Antminer S5 mining rig jams mobile networks, FCC reviews the model

Antminer S5 produced by Bitmain is a relatively popular application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) that cryptocurrency enthusiasts use to generate new blocks in the blockchain of Bitcoin and solve difficult algorithms in exchange for coins. This device has become the reason of malfunctioning of the mobile networks in Brooklyn, New York, as recently noted by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission.

Looks like that the side effects of some mining devices include not only the heat they produce, mining rigs can also act as a jamming devices for mobile networks because of the radio interference they make. It should be noted here that all electrically powered devices are making radio interference, as every amateur shortwave radio operator would confirm, but interfering with ultra high frequency waves requires much more power consumption and activity than shortwave interference which is easily caused by simple television sets and computers.

Anyway, the FCC is now investigating if other identical devices of the same model produced by Bitmain are capable of making the same negative influence on the local mobile networks. Reports suggest that it was T-Mobile company that has suffered from a Brooklyn miner last year.