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Welikada mobile phone jammers disrupt Government Press and others also
View(s):The installation of jammers at the Welikada Prison to prevent prisoners from using mobile phones has affected the operations of the adjoining Government Printer, other institutions and residents, prompting them to take counter measures. Government Printer Ganga Liyange told the Sunday Times their mobile phone services had been disrupted as jammers had been set up at the Welikada Prisons.
She said they had installed one anti-jammer within the department following complaints from the employees and more would be installed soon.
Ms Liyanage explained that they were compelled to use land lines even in cases where urgent messages had to be given. She said sometimes she had to call officials to collect documents from the President’s Office or Parliament. These had to be printed with immediate effect. But the inability to use mobile phones had delayed the process.
“Our employees complain that prisoners have phones and contact people outside the prison, but the Government Press employees spend their working hours at the department as prisoners, unable to call their family members even during the lunch hour,” she said. She said the prisons authorities should crack down on the use of mobile phones inside the prisons instead of installing jammers which affected areas residents, nearby government departments and even who are passing by the prisons.
However, the Prisons’ media spokesman Tushara Upuldeniya told The Sunday Times that they would install more effective equipment to prevent prisoners from using mobile calls. Mobile companies and the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission adjust the system frequency when complaints are made by residents and phone users.
But if this frequency adjustments are made, prisoners will be able to use mobile phones despite jammers, the prisons spokesman said.