A mobile phone jammer or blocker is a device which deliberately transmits signals on the same radio frequencies as

mobile phone A mobile phone or cell phone is a portable telephone that allows users to make and receive calls over a radio frequency link while moving within a designated telephone service area, unlike fixed-location phones ( landline phones). This rad ...

s, disrupting the communication between the phone and the cell-phone

base station Base station (or base radio station, BS) is – according to the International Telecommunication Union's (ITU) Radio Regulations (RR) – a " land station in the land mobile service." A base station is called '' node B'' in 3G, '' eNB'' in L ...

, effectively disabling mobile phones within the range of the jammer, preventing them from receiving signals and from transmitting them. Jammers can be used in practically any location, but are found primarily in places where a phone call would be particularly disruptive because silence is expected, such as entertainment venues. Because they disrupt the operations of legitimate mobile phone services, the use of such blocking devices is illegal in many jurisdictions, especially without a licence. When operational, such devices also block access to emergency services.

Legality

Since these jammers actively broadcast radio signals, they are illegal in many jurisdictions. *

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

: Illegal to operate, supply or possess unless the user has a PMTS C telecommunications licence under the ''Radiocommunications (Interpretation) Determination 2000.'' *

Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...

: Illegal, but installation in prisons has been proposed. *

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

: Illegal under sections 4, 9, and 10 of the Radiocommunication Act, except by federal law-enforcement agencies who have obtained approval. *

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...

: Illegal, according to the European Commission's "Interpretation of the Directive 1999/5/EC". *

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

: Legal until 2012 in cinemas, concert halls and performance venues, but illegal since 2012. *

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

: Illegal except for use by security and military agencies, and use in prisons, theatres, mosques, and schools with prior permit and jamming limited to the perimeter with zero leakage. *

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

: Illegal to use without permits. *

Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...

: Illegal. *

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

: Illegal both to own and use, according to the Penal Code offenders are liable to be punished with imprisonment for up to eight years. Can be used in exceptional cases by Italian law enforcement agencies, such as

Polizia Di Stato The (State Police or P.S.) is one of the national Law enforcement in Italy, police forces of Italy. Alongside the Carabinieri, it is the main police force for providing police duties, primarily to cities and large towns, and with its child agen ...

and

Carabinieri The Carabinieri (, also , ; formally ''Arma dei Carabinieri'', "Arm of Carabineers"; previously ''Corpo dei Carabinieri Reali'', "Royal Carabineers Corps") are the national gendarmerie of Italy who primarily carry out domestic and foreign poli ...

. *

Malaysia Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...

: Illegal to use. Offenders jamming the cellular network frequency in their premises can be fined a maximum of RM500,000 or jailed a maximum of five years, or both. *

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

: Illegal to sell, manufacture or use. Legal inside prisons by Department of Corrections. *

Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...

: Illegal to use without permission. Individuals or organisations must obtain No Objection Certificates (NOCs) before installation of such devices. *

Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...

: Illegal to manufacture, import, use or sell radio jamming equipment other than by or for supply to a permitted person. *

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

: Illegal, except for national security agencies. No other organisation is allowed to jam cellular signals, and any device which is used to jam signals is illegal. *

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...

: Illegal except inside prisons and for military use. *

Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...

: Legal, planned to be used in schools. *

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

: Illegal to use, but legal to own. Having been proposed by prison inspectors, installation and use in prisons has been legal since the end of 2012. *

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

: Mobile phone blocking devices are used by federal officials under certain circumstances. For radio communications, it is illegal to operate, manufacture, import, or offer for sale (including advertising) (

Communications Act of 1934 The Communications Act of 1934 is a United States federal law signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on June 19, 1934, and codified as Chapter 5 of Title 47 of the United States Code, et seq. The act replaced the Federal Radio Commission w ...

). Blocking radio communications in public can carry fines of up to $112,000 and/or imprisonment of up to one year. The

Homeland Security Act of 2002 The Homeland Security Act (HSA) of 2002 () was introduced in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks and subsequent mailings of anthrax spores. The HSA was cosponsored by 118 members of Congress. The act passed the U.S. Senate by a vote of ...

may override the Communications Act of 1934, and an exception to this law exists for prisons under the ''Cellphone Jamming Reform Act of 2023''.

References

{{reflist, 25em Mobile telecommunications

Legality

See also

References