CHAPTER 33A. TELECOMMUNICATIONS CRIMES
This section of the Texas Penal Code establishes legal definitions and criminal penalties for various telecommunications-related crimes. The statutes prohibit the unauthorized use of services by industry insiders and criminalize the theft of services through deceptive means or fraudulent equipment. Specifically, it is illegal to manufacture, possess, or distribute counterfeit hardware or instructions intended to bypass security and payment systems. The law also addresses modern digital deception by banning the manipulation of caller identification data with the intent to harm or defraud others. Penalties range from misdemeanors to first-degree felonies, often scaling based on the financial value of the stolen service or the defendant's prior criminal history. These regulations ensure that both service providers and consumers are protected from the misuse of communications technology and infrastructure.
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