FCC Proposes Biggest Fine in Agency History Against Chinese Company for Allegedly Selling Illegal Cell Jammers
The FCC said Thursday it is proposing the largest fine in agency history for the alleged illegal marketing of 285 models of signal jamming devices to U.S. consumers for more than two years. The FCC proposed a fine of $34.9 million against Chinese company C.T.S. Technology, an electronics manufacturer and online retailer.
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The company allegedly misled U.S. consumers by claiming that the FCC approved certain cell signal jammers, while all such devices are illegal, the agency said in a news release (http://fcc.us/1iKRegy). “Signal jammers present a direct danger to public safety, potentially blocking the communications of first responders,” said Travis LeBlanc, acting chief of the Enforcement Bureau. “Operating a jammer is also illegal, and consumers who do so face significant civil and criminal penalties.”
The FCC also ordered C.T.S. to stop marketing illegal signal jammers in the U.S. and provide the agency with information about any persons and entities in the United Sates that purchased its devices. The FCC said it proposed the largest fine allowed for each individual model allegedly marketed by C.T.S.
FCC investigators went undercover to buy 10 devices from C.T.S., said a notice of apparent liability adopted by the commission Wednesday and released Thursday (http://fcc.us/1rcuWcA).
An FCC official said the agency has successfully brought similar enforcement actions against other international companies, consistent with the Hague Service Convention, which allows service of documents from one signatory state to another. China is a signatory to the convention. The complaint involves more than just marketing, since undercover agents bought devices directly from C.T.S. The website ships worldwide and prices are in U.S. dollars, the official said.
"We appreciate the forceful penalty the FCC imposed today to enforce its prohibition on cellphone jamming by anyone other than law enforcement,” said Scott Bergmann, CTIA vice president-regulatory affairs. “We hope today’s action by the FCC stops any other manufacturer of this illegal technology.” C.T.S. did not comment by our deadline.