DoT Issues Advisory Against Use of Signal Jammers and Repeaters by Private Organizations and Individuals

Key Pointers

• The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has issued an advisory against using signal jammers, blockers, boosters, or repeaters by the general public unless the government specifically permits it.
• DoT clarifies that only states, union territories, defense, and central forces can obtain and use jammers as permitted by the government.
• DoT also stated that it is illegal to sell, distribute, advertise, import, or market jammers in India unless government guidelines permit it.

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has issued an advisory to the general public against the usage of cellular signal jammers, GPS blockers, repeaters, or other signal jamming devices by the general public, deeming it unlawful unless it is specifically permitted by the government.

DoT Clarifies That Usage Of Signal Jammers, Repeaters As Illegal

The DoT clarified that only states, union territories, defense forces, and central police organizations could obtain and use jammers approved by the government. Jammers can also be used by the examination conducting bodies under the state/ central government, union territories from authorized vendors, and approved models after seeking proper permission from the competent authority.

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) also stated that it is illegal to distribute, sell, advertise, import, or market jammers in India, except in a way that is permitted by the guidelines of the government.

The DoT has deemed not only jammers illegal but also the use of mobile signal repeaters and boosters by individuals. The memorandum said that the unauthorized use of repeaters could adversely interfere with and disrupt public telecommunication services by jeopardizing the quality and coverage of such services. It causes inconvenience to mobile users and hampers access to emergency call services which becomes a risk to public health and safety.

The DoT had issued a stern warning to e-commerce companies, including Amazon, Flipkart, Snapdeal, Alibaba, AliExpress, eBay, and others, against facilitating the sale of wireless jammers earlier in January.

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