photo credit: Verizon to Pay $93.5 M

Verizon Wireless has agreed to pay $93.5 Million to the US government. According to an article written by Brad Reed, ITWorldCanada, the original complaint was filed against Verizon in 2007. MCI (starting in 1999) began overcharging the government by “submitting invoices for payment to the United States for certain surcharges … that it is prohibited from charging the United States under Federal Acquisition Regulations … and the FTS 2001 contract.” Since Verizon and MCI merged in 2006, the courts found Verizon liable for MCI’s actions.

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photo credit: GPS Systems Jammed

Despite warnings and concerns by the FAA and the Defense Department, LightSquared was given conditional approval. The plan is for LightSquared to install up to 40,000 terrestrial cell phone base stations across the U.S. to augment its mobile satellite communications service. The FAA is concerned with test results involving the Garmin International GPS system that was jammed by the LightSquared transmitter. Not only does this affect GPS systems in vehicles, but also in airplanes. This can’t be good.

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photo credit: Cell Phone Cubby

Schools are looking to purchase cell phone signal jammers. The misuse of cell phones during class is causing the teachers to fight back. Not only is it a huge distraction during class while teachers are trying to actually teach, but there is also concern that cheating is more prevalent with the ongoing texting. Read the rest of this entry »

photo credit: Jammed Cell Phone

The FCC not only regulates cell phone signal boosters, but also regulates the cell phone signal jammers. The way the law reads now, jammers can only be sold to federal authorities. In October, the US Senate passed the Safe Prison Act, allowing prisons to apply to deploy a cell phone jammer to block wireless coverage in the prison. This holds true for state prisons as well as federal prisons. Read the rest of this entry »