FCC to Consider Allowing Cellphone Jamming in Prisons

By Charlie Lange

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Later this month, the Federal Communications Commission will vote on a plan to lift restrictions on jamming cellphone signals in state and federal prisons.

In a Sept. 5 press conference in Little Rock, Ark., FCC Chair Brendan Carr, along with Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Attorney General Tim Griffin, said the potential move is intended to crack down on inmates who use contraband cellphones to commit crimes.

“For years, thousands upon thousands of contraband cellphones have been pouring into prisons, and some of the worst possible offenders have been using them to order hits, coordinate violent gang activity and aid criminal enterprises,” Carr said in a statement. “While the FCC has authorized a range of solutions in the past, it has stopped short of allowing jamming. It is time to empower law enforcement to put additional solutions in place — including jamming.”

Current federal legislation prohibits states and localities from taking such actions, but Carr attributed the ban to a “misreading” of law and hopes the FCC will vote to overturn the rule in its upcoming vote on Sept. 30.

“It may not be a silver bullet, it may not be the right fit for every facility, but there are certainly lots and lots of facilities around this country where this type of solution will and can make a significant difference,” Carr said.

According to Carr’s statement, the prevalence of contraband cellphones in U.S. correctional facilities has been threatening the safety of prison staff, inmates and members of the general public for years. One study from 2024 found that authorities recovered more than 25,000 cellphones in prisons over a one-year period.

Earlier on the day of the Little Rock press conference, Carr, Cotton and Griffin toured the Varner Unit of the Arkansas Department of Corrections, where Griffin said the group got to “see firsthand how cellphone jamming in prisons would benefit Arkansas.” After the meeting, the group joined Gov. Sanders, ADOC Secretary Lindsay Wallace and other public safety officials for a roundtable discussion.

“Today’s tour of Varner Prison in Arkansas reaffirmed what we’ve long known — contraband cellphones are a real and ongoing problem in our correctional system,” said Cotton. “These phones are a security risk that allow criminals to coordinate crimes while sitting behind bars.”

In addition to supporting the FCC’s most recent efforts, Sen. Cotton was the lead sponsor of the Cellphone Jamming Reform Act, which was last introduced to the U.S. Senate in March but has yet to move past the committee stage.

The proposal to allow cellphone jamming will be submitted as a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for the Sept. 30 vote. If the FCC votes to move forward with the proposal, it will be published in the Federal Register, with public comments open for a 30-day period, along with a 45-day period for replies from the FCC.

In the meantime, some legislators and corrections industry groups — including the Correctional Leaders Association — have voiced their support for the FCC’s proposal.

“Cellphone jamming technology is a vital tool for ensuring the safety and security of our correctional facilities, staff, inmates and the broader community,” said Rob Jeffreys, CLA President and Director of the Nebraska Department of Corrections. “The CLA stands ready to support the FCC in implementing these measures effectively and responsibly,” the statement continued.