Cell-Jamming NPRM Adds Numerous Questions on Pilot Project
The FCC added a section to its Further NPRM seeking comment on whether correctional facilities should be allowed to jam cell signals, with an eye to preventing the use of contraband phones. Commissioners approved the NPRM Tuesday 3-0, with questions on a potential pilot program added at the request of Commissioner Anna Gomez (see 2509300063).
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
Communications Daily is required reading for senior executives at top telecom corporations, law firms, lobbying organizations, associations and government agencies (including the FCC). Join them today!
There were few changes to the NPRM between the draft and final version, except deep in the document where a section and four paragraphs were added on a proposed pilot. “We now seek comment on a phased implementation of jamming solutions, such as a pilot program in controlled environments, or an initial restriction to facilities located in areas, such as potentially rural areas, that might pose an even lower risk of harmful interference,” the final NPRM says.
The NPRM now seeks comment “on the costs and benefits of phased implementation.” What objectives should the pilot “seek to achieve?” it asks. “Could such a program help the Commission and other participants assess the accuracy and precision of jammers prior to more intensive deployment? Could it help develop greater insights on the technical feasibility and challenges of jamming?” It also asks about the dangers that a phased implementation could “inhibit manufacturers from developing equipment at scale” and “prevent facilities from deploying technologies needed to combat the influx of contraband devices.”
In addition, the NPRM now seeks comment on the appropriate parameters for a phased implementation, including the optimal length of a pilot. It asks how the FCC should select participants and whether to “prioritize facilities with a greater volume of contraband devices.” Can a pilot “be limited in a way that allows us to proceed cautiously while providing the benefits of representative sampling?” All three commissioners had written comments added to the NPRM.