FCC Advances Rule Reinterpreting Section 333 for Prison Jamming

A unanimous Federal Communications Commission vote advanced a proposal to allow state and local correctional facilities to deploy targeted cellphone‑jamming systems by effectively reinterpreting Section 333 of the Communications Act to treat contraband phones as “non‑authorized” devices. Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond — joined by 21 other state attorneys general — and state corrections leaders including South Carolina DOC Director Joel Anderson urged the change, citing tens of thousands of contraband phones used to run drug operations, order hits, intimidate witnesses and coordinate criminal activity. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr and other commissioners said targeted systems can be precise enough to avoid disrupting lawful communications and envisioned cooperation with wireless carriers to limit harmful interference. The action opens the proposal for public comment and will require a further FCC vote before prisons could voluntarily implement jamming, while congressional allies including Rep. David Kustoff and Sen. Tom Cotton support parallel legislation.