Parappana Agrahara Central Jail in southeast Bangalore recently installed a new signal jammer system to curb the illegal use of mobile phones by prisoners. However, this measure, which was intended to maintain prison security, has caused an unexpected side effect: the daily lives of nearby residents have been seriously disrupted.cell phone jammer

Prison jammers and residents' communication dilemma

　　In January this year, in response to the problem of prisoners using banned mobile phones, Bangalore Jail introduced a new "Tower Harmony Call Blocking System" (T-HCBS). GPS jammerAccording to the prison, this jammer system replaced the old equipment to more effectively cut off prisoners' illegal mobile phone communications. However, residents of nearby apartments have become "innocent victims" in this upgrade.Wifi jammer

　　Residents living within 500 meters of the prison have complained that they cannot make calls or receive text messages at home due to the strong signal coverage of the drone jammer. The problem is particularly serious for residents within 100 meters. Some residents said that their phones were out of touch almost 24 hours a day, and daily communications came to a standstill.

Communication barriers affect daily life

　　The installation of these jammers not only affects the social connections of residents, but also brings serious troubles to their daily lives. For example, Akash Sharma's family has suffered greatly. He shared: "Last month, my three-year-old child fell ill at school. The school tried to contact me and my wife to inform us of the situation, but the call could not be connected due to the jammer." This incident caused Sharma's concern because their children are at an age that requires parents' attention at all times.

　　Residents also pointed out that the poor network made it impossible to receive OTP (one-time password), affecting online payments and logistics delivery. Delivery agents and restaurant takeaway staff were unable to complete orders because they could not contact customers, which put residents in the dilemma of supplies not arriving in time.

Prison authorities' response and technical challenges

　　In response to residents' complaints, Malini Krishnamoorthy, director general of Bangalore Prison, said that they are aware of the problem and are actively looking for solutions. “We recently reduced the power of the jammers and conducted a test to see if we could reduce the impact on nearby residents,” she said. “However, the result of reducing the power was that the signal shielding effect inside the prison was reduced.”

　　According to senior prison officials, the T-HCBS system has been deployed in many places across the country, including 14 prisons in Jammu and Kashmir and Tihar Jail in Delhi. Next, the jammers are planned to be installed in seven other central prisons in Karnataka. This plan shows that although technical issues are still being adjusted, the Indian government’s determination to curb illegal communications in prisons cannot be ignored.