Chairman Wheeler's Response to Sens Re: Stingray Cell Site Simulators

On Oct 7th, several Senators wrote to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler regarding reports about state and local law enforcement's use of "cell site simulators" -- portable surveillance devices that collect cell phone identification and location information by mimicking cellphone towers, also known as "stingrays".

On Nov 23, Chairman Wheeler responded by discussing the conditions of cell site simulator (CSS) equipment authorizations. He wrote, "Each of our CSS equipment authorizations includes two important conditions. First, '[t]he marketing and sale of these devices shall be limited to federal, state, local public safety and law enforcement officials only.' Second, 'State and local law enforcement agencies must advance coordinate with the FBI the acquisition and use of the equipment authorized under this authorization.' Thus, our equipment authorization expressly contemplated that use of the equipment by state and local law enforcement would be under the auspices of the FBI. Notably, the implementation of these conditions does not mention nor did we require a nondisclosure agreement between a purchaser and the FBI."