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. signal jammer Some residents said that their phones were out of touch almost 24 hours a day, and daily communications came to a standstill. cell phone jammer
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.
Technical Difficulties and Future Outlook
Although the original intention of the T-HCBS system was to ensure the safety and order of prisons, its overly strong interference signals have caused practical troubles to the surrounding communities. How to effectively interfere with illegal communications in prisons without affecting the normal lives of nearby residents has become a technical challenge faced by the Indian government and prison management.
The case of Bangalore highlights the chain reaction that may be triggered by the actual application of technical means. In the future, more sophisticated debugging and scientific arrangements may be needed to balance security needs with the normal operation of people's daily lives.