A cosmetology school located near Dallas has found a use for a 5W adjustable cell phone blocker - creating a peaceful environment in the classrooms. The decision to install this jamming device, along with three others waiting to be set up, was just one step in a series of actions that unfolded last week.
Phonejammer.com, a London-based company, has been under the FCC's observation for quite some time. In 2008, the agency issued a citation to Phonejammer (PDF) for their involvement in marketing radio frequency devices intended to intentionally interfere with cellular and PCS frequencies in the United States.
The company denied marketing these products in the US, where they are illegal, but FCC staff observed that the signal blocker were priced in US currency, the default shipping location was set to the United States, and the site featured testimonials from US citizens who had purchased phone jammers from Phonejammer. Additionally, the jammers on the site were designed to target US cellular and PCS frequencies.
It is possible to have concerns about the federal government's involvement in your business operations, which may prompt you to consider making changes. However, this does not apply to Phonejammer. On November 9, 2009, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) received a complaint, presumably from AT&T, regarding cellular interference in the 800MHz and 1900MHz frequency bands. The FCC's Texas field office staff investigated the issue and traced it back to the Cosmetology Career Center in Carrollton, Texas. They discovered a 5W jammer on the premises (PDF).
Phonejammer's legal representative informed the FCC earlier this year that the company has not sent out or distributed any units to the United States.
The 5W jammer offered by the Cosmetology Career Center is currently priced at $395. Equipped with two antennas, it boasts a jamming radius of 2-25m and effectively blocks PCS, GSM, and CDMA signals ranging from 850MHz to 2100MHz. According to the website, its "operating location" is specified as South America and Africa.
It is interesting to note that in Texas and Florida, individuals are allowed to openly carry firearms into a Starbucks, while the same does not apply to phone jammers. Therefore, when a cell phone disrupts the peace at a nearby table and the owner loudly answers the call, the only recourse is to either ignore the disturbance or resort to using a firearm. This situation raises concerns about the effectiveness of current public policy regulations.