Recently, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) revealed the illegal use of cellphone signal jammers by some companies and individuals.
A Sydney company installed illegal phone signal jammer blockers without permission because it was worried that the content of its board meetings would be eavesdropped. It is reported that the company took this measure on the advice of a security expert, but the ACMA refused to disclose the specific name of the company. Similarly, a cinema in remote Victoria also used jamming devices to prevent customers from pirating new releases. A warehouse in Melbourne and a debt recovery company in Sydney used the equipment to restrict employees from using mobile phones during working hours.
The destructive effect of jamming devices on communication networks
In Adelaide, a resident's illegal jamming device caused serious interference to the local Telstra network, and the communications regulator did not disclose the specific reason for its use.
In fact, five illegal jamming devices were found in Australia between 2010 and 2011, a fraction of the devices that slipped past the border.
According to the ACMA report, hundreds of public complaints of interference with communications services during that period were not all caused by cell phone jammer s, but their presence significantly affected the normal operation of communications services.
Seizure of signal jamming devices
In the past few years, the Australian Communications and Media Authority has stepped up its crackdown on illegal jamming devices, confiscating 279 prohibited devices, mainly through international mail, customs intercepts and other channels. These devices are often disguised as ordinary electronic products to avoid regulation.
Public use of signal jammer devices
- jammer blockers are illegal in Australia, many people still obtain and use them through international channels. A Sydney resident revealed in an interview that he often uses jammers on trains to avoid being disturbed by other passengers' mobile phones.
- A resident from Cairns said that he bought a jammer in Shanghai three years ago to block other customers' mobile phone signals in the restaurant so that he could enjoy a quiet dining environment.
- It was also reported that a teacher in Canberra had used the device to prevent students from surfing the Internet or making phone calls. Apparently, this behavior also exists in school environments.
In response to the increasing prevalence of jamming devices, ACMA has carried out a series of monitoring and education activities to remind the public and businesses that this behavior is illegal and actively crack down on the illegal sale of these devices.
