A system for bringing a portable telecommunications device into compliance with local telecommunications requirements is described. Systems on the portable telecommunication device scan the local environment to determine if the operating characteristics of the portable telecommunication device are like those in the vicinity of the device or are different from those in the device's vicinity. If the communications characteristics of the portable telecommunication device are different from those in its immediate vicinity, then the portable telecommunications device undertakes one or more remedial actions to bring its operations into compliance with local telecommunications requirements.