State prisons could soon jam cell phones inside their walls
What happened
The US communications regulator wants to let state and local prisons block cell phone signals. This would allow prisons to use jamming technology to stop people from using contraband phones inside.
Why it matters
For decades, federal law has made it illegal for anyone but the federal government to jam radio signals. This rule change would let state and local prisons use a technology that has been technically available but legally blocked. It opens a new market for companies that make these jamming systems.
The signal
Watch for the final rule and how quickly state prison systems begin to deploy jamming technology, and whether wireless carriers challenge the new rules.