Cell phone signal jammers are not the latest scientific invention, but the high demand in the US market has driven dealers to stock up on them. Users of mobile phone signal jammers include coffee shop and barber shop owners, restaurateurs, theater operators, bus drivers and daily commuters who use public transportation to and from get off work.
This device is only as big as a cigarette box and is very convenient to hide. Users only need to press a button, and the device will emit a radio interference signal, blocking the communication between all mobile phones and signal towers within a radius of 4.5 meters to 9 meters. Cell phone users experiencing signal interference will immediately see the words “No Network Available” on their screen. Cell phone jammers range in price, from $50 to several hundred dollars, and the radio signal they emit varies in strength. The more expensive the mobile phone signal jammer, the wider the range it can affect.
However, U.S. law prohibits private blocking of signals and imposes fines of up to $11,000 on first-time violators. According to the New York Times, relevant U.S. departments have investigated many companies that manufacture such devices and have also held many users accountable.
The U.S. Wireless Industry Association submitted an opinion to the Federal Communications Commission on November 3, requesting that the regulations “prohibiting private signal blocking” be retained. Not long ago, two American companies proposed to the Federal Communications Commission that signals should be blocked in relevant places, such as prisons. But network companies from the Wireless Industry Association believe that lifting the regulations may allow criminals to abuse signal jammers, making it impossible for cell phone users to make calls for help in emergencies. Supporters of retaining the regulations also argue that blockers “punish” not just those who make noise, but also harm callers who deliberately speak quietly.
FCC spokesman Clyde Enslin declined to comment on the controversy or last year’s findings in Maryland. Jeffrey Nelson, a spokesman for Verizon Communications, which spends $6.5 billion a year on network system maintenance, commented: “This is a counter-intuitive approach: when mobile phone user demand increases due to better wireless network signal coverage, When it went up, those businessmen who made jammers also saw a market.”
