Personal wireless devices disrupt emergency services Published Oct. 20, 2011 By 2nd Lt. Hope Cronin 18th Wing Public Affairs KADENA AIR BASE, Japan -- Government of Japan officials recently met with Kadena Air Base leadership to discuss the implications of 20 reported violations involving the use of foreign-made wireless products. These products, which include baby monitors, family service radios, and cordless phones, operate at the Japanese-banned 900 megahertz level. Japanese officials are seeking help from all members of the Kadena community to help put an end to radio interference of emergency services caused by the use of unauthorized wireless devices. "The wireless devices which are brought from other countries besides Japan may cause a delayed response to save lives in emergency situations," said Kazushi Suzuki, Director of Radio Monitoring and Investigation Division from the Okinawa Office of Telecommunications, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communication. The 900 MHz spectrum is reserved for Japanese emergency services, cellular-phone services, and other local businesses which pay to use frequencies at that level. Foreign-made products may illegally disrupt communications during emergency situations and could mean the difference between life and death. "The frequency from foreign-made baby monitors sometimes interferes with the same frequency used by cell phone base stations," said Suzuki. "The cell phone users may not be able to reach police or fire stations in an emergency." The Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications maintains 24/7 monitoring through the DEURAS System, a main monitoring system for radio waves which detects unlicensed radio waves. The system is capable of not only detecting violations, but also pinpointing the location of the violations. According to the GoJ, DEURAS reported 20 violations spanning from April 2010 to March 2011. Of these 20 violations, 15 occurred on Kadena AB and Camp Shields and five occurred in off-base housing. Highlighting the seriousness of the issue, future violations will be addressed by both the Housing Department and unit supervisors. "If a violation is suspected, the GoJ office contacts the Housing Department and the Kadena Spectrum Manager," said John Kraft, Chief of Facilities, Department of Defense Housing. "We then notify the supervision of the accused member, on or off-base." All wireless devices sold at local Exchange Service centers, such as the Exchange, operate within the legal spectrum. To verify wireless devices are compliant with the law and support the safety of the community, all personnel who fall under the U.S.-Japan Status of Forces Agreement should locate the technical conformity mark, also known as a certification mark, on all wireless devices. This mark verifies that the device will not interfere with Japanese emergency services. "If you don't use these kinds of wireless devices, we can create an environment where the local community, as well as military members who reside off-base, can live in safety and security," said Suzuki.