The use of jammers authorized by the French army

The ban on the use of mobile phones at the beginning of the 2017 school year, and other facts, such as the GPS jammer blocked Nantes Airport in April last year, reminded people of the existence of these devices, which made them inoperable. Electronic Communications. If these materials exist, who can decide to implement them? The latest information about applicable laws.

Article L33-3-1 of the Postal and Electronic Communications Law prohibits the installation, possession and use of any jammer equipment designed to prevent transmission and transmission of various types of electronic communications equipment. Reception. Failure to comply with the ban is punishable by six months’ imprisonment and a fine of 30,000 euros (Article L39-1 of the Postal and Electronic Communications Act).

Article L33-3, Paragraph 2 of the Post and Telecommunications Law provides for exemptions "for public order, national defense and national security or judicial public service needs".

This is how France authorizes the military, the Directorate-General of External Security and the prison to use and use cell phone jammer. According to a report by the National Assembly, deliberate interference is a sovereign privilege.

No expansion plan for schools

In order to prevent premature use of mobile phones during school hours, some people propose to install "corrugated jammers" in schools. The Chief Inspector of National Education has considered this issue. It points out that this device is not optional, it will also be related to teachers, and in an emergency (attack...), it will restrict communication with the outside world.

From a strict legal point of view, the 2012 ministerial response reviewed the prohibition in Article L. 33-3-1 of the Postal and Electronic Communications Act and the fact that such use was permitted in a derogatory manner, "Public Order , National defense and national security or judicial public service needs". Unauthorized use is not mentioned in the exhaustive list of exemptions, therefore unauthorized use in schools.

Special and time-limited exemptions for performance venues

The 2011 decree that introduced the ban came into effect on February 1, 2012. However, according to Article 57 of the decree, radio equipment can disable all types of mobile phones (transmitting and receiving), and institutions established within the scope of the performance hall on the date of the issuance of the regulation can continue to be authorized for five years. The problem of using mobile phones in theaters emerged in the 1990s, and this scrambling technique has been effective for some time. The goal of this five-year period (now expired) is to allow theater owners to uninstall equipment.

Now, there are other forms of regulation (information, self-discipline, etc.). In addition, on the contrary, due to the threat of terrorists, the use of mobile phones, including in these places, must not be prevented.