Yesterday, the Federal Communications Commission sent a letter to an individual in Brooklyn, New York, alleging that a device in the individual’s residence that is being used to mine Bitcoin is generating spurious radiofrequency emissions, causing interference to a portion of T-Mobile’s mobile telephone and broadband network.

The letter states that on November 30, 2017, FCC agents investigated complaints of interference by T-Mobile and determined that it was being caused by an Antminer 5s Bitcoin Miner device. The letter states that the determination was specific to this particular device, and is not meant to suggest or find that all Antminer s5 devices cause unlawful interference. As a consequence, the letter does not suggest that all Bitcoin mining devices raise regulatory concerns.

Nevertheless, the letter is an important reminder that while consumer electronics products such as the Antminer s5 do not require an FCC license to operate, they emit radiofrequency energy and therefore must operate within certain parameters to avoid causing harmful interference to other devices or networks.