasad, Whittier, CA	NOUO
03-08-2010	Merchant Adjustment Service Inc., Mobile, AL	NOUO
02-05-2010	BizCom, Aubrey, Texas	CITATION
12-11-2009	Fenestration Testing Laboratory, Inc., Medley, FL	NOUO
12-09-2009	Tim Lusk, Alpine, TX	NOUO
11-24-2009	End Zone Athletics, Inc., Arlington, Texas	NOUO
11-24-2009	Cosmetology Career Center, Carrollton, Texas	NOUO
11-13-2009	Norco D&I Enterprises, Inc., Oak Ridge, TN	NOUO
08-13-2009	Gene Stinson d.b.a. D&G Food Mart, Oklahoma City, OK	NOUO
07-31-2009	The Spy Store, Inc., Spokane, WA	CITATION
06-29-2009	Scott Hidnert, Miami, FL	NOUO
04-27-2009	James Wanza, Miami, FL	NOUO
09-08-2008	MicroVideoX, LLC, Grand Junction, CO	CITATION
05-27-2008	DPL Surveillance Equipment, Reseda, California	CITATION
05-23-2008	David Steele Enterprises, Inc., Newport Beach, California	CITATION
05-22-2008	Phonejammer.com	CITATION
01-28-2008	Garden State Investigations and Security, Jackson, New Jersey	CITATION
12-06-2007	BRD Security Products, Inc. d/b/a Spybase.com, Torrance, CA	CITATION
11-01-2007	Basic Home Shopping, Philadelphia, PA	CITATION
08-16-2007	Rocky Mountain Radar, El Paso, TX	FORFEITURE ORDER
08-02-2007	Gain Saver, Long Beach, California	CITATION
07-26-2007	ShoppersChoice.com, LLC, Baton Rouge, Louisiana	CITATION
07-26-2007	Shopila Corporation, New York, NY	CITATION
07-19-2007	Unbeatablesale.com, Inc., Lakewood, NJ	CITATION
07-18-2007	Overseas Best Buy, Inc., Glendale Heights, IL	CITATION
07-09-2007	LM Services and Scorpion Jammer Technology, Thornton, CO	CITATION
04-20-2007	North Star Electronics, dba TheElectronicCompany.com, Elk Grove Village, Illinois	CITATION
04-20-2007	Focus Camera, Inc., Brooklyn, New York	CITATION
04-20-2007	Fadfusion, Affton, Missouri	CITATION
04-20-2007	DSMiller.com, Traverse City, Michigan	CITATION
04-19-2007	Dealznet.com, Brooklyn, NY	CITATION
04-19-2007	Cybergiftcenter.com, Inc., Duluth, GA	CITATION
04-19-2007	CompSource, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio	CITATION
04-19-2007	Chumbo Corporation, Minneapolis, Minnesota	CITATION
04-12-2007	Buy.com, Aliso Viejo, California	CITATION
04-12-2007	Audio Discounters, Lewis Center, Ohio	CITATION
04-12-2007	Audio Direct, Tucson, Arizona	CITATION
04-12-2007	Ambient Weather, Tempe, Arizona	CITATION
01-31-2007	Rocky Mountain Radar, El Paso, TX	NAL
01-31-2007	The Twister Group, Inc., Buffalo Grove, Illinois	CITATION
01-31-2007	Radarjammers.com, Rolla, Missouri	CITATION
01-31-2007	Hoeffener International, Webster Groves, MO	CITATION
01-31-2007	Hilton, AG, LTD, Radar Detectors Direct, Arlington, Texas	CITATION
01-31-2007	Global Trade Group, Inc., Rogue River, Oregon	CITATION
01-31-2007	Electronic Retail Solutions, Inc., Greensboro, North Carolina	CITATION
01-31-2007	Best Radar Detectors, Jackson, New Jersey	CITATION
01-31-2007	Auto-Radar-Detectors.com, San Antonio, Texas	CITATION
12-22-2005	COP-USA, Inc., Flushing, New York	CITATION
12-22-2005	COP-USA, Inc., City of Industry, California	CITATION
06-09-2005	Grand Trades Co., Seattle, WA	CITATION
11-10-2004	Netline Communications Technologies, Ltd., Tel Aviv, Israel	CITATION
10-20-2004	Cruz Consulting Group, San Juan, Puerto Rico	CITATION