[FedCom] Cell Phone Jammers

[Punworg]

Feds confirm use of cell phone jammers?

>From an ABC News article yesterday:
---------

The devices are illegal in the United States,
punishable by an $11,000 fine per day and up to one
year in prison. The ban is supported by the
influential cell-phone industry.

"It's stealing," said John Walls, vice president of
public affairs for the Cellular Telecommunications &
Internet Association. "People pay a lot of money for
their cell phones. Companies pay a lot of money to
have rights to the air waves."

Despite the ban, cell phone jamming manufacturers
outside the United States say the devices are being
used in the country.

"I am confident that some jammers of mine are in the
states," said Avraham Bussu, managing director of SESP
Group, an Israeli company that makes cell phone
jammers. "I am sure about this, and I'm sure not only
mine. I can show you every day requests that I have
from the States."

Bussu says two-thirds of his business — which he says
is booming — stems from security concerns, "to protect
the possibility of activating any bomb, so there is a
need to install this kind of system to protect
activation of bomb."

U.S. security officials use them, legally, as a
precaution against explosives triggered by cell phones
— like those used in the Madrid train bombing last
year.

But not all use of the jammers is constructive. Many
business travelers suspect some U.S. hotels of using
jammers illegally to force guests to use the hotel
phones, which can be more expensive. And there are a
number of individuals who apparently use them as
pranks.

The U.S. government says widespread use of jammers
could wreak havoc.

Said Walls: "There are a lot of health-care
professionals, a lot of moms and dads, a lot of people
who need to be in contact 24/7."

The problem is that right now there is no easy way to
jam the irritating calls while letting the truly
important ones go through. 


		
__________________________________ 
Do you Yahoo!? 
Make Yahoo! your home page 
http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs