Bengaluru: Dozens of area residents gathered near Jail Circle at Parappana Agrahara on Saturday to protest against the Tower-Harmonious Call Blocking System (T-HCBS) jammers installed for the Central Prison, disrupting 4G and 5G networks throughout the neighborhood. The protesters, comprising entrepreneurs, techies, and RWAs, alleged that the jammers hinder signals, SMSes, and incoming and outgoing call services, impacting their day-to-day activities.
The T-HCBS jammers were installed in January this year to prevent the illegal use of mobile phones in Karnataka’s largest prison located in southeastern Bengaluru. Residents claim the jammers have affected over 20,000 people living in the vicinity of the jail.
“The system should ideally block signals up to a 100-metre radius but it’s blocking network services 700 metres or more from the prison,” a resident living near Hosa Road said.
Nithyanandan, a techie from Southern Winds on Hosa Road, added that people residing in high-rise apartment blocks 500 to 700 metres away were also affected.
“Most of us living near the Central Prison at Parappana Agrahara are worried about our school-going children not being reachable in emergencies,” he said.
He explained that what they initially thought was an issue with their service provider turned out to be due to the prison jammer. OTPs do not get delivered, and online delivery services and emergency calls are a serious concern due to network disruptions in the entire locality.
A senior official from the Prisons and Correctional Services Department declined to comment.
Published 08 June 2024, 22:24 IST