MIAMI (CBS4) ―

It's a device CBS4 showed you just last year. It's used to kill all cell phone calls in an area, but some worry the little device could cause big trouble during a disaster, and it's even attracted attention from at least one Congresswoman.

"There's not a sexual predator in anybody's neighborhood who wouldn't want to have this around," said Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.

Technically, cell phone jammers are banned by the Federal Communications Commission. The law says the technology can't be sold, bought, or imported.

The CBS4 I-Team started investigating cell phone jammers a few years ago. The I-Team wanted to know if it was possible to buy one. It was easy to purchase, and even just recently the same one was being sold on the Internet, along with others that are more powerful.

Some of the devices not only reach a few yards away from you, but also can knock out cell phone signals within 100 yards, the size of a football field.

"Look it's a big thing. It's out of control you can buy those. They shouldn't be able to buy them. We should all, as citizens concerned about our safety, have the ability to dial 911 on cell phones," security expert Wayne Black said.

One local company, Cell Antenna based in Coral Springs makes the cell phone jammers. Howard Melamed argues the devices should be sold, but on a limited basis.

"We want police departments, prison authorities, bomb squads to be able to use the jamming equipment," Melamed said. "We give them bullets to put into the guns; the FCC says we can't give them jamming equipment. It's absolutely ridiculous."

Still, lawmakers like Ros-Lehtinen worry the jammers, even if only sold to government agencies, may fall into the wrong hands.

"I just think if you start making exceptions for state government, for local government, we have so many small cities here that pretty soon it would be in the general public," the Congresswoman said.

After finding several of the devices being sold on Amazon.com, the I-Team called Amazon to see why it was selling the jammers. A spokesman told CBS4 a third party seller had listed the product on their website for sale. Hours after the call, Amazon took the device sale off-line. But, the devices are still for sale online from other websites, including those in foreign countries.

The FCC has taken action against some of the website selling jammers. The government agency issued a citation to a company in England claiming it was advertising the devices to U.S. customers. If a company doesn't comply with the FCC, it could be fined as much as $11,000.

###

Home | Press Releases