A Cellular Interference in Prisons Working Party was established in November 2007 to prepare a non-regulated, industry-developed code of practice for the unauthorised use of cell phones in prisons.
This Code will govern the process, terms and conditions under which spectrum management right holders will grant Spectrum Licences to the Department of Corrections for the purposes of controlling mobile phone calls to or from mobile phones located within prisons and prison boundaries.
Objectives of the Code
The high-level objective of the Code is to provide a known and agreed basis upon which the unauthorised use of mobile phones in prisons can be controlled through the use of interference generating transmitters or “jammers”.
This objective will be achieved by:
- defining the terms and conditions under which jamming will be authorised;
- defining the way in which the Department of Corrections will work with any party with spectrum management rights who agree to be bound by the code;and
- providing an agreed baseline upon which jammer investment decisions by the Department of Corrections can be based.
Unauthorised Use of Cellphones Code
The draft Code was issued for public consultation earlier in the year. The Unauthorised Use of Cellphones Code was finalised following the public consultation period and was endorsed by the TCF on 7 November 2008.
Key Points About the Code:
- The Code requires spectrum holders to grant spectrum licences which will allow the Department of Corrections to detect, monitor, disrupt, interfere and disable wireless transmissions relating to mobile phones and/or electronic radio communication devices within prison boundaries.
- The Code applies to spectrum that is used to provide mobile services to end users, as well as to other spectrum (which is nearby that spectrum used to provide those mobile services). In particular it covers the following spectrum:
- spectrum management rights that are suitable and commonly used for the provision of mobile phone Telecommunication Services:
825-845, 870-890MHz
890-915MHz, 939-960MHz
1710-1785MHz, 1805-1880MHz
1920-1980MHz, 2110-2170MHz
2010-2025MHz
1785-1805MHz
2025– 2053MHz
2053– 2082 MHz
2082-2110MHz
Parties interested in becoming a signatory to the Code should contact the TCF Forum Administrator.
Signatories to the Code
The following parties are signatories to the Code:
- CallPlus
- Kordia
- Telecom
- TelstraClear
- Two Degrees Mobile
- Vodafone
- Woosh
Working Party Members
The working party members are: