FCC to vote on prison mobile signal jamming rules on 19 November
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr says the agency will vote on 19 November on rules that would allow prisons to jam mobile phone signals. He argues the change is needed to stop people in prison using contraband phones to direct violence and criminal activity, but critics warn that jamming could affect nearby communications and could restrict reporting of prison conditions.
The proposal would let eligible prisons seek licences, with testing to check that signals are contained within authorised areas and do not cause harmful interference outside them. Carriers, emergency services and nearby communities would receive notice before testing or deployment. Commissioner Anna Gomez previously urged a pilot programme, while incarcerated journalists say phone evidence helped bring attention to conditions cited in a 2024 US Justice Department investigation of Georgia prisons; separate legislation has also been introduced.
In short
- The FCC plans a 19 November vote on prison phone jamming.
- Proposed licences would require testing and limits on interference.
- Critics cite risks to nearby communications and prison reporting.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters argue that contraband phones can let people in prison organise violence and other crimes beyond prison walls, putting staff and the public at risk. A licensing system with containment tests and advance notice could give prisons a targeted way to address that danger while limiting interference with nearby communications.
The case against
Critics argue that jamming may disrupt communications beyond prison grounds, including services that nearby residents and emergency responders rely on. They also warn that phones can help incarcerated journalists document conditions and bring potential abuses to public attention, so restricting access may weaken oversight; they may favour a limited pilot to assess risks before wider use.
Explained simply
US prisons have long struggled to stop people inside from using smuggled mobile phones. Prison officials say the phones can be used to organise crimes or threaten people beyond prison walls, while mobile networks are also used by staff, visitors and nearby communities.
The Federal Communications Commission, or FCC, regulates communications such as mobile phone services. Its chairman, Brendan Carr, supports allowing eligible prisons to apply for permission to block mobile signals; Commissioner Anna Gomez has previously called for a limited trial. The issue matters because signal blocking could affect emergency calls and mobile use nearby, and phones have also helped incarcerated journalists document prison conditions.
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Originally published by The Verge as “Brendan Carr plans to let prisons jam cellphone signals”.