The testing and measurement service (PMD) of the Federal Network Agency moved out in good 3500 cases last year to clear up and eliminate radio interference and electromagnetic incompatibilities. This often means that end devices and WLAN routers that are radioing wildly have to be taken out of service.

According to the Federal Network Agency, every fourth disruption concerned a security or system-relevant radio service such as that operated by authorities and organizations with security tasks, for example aviation radio. In the public cellular networks alone, the PMD processed around 89 disruptions to ensure high availability of the network infrastructure for cell phones.

2019 the inspectors still had almost 4000 Cases must be active 2018 in around 4700. The fact that the PMD intervened less often last year could be due to a further decrease in the number of disruptions despite increasing frequency usage or to restrictions and the setting of priorities during the corona crisis. For 2019 the authority had also separately stated that the PMD in over 1200 Cases also eliminated disturbances in the private environment, for example around WLAN, DSL connections or devices such as wireless headphones, car keys and garage door openers.

Areas of application The auditors are always asked when impairments to radio and telecommunications services have no operational causes, but are caused by unwanted or impermissible radio emissions or other electromagnetic effects. The PMD also checks whether supply obligations in mobile communications are implemented and limit values ​​for electromagnetic environmental compatibility are observed. His employees are also looking for frequency uses without allocation.

The PMD is at 19 locations in Germany represented with measuring vehicles, operates a measuring laboratory for market surveillance and a satellite measuring point. Consumers and companies can contact 04821 / 89 55 19 or to funkstoerung@bnetza.de free of charge Report radio interference. Those who cause radio interference do not have to fear any costs as long as they are not directly to blame. However, if you specifically use jammers or cell phone killers to make reception more difficult or interrupt it, you could use PMD at costs of over 1000 Euro will be charged. Unapproved repeaters, DVB-T antennas, forgotten house antenna amplifiers, stray DECT base stations or baby phones cause the major network operators to send out their own “radiation hunters” or external teams.

(anw)