FCC to vote on prison phone jamming rules next month

The Federal Communications Commission will vote on November 19 to allow state and local prisons to use cellphone-jamming technology. This marks the first time the agency would authorize such measures for correctional facilities. The decision follows a push by Rep. Kat Cammack (FL-03) to address the use of contraband devices inside U.S. prisons.

Cammack, a member of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, has worked on the issue for over a year. Last year, she joined Rep. David Kustoff (TN-08) and other colleagues in a letter urging FCC Chairman Brendan Carr to advance rulemaking. In the letter, they warned that inmates used the devices to coordinate criminal activity from inside prison walls. Cammack also met multiple times with Florida Department of Corrections leaders to examine the threat and potential resolutions.

Cammack described the impact of the devices on her district, which contains roughly 15 state prisons and correctional institutions. “Contraband cellphones turn prison cells into command centers,” she said. “Inmates use them to order hits and run criminal enterprises from behind bars.” She noted that the district has more correctional facilities than any other in the nation. Cammack stated that giving officers the ability to shut off these phones would save lives and reduce crime. She added that Congress still needs to make the authority permanent.

Richard Comerford, Secretary of the Florida Department of Corrections, called the criminal use of contraband phones a growing crisis. He said, “Florida is thankful for the leadership of FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, Representative Kat Cammack, Governor Ron DeSantis, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, and all of our correctional partners for recognizing this security threat and working to counteract this criminal enterprise.”

A 2024 study found that prison authorities recovered more than 25,000 cellphones in a single year. Two participating facilities each recovered more than 6,000 devices. The FCC has previously authorized other technologies to fight contraband phones but has not allowed jamming until now. Under the proposed final order, facilities would not be required to use jamming. Those that choose to do so must meet technical standards and pass testing to ensure the system does not cause harmful interference outside designated areas.

The rules would limit jamming to Commission-authorized containment areas where wireless use is already prohibited. Wireless carriers, FirstNet, public safety coordinators, and 911 authorities would receive advance notice of on-site testing. Nearby communities would be notified before deployment. The FCC will also seek public comment on measures to close loopholes for other frequencies and explore potential quiet zones around facilities.

Congressional efforts to address the issue include the Cellphone Jamming Reform Act. Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) and Rep. David Kustoff (R-TN) introduced the bill to establish permanent statutory authority for correctional facilities to deploy the technology.