FCC to fine Chinese electronics maker $34.9 million for marketing cell phone jammers in the US

[Shawn Knight]

The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday announced intentions to fine a Chinese electronics maker a record $34.9 million for selling cell phone jammers in the US according to a statement on the matter.

The FCC alleges C.T.S. Technology Co. Ltd marketed 285 models of cell phone signal jammers to US consumers for more than two years. Offerings ranged from small handheld devices to larger stationary installations with up to eight antennas capable of blocking all popular wireless RF signals including, 2G/3G/4G mobile phone, WiFi Bluetooth, UHF, VHF, GPS, LoJack, remote control and so on.

To help build their case, undercover FCC personnel purchased 10 high-powered signal jammers from C.T.S.

Travis LeBlanc, Acting Chief of the Enforcement Bureau, said all companies, whether domestic or foreign, are banned from marketing illegal jammers in the US. He added that they present a direct danger to public safety as they could potentially block the communications of first responders. What’s more, operating a jammer is illegal and consumers who do so face significant civil and criminal penalties.

The penalty was so high in part because C.T.S. Technology Co. Ltd claimed that select devices had been approved for use by the FCC. As such, the FCC applied the maximum file allowed for each jammer model. The FCC is also ordering C.T.S. to provide information about any persons and entities in the US that purchased the illegal devices.

The company has 30 days to respond to the complaint or pay the fine.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/57170-fcc-to-fine-chinese-electronics-maker-349-million-for-marketing-cell-phone-jammers-in-the-us.html

 

[cliffordcooley]

FCC gets their panties in a wad, when they loss their surveillance capabilities!

 

[veLa]

That's a shame. Jamming signals illegally is cool.

 

[misor]

Lol. cellphone jamming was also an issue in Philippine presidential election (2010) when 'automated voting' was first used.
eligible voters used ballots which were fed to voting machines (which used any of the three SIMs from Philippine telecoms). electronic transmittal of votes from polling precincts to the central server of the commission on elections (comelec) then followed. the transmittal was 'allegedly' blocked by these cellphone jammers.

FCC gets their panties in a wad, when they loss their surveillance capabilities!

all those spy agencies of the u.s. government must be up in arms. (CIA, FBI, NSA, etc.)

 

[wastedkill]

They aren't suing the chinese maker because they did something illegal they are suing them because they didn't know it was happening as it took them 2years before they caught on so they got all up in arms and sued them for being more skilled as spies then the US.

 

[Guest]

Were they selling them, or celling them? haw haw

 

[at0mic_Mike]

I need one of these to keep all the inconsiderate a-holes off their phones when they want something.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

I was wondering why my line suddenly went dead when I was chatting to your president while he was busy inviting me around to the White House for a BBQ, beers and strip show.

 

[rub900]

To all the posts above. Hope your phone gets jammed when you really need help.

 

[cliffordcooley]

To all the posts above. Hope your phone gets jammed when you really need help.

I for one don't absolutely need phone. And wish I could mount a jammer in my car to disrupt anyone around me from being a road hazard.

 

[Hexic]

It's an understandable reaction by the FCC. This Chinese company broke the law, and lied about them being 'approved' by the FCC. It's as simple as that.

I can understand the feelings of government paranoia, but a broken law is broken law. They were caught, and then punished for it. I wouldn't want to be injured in some way while some ***** had a jammer blocking the first responder radios. I may not make it.

 

[Lucius Dark]

The FCC should be fining hate radio and FoxNews for actions that could result the the actual deaths of people. Many hate radio mongers have suggested on the air and encouraged their listeners to go out and murder people. Cell jammers are a trivial matter and completely unenforceable as China is a sovereign country.

 

[robertocarlus]

NSA/CIA don't like competition on their turf!! USA citizens are to be spied upon by American companies with American hardware, to help local jobs .

 

[cliffordcooley]

American hardware? That one is funny! We would be hard pressed to find anything 100% American, especially when it comes to electronics.

 

[ciu taiwan]

When using Jammer, you need a licence.
If you are worry about mobile spy, you can try RF shielding bag. No signal can go in/out.