Kordia will lead a trial with the Department of Corrective Services to benchmark two jamming devices that could be used in jails to crack down on crime behind bars.

ACMA issued an exemption in September 2010 allowing Corrective Services to test jamming devices from a number of suppliers and report back to the Australian Communications and Media Authority with the results.

Benchmark testing of these two devices will take place at Silverwater Jail where testing can occur within a shielded area which will not disrupt public mobile communications.

According to Kordia Senior Account Manager, Ian Woodhead, if the tests are successful, the long anticipated actual field trial to block mobile phone signals from reaching inmates at the Lithgow Correctional Centre could start as early as next March.

The jamming devices selected are modular and can be expanded in the future to cover new frequency bands or technologies such as WiMax, LTE, etc.

The initial deployment will cover the total spectrum currently deployed by Australian mobile operators.

The NSW Department of Corrective Services has worked closely with Kordia Solutions to develop and implement a trial.
If the second phase is given the green light by ACMA, complete and robust trials will take place at the Lithgow jail site with distributed antennas on a number of jammers that are being considered and meet the required specification.

The equipment will be trialled over period of time to assess which work the best and are adaptable enough for future proofing and use with new technologies.

Kordia has been in close consultation with the industry in the development of the proposed Lithgow Correctional Centre trial. The initiative is fully supported by the mobile carrier industry and attendant industry bodies AMTA and the Communications Alliance.

The trial will closely involve all relevant spectrum licence holders and will use a co-operative approach ensure that:

• Appropriate parameters are agreed,
• Processes and procedures are clearly defined, and
• Review processes are documented and in place.

The results of the trial will be available to relevant stakeholders including carriers and appropriate industry bodies. Once an appropriate jamming solution is identified their introduction into other correctional facilities will be carefully considered and managed to ensure the needs of each facility are met.

The process has been thorough with strict industry and government consultation, over many years. In January 2010, ACMA released a discussion paper Review of Mobile Phone Jammer Prohibition and received 15 responses from industry.

In November, ACMA released a draft declaration, Radio Communications Prohibition of PMTS Jamming Devices Declaration 2010, which proposed to continue banning the jamming devices that interfere with public mobile telecommunications services and is seeking submissions from industry until December 20.

More information

For more information, please contact:
E. ian.woodhead@kordia.com.au