The government on Thursday submitted amendments to the Act on Electronic Communication Services to Parliament for approval with the view to ban unauthorised possession of jammers, said the Ministry of Transport and Communications in a press release.
The amendments apply to equipment that interfere with radio communications, so-called jammers.
The President is scheduled to approve the bill on 24 April and the act is scheduled to enter into force on 1 July 2026.
The amendments concern provisions on equipment used for jamming or spoofing radio communications.
Systems that use radio communications include mobile communications networks and satellite positioning systems, such as GPS.
The amendments will criminalise unauthorised possession of jammers and enable their confiscation.
Currently, jammers are considered to be radio transmitters, whose possession is subject to authorisation.
A distinct definition will be introduced for jammers, separate from radio transmitters, allowing stricter regulation of such devices.
Criminalising unauthorised possession of jammers will improve the authorities’ options to intervene in the import of jamming devices.
The amendment will set clearer conditions for the authorities and other authorised parties concerning the use and possession of jammers.
Authorised possession, import and use of devices intended for jamming radio communications will be permitted for research and product development purposes, provided that certain conditions are met.
The proposal also introduces exceptions for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and its member states regarding the right of the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom) to check radio equipment or jammers and confiscate them for inspection.
