FCC to Vote on Prison Cellphone Jamming Rules

The Federal Communications Commission will vote on November 19 to allow state and local prisons to use targeted cellphone jamming.

Chairman Brendan Carr announced the upcoming vote during a recent meeting. The final rules would give correctional facilities a new tool to shut down unauthorized wireless devices. This marks the first time the agency has authorized such technology for these institutions.

Representative Kat Cammack of Florida’s third district has pushed for this authority for several years. She met directly with Chairman Carr to discuss the rules. She also held multiple sessions with leaders from the Florida Department of Corrections. Last year, she joined Congressman David Kustoff of Tennessee and other colleagues in a letter urging the FCC to move forward. That letter warned that inmates use these devices to coordinate criminal activity from inside prison walls.

Cammack stated that contraband cellphones turn prison cells into command centers. She noted that inmates use the devices to order hits and manage criminal enterprises. Her district contains roughly 15 state prisons and correctional institutions, which is more than any other congressional district in the country. She said giving officers the ability to turn off these phones will save lives and reduce crime originating from the inside.

Florida Department of Corrections Secretary Richard Comerford called the criminal use of contraband phones a growing crisis. He said the state thanks Chairman Carr, Rep. Cammack, Governor Ron DeSantis, and Attorney General James Uthmeier for recognizing the threat. He added that these officials are working to counteract the 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. Under the proposed order, facilities are not required to use jamming. They must meet technical standards and pass testing to ensure the system does not cause harmful interference outside designated areas. Jamming would be limited to containment areas where wireless use is already prohibited.

Wireless carriers, FirstNet, public safety coordinators, and 911 authorities will receive advance notice before on-site testing. Nearby communities will also be notified before deployment. The FCC will seek public comment on additional measures to close frequency loopholes. It will also explore potential quiet zones around correctional facilities. Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas and Rep. Kustoff introduced the Cellphone Jamming Reform Act to make this authority permanent.