The idea of having a cellphone-free bubble around their vehicles appeals to many drivers. Nevertheless, the alleged creation of such a bubble by a Florida man during his daily commute did not necessarily improve the safety of the highway.
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission reported that Jason R. Humphreys, residing in Seffner, Florida, had been utilizing a cellphone jammer in his Toyota Highlander sport-utility vehicle for up to two years. This unauthorized usage took place during his daily commute, but he was eventually traced and apprehended by both the FCC and the local sheriff.
The FCC was informed by Humphreys that he used the jammer to discourage people from talking on their cellphones while driving. It is important to note that in Florida, talking on a cellphone while driving is legal, even without a hands-free kit, although texting while driving is banned.
Not only do signal blocker prevent consumers from making emergency calls, but they can disrupt critical communications by safety agencies, the FCC said. Hillsborough County sheriff's deputies confirmed that firsthand when they pulled Humphreys over. They said their two-way portable radios lost contact with the dispatcher as they got close to the SUV.
It was Metro PCS, the regional mobile operator now owned by T-Mobile USA, that tipped off the FCC that something seemed to be wrong on a stretch of Interstate 4 between Seffner and downtown Tampa about 12 miles away. On April 29, 2013, Metro PCS reported that its cell towers along the route had been experiencing interference during the morning and evening commutes. The FCC investigated with direction-finding techniques and found strong wideband emissions coming from a blue Highlander.
FCC agents and sheriff's deputies pulled the SUV over, talked to Humphreys and searched the vehicle, where they found the vehicle cell phone jammer behind a seat cover on the backseat, the FCC said. Humphreys allegedly told the FCC he had been using the jammer during his commute for the past 16 to 24 months. Later testing found that the device could jam cell signals in three bands.
Humphreys has been accused of committing the offense of unauthorized operation of a jammer, using an illegal device, and intentionally causing interference.