--- a/mobile/android/base/java/org/mozilla/gecko/Experiments.java
+++ b/mobile/android/base/java/org/mozilla/gecko/Experiments.java
@@ -72,16 +72,19 @@ public class Experiments {
     public static final String COMPACT_TABS = "compact-tabs";
 
     // Enable full bookmark management(full-page dialog, bookmark/folder modification, etc.)
     public static final String FULL_BOOKMARK_MANAGEMENT = "full-bookmark-management";
 
     // Enable Leanplum SDK
     public static final String LEANPLUM = "leanplum-start";
 
+    // Enable processing of background telemetry.
+    public static final String ENABLE_PROCESSING_BACKGROUND_TELEMETRY = "process-background-telemetry";
+
     /**
      * Returns if a user is in certain local experiment.
      * @param experiment Name of experiment to look up
      * @return returns value for experiment or false if experiment does not exist.
      */
     public static boolean isInExperimentLocal(Context context, String experiment) {
         if (SwitchBoard.isInBucket(context, 0, 20)) {
             return Experiments.ONBOARDING3_A.equals(experiment);

--- a/mobile/android/base/java/org/mozilla/gecko/telemetry/TelemetryBackgroundReceiver.java
+++ b/mobile/android/base/java/org/mozilla/gecko/telemetry/TelemetryBackgroundReceiver.java
@@ -12,16 +12,18 @@ import android.content.SharedPreferences
 import android.os.Bundle;
 import android.os.Parcelable;
 import android.support.annotation.NonNull;
 import android.support.annotation.Nullable;
 import android.support.v4.content.LocalBroadcastManager;
 import android.util.Log;
 
 import org.mozilla.gecko.AppConstants;
+import org.mozilla.gecko.Experiments;
+import org.mozilla.gecko.switchboard.SwitchBoard;
 import org.mozilla.gecko.sync.telemetry.TelemetryContract;
 import org.mozilla.gecko.telemetry.pingbuilders.TelemetrySyncEventPingBuilder;
 import org.mozilla.gecko.telemetry.pingbuilders.TelemetrySyncPingBuilder;
 import org.mozilla.gecko.telemetry.pingbuilders.TelemetrySyncPingBundleBuilder;
 import org.mozilla.gecko.telemetry.schedulers.TelemetryUploadAllPingsImmediatelyScheduler;
 import org.mozilla.gecko.telemetry.schedulers.TelemetryUploadScheduler;
 import org.mozilla.gecko.telemetry.stores.TelemetryJSONFilePingStore;
 import org.mozilla.gecko.telemetry.stores.TelemetryPingStore;
@@ -80,16 +82,22 @@ public class TelemetryBackgroundReceiver
         LocalBroadcastManager.getInstance(context).registerReceiver(
                 this, new IntentFilter(ACTION_BACKGROUND_TELEMETRY));
     }
 
     @Override
     public void onReceive(final Context context, final Intent intent) {
         Log.i(LOG_TAG, "Handling background telemetry broadcast");
 
+        // This is our kill-switch for background telemetry (or a functionality throttle).
+        if (!SwitchBoard.isInExperiment(context, Experiments.ENABLE_PROCESSING_BACKGROUND_TELEMETRY)) {
+            Log.i(LOG_TAG, "Background telemetry processing disabled via switchboard.");
+            return;
+        }
+
         if (!intent.hasExtra(TelemetryContract.KEY_TELEMETRY)) {
             throw new IllegalStateException("Received a background telemetry broadcast without data.");
         }
 
         if (!intent.hasExtra(TelemetryContract.KEY_TYPE)) {
             throw new IllegalStateException("Received a background telemetry broadcast without type.");
         }