Analysis of aggregate cell phone jammer emissions at prison facilities is beyond the scope of the report, as aggregate analysis would require detailed knowledge of specific facilities’ physical characteristics, the exact placement of individual jamming transmitters within such facilities, and the exact electronic characteristics of the jamming transmitters.
After the Nabha jail-break in 2016, the Burail jail authorities had written to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for upgrading the cell phone jamming system from 2G network to 4G network or to a better version. But no action has been taken so far in this regard.
Variations in jammer designs and emission characteristics, structural and attenuation characteristics of buildings, and site-dependent propagation factors would be expected to produce different results for different signal jammer installations at Cumberland FCI or other facilities. Analysis of the jammer’s potential for harmful interference to licensed radio services, if any, outside the targeted prison cell is beyond the scope of this report.
In a bid to put a check on the usage of electronic devices for cheating during UPSC preliminary exams on June 3, jammers will be installed at exam centres. District magistrate VK Singh said that they had completed all arrangements for the exam.
On Friday, divisional commissioner PV Jaganmohan held a review meeting with district magistrates of all four districts of Bareilly division on UPSC preliminary exam. The DM said that Bharat Electronics Ltd would install jammers at all the 37 exam centres. “It has been learnt that during various entrance and competitive exams, aspirants have been caught cheating using bluetooth and wifi enabled electronic devices hidden under their collars, inside a button of their shirts or in their pens. Now, even if a candidate succeeds in taking such a device inside the examination centre, he or she wouldn’t be able to use it,” the DM said. Two or more jammers would be installed at every exam centre depending on requirements.
Data from the test show that the micro-jammer’s signal disrupted commercial wireless signals inside the prison cell, which meant that if cellphones were operating inside the cell, they would have been rendered inoperable. At 20 ft. and 100 ft. outside the cell, however, the micro-jammer signals did not disrupt the commercial wireless signals.
The data in the report will be used by BOP and the Department to understand the efficacy of micro-jamming, conduct further evaluation of jamming technology, and develop recommendations for strategic planning.