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

mobile phone A mobile phone, cellular phone, cell phone, cellphone, handphone, hand phone or pocket phone, sometimes shortened to simply mobile, cell, or just phone, is a portable telephone that can make and receive calls over a radio frequency link whi ...

s, disrupting the communication between the phone and the cell-phone base station, 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 may or may not be legal to possess or operate based on the specific laws of the area one is in. * Australia: Illegal to operate, supply, or possess unless the user has a PMTS C telecommunications licence under the ''Radiocommunications (Interpretation) Determination 2000.'' *

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

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

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

: Illegal under sections 4, 9, and 10 of the

Radiocommunication Act The ''Radiocommunication Act'' (french: Loi sur la radiocommunication) is an Act of Parliament respecting radiocommunication in Canada. It was enacted in 1985. The ''Radiocommunication Act'' is administered by the Government of Canada's Innovatio ...

, except by federal law-enforcement agencies who have obtained approval. * EU: Illegal, according to the European Commission's "Interpretation of the Directive 1999/5/EC". *

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

: Legal until 2012 in movie theaters, concert halls and places with performances, but illegal since 2012. *

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

: Illegal by law except for security and military agencies, and usage in jail, theatres, mosques, schools etc. with prior permit and jamming strictly limited to the firm perimeter with zero leakage. *

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...

: Illegal to use without permits. *

Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...

: Illegal. *

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...

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

Polizia Di Stato The ''Polizia di Stato'' (State Police or P.S.) is one of the national 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 agencie ...

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 polic ...

. *

Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...

: 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 ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

: Illegal to sell, manufacture, or use. Legal inside jails by

Department of Corrections In criminal justice, particularly in North America, correction, corrections, and correctional, are umbrella terms describing a variety of functions typically carried out by government agencies, and involving the punishment, treatment, and s ...

. *

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 243 million people, and has the world's second-lar ...

: Illegal to use without permission. The individuals or institutions must get No Objection Certificates (NOCs) before installation of such devices. *

Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bor ...

: 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. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...

: Illegal. No organisation is allowed to jam cellular signals, and any device which is used to jam signals is illegal. * Sweden: Illegal. Legal inside jails, prisons, and for military use. *

Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...

: 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 Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

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

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

: Cell phone blocking devices are used by federal officials under certain circumstances. Privacy rights of property owners may affect the policy and application of law within buildings. For radio communications, it is illegal to operate, manufacture, import, or offer for sale (including advertising) ( Communications Act of 1934). 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 may override the Communications Act of 1934.

References

{{reflist, 25em Mobile telecommunications

Legality

See also

References