Transportation issues advisory banning signal jammers and repeaters

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has issued a notice advising against the use of cellular signal jammers, GPS blockers, or other signal jamming devices by the general public, stating that it is illegal unless specifically authorized by the government.

A memorandum was publicly released by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) on July 1, aiming to address public concerns. Within this memorandum, it was made clear that the government-approved jammers can only be obtained and utilized by states, union territories, defense forces, and central police organizations.

The advisory mentioned that private sector organizations and private individuals are not permitted to obtain or employ jammers in India.

Jammers approved by the competent authority can be employed by examination conducting bodies under the union/state government or union territories, sourced from authorized vendors and approved models.

Furthermore, it has been emphasized by the Department of Telecommunications that the advertisement, sale, distribution, importation, or any other marketing of jammers in India is against the law, unless specifically allowed by government regulations.

The Department of Transportation (DoT) has classified the use of mobile signal repeaters and boosters by individuals as illegal, not just limited to jammers. A memo released by the DoT emphasizes that the unauthorized use of repeaters can have adverse consequences on public telecommunication services by compromising their quality and coverage, leading to interference and disruption.

Back in January, the DoT had sent out a strict warning to e-commerce giants like Amazon, Flipkart, Snapdeal, Alibaba, Aliexpress, Ebay, and others, advising them against aiding in the sale of wireless jammer.