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CTIA Unsuccessfully Tried to Petition
Governor for Stay of Execution of Jamming

Date: 26 November 2008
Illegal Use Of Cell Phones By Inmates A Growing Problem

Coral Springs, FL/November 24, 2008 - CellAntenna Corporation and the South Carolina Department of Corrections held a successful 'cell phone' jamming demonstration on Friday, November 21, 2008 at the Lieber Correctional Institution outside of Charleston, South Carolina. The South Carolina Department of Corrections and correction's facilities nationally are confronted with a growing threat to the safety and security of the public and corrections' staff - unauthorized use of cell phones in prisons. The illegal use of cell phones in prisons allows prisoners to coordinate and conduct criminal activity from behind bars. Currently the 1934 Communications Act prohibits local and state law enforcement from using jamming devices. CellAntenna has been leading a national legal challenge to give local and state law enforcement the power to jam such illegal activity. They have been opposed by CTIA, the organization representing the cellular providers. Indeed, just minutes before the demonstration was held, CTIA President Steve Largent contacted South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford in attempt to block the demonstration. Governor Sanford refused the 'Stay of Execution' request.

In the demonstration, CellAntenna showed that using jamming devices in prisons will not affect prison security radios or any cell phone equipment outside of the Lieber Correctional Institution as opponents of jamming in prisons have alleged. In attendance were members of the media, correctional officers from other states, and representatives of elected state and federal officials.

'I want to thank the South Carolina Department of Corrections for allowing us to make this demonstration and applaud them for their recognition of this growing threat to our safety,' said Howard Melamed, President and CEO of CellAntenna. 'Cell phones are now considered to be the ?New Cash' for inmates. Prison authorities are helpless in defending themselves and the public against the threat as the 1934 Communications Act prohibits anyone but the Federal Government from jamming communication,' he added.

'The FCC and the CTIA have said that jamming of cell phones should not be allowed in prisons since there is no way of containing the jamming within the prison walls," continued Melamed. 'In this demonstration, using CellAntenna Corporation's technology, we proved that jamming can be contained and refuted the FCC and CTIA claims conclusively with the media recording the event. There was no interference in normal legal prison operations just as there will not be if law enforcement is allowed to use jamming equipment nationally. As a result of this demonstration, the state of Texas has invited CellAntenna to hold a similar demonstration where the problem of illegal cell phones in prison is very acute and a state senator received a death threat from an inmate using a cell phone.'

'We welcome any government organization to have us provide the same demonstration so that they can be informed about the safe use of jamming, and to help change the laws to allow their institutions the right to stop criminals and terrorist from using cell phones,' said Melamed. In 2005, CellAntenna Corporation mounted a judicial challenge to the constitutionality of the FCC restrictions, seeking to permit the use of cellular jamming devices by state and local governments and first responders. After the United States District Court Southern District of Florida in Miami ruled that it lacked jurisdiction, CellAntenna filed a Petition for Rulemaking before the FCC to allow state and local governments to use jamming equipment. The CTIA, of which every cellular service provider is a member, opposes CellAntenna's position.

About CellAntenna Corporation Headquartered in Coral Springs, Florida, and offices in England and Poland, CellAntenna Corporation provides packaged, custom, and even rapid deployment cellular repeater systems for residential, commercial and government use. The company's new products provide communication during disasters and where signal enhancement is required for saving lives. CellAntenna is involved in the limiting of cellular communication in prisons and in areas of high security. In addition, CellAntenna works on new and innovative applications for its systems and develops new, cutting-edge technologies. For more information, please visit: www.cellantenna.com.

Texas prison officials plan to test cell-phone jammers

Date: 26 November 2008
By LISA SANDBERG Austin Bureau Nov. 26, 2008, 1:10PM

AUSTIN - Texas prison officials, worried about smuggled cell phones inside their correctional units, plan to demonstrate cell-phone jamming technology next month even though current federal law forbids states from using such methods. Texas prison officials say they have invited Florida-based communications company CellAntenna Corp. to tests its jamming technology on Dec. 18 at the Travis County Jail.

The demo idea was put forth by state Rep. Jerry Madden, R-Plano, chairman of the House Corrections Committee, after the Florida company successfully tested its jamming technology Friday at a maximum-security prison in South Carolina. "We think it's in the best interest of Texas citizens to make sure inmates don't have access to cell phones," Madden said today.

Prison officials around the country are increasingly worried about contraband cell phones in their midst. In Texas, 10 death-row inmates last month were discovered to have placed nearly 2,800 calls from an illegal cell phone. The recipient of several threatening calls was none other than state Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, the powerful chairman of the Senate Criminal Justice Committee.

Gov. Rick Perry ordered an immediate systemwide lockdown. A massive search at all 112 units over the next three weeks turned up some 289 cell phones and cell-phone parts, including 18 on death row. Phones and phone parts haven't just been found under mattresses. One death-row offender was found with a cell phone in his rectum.

Prison officials here and elsewhere say they're ready to clamp down, but are stymied by a 73-year-old federal law barring states from using jamming technology. Madden said he isn't advocating violating the federal law, but believes there is momentum in Congress to overturn the ban next year.

He also is interested in other technology that is not banned, such as gadgets that detect cell phones when they're in use. Meanwhile, South Carolina prison officials say they're encouraged by how well the jamming technology worked when tested at one of their prisons on Friday.

Spokesman Josh Gelinas said the jamming device blocked signals only in the visitation room, proving that the technology could be limited in scope so as not to interfere with public signals.

To jam or not to jam

Date: 19 November 2008
Nov 19, 2008 10:26 AM, By Lynnette Luna I first met Howard Melamed in 2005 during the APCO show in Denver. He was already deep into his one-man crusade to urge the FCC to allow public safety to use jamming devices to ward off the dangers of cell-phone-triggered explosives.

The CEO and president of CellAntenna was quite passionate and spoke seemingly a million words a minute during our meeting, stressing that improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were the weapon of choice among terrorists. Three years later, his passion hasn't waned, despite the fact that he can't get the FCC to see his point of view.

It's illegal to use any radio-frequency jamming equipment by private and public organizations. The law has been in place since 1934. CellAntenna mounted a judicial challenge to the constitutionality of the law in 2005, seeking to allow the use of cellular jamming equipment by state and local governments and first responders. It was unsuccessful as the court said it didn't have jurisdiction. CellAntenna has now filed for a petition for rulemaking with the FCC to allow state and local governments to use jamming equipment.

Public-safety groups have filed petitions with the FCC over the matter too, including the GEO Group, which manages prisons around the country. It wants the FCC to allow state and local prisons to jam cell phone signals. Apparently cell phone smuggling in prisons has become a growing problem as criminals use them to traffic drugs, arrange murders or just gab for hours. Most recently, a Texas death row inmate used an illegal cell phone to threaten state Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, the chairman of the Senate Criminal Justice Committee, which oversees prison operations. The Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association (CTIA) opposes the idea of cell-phone jamming, saying the practice would have unintended implications, such as jamming up 911 calls and of course disrupting cell-phone signals for millions of customers which in turn could disrupt the businesses of the mobile-phone operators they represent.

Yet on Friday, Melamed and company plan to demonstrate CellAntenna's jamming technology at a South Carolina prison, risking enforcement action by the FCC that could include $16,000 a day in fines. CTIA is urging the government to put a stop to the event. CellAntenna insists that its jamming technology has the ability to disable communications only within a certain area, without jamming signals of nearby users. The reality is that the issue can't be ignored. As cell phones continue to proliferate, so will the ways they can threaten the public's safety, as well as those sworn to serve and protect. The FCC claims it doesn't have the authority to grant waivers to state and local entities, only to federal agencies and only in extreme cases when the public is in imminent danger. Will it take an act of Congress?

All I know is that it's time to begin exploring ways public safety can stop nefarious uses of cell phones, whether that's cell-phone jamming or other technology such one promoted by Tecore Networks. It has developed selective call processing that restricts calls by differentiating user groups and enabling policies for each. The wireless industry is full of intelligent folks. It shouldn't be impossible to come up with solutions that don't harm legitimate uses of cell phones. They just need the freedom to do so.

Prison Plans to Shackle Cellphones

Date: 21 November 2008
A South Carolina prison's plan to test a cellphone-jamming system is running afoul of the wireless industry but has sparked interest among some lawmakers and law-enforcement groups. On Friday, the Lieber Correctional Institution in Ridgeville, S.C., intends to demonstrate the jamming system, made by CellAntenna Corp., of Coral Springs, Fla., that it hopes will curb illegal cellphone use among inmates. "It's an urgent need," said Josh Gelinas, a spokesman for the South Carolina Department of Corrections. "This is a problem in every prison system." Cellphones are a popular form of contraband, since they can be used to coordinate escape attempt

Prison hosts cell phone jamming demonstration

Date: 21 November 2008
By MEG KINNARD Associated Press RIDGEVILLE - Despite a federal law against jamming cell phone signals, officials from several state corrections departments gathered at a South Carolina prison Friday for a demonstration of equipment that blocks the wireless calls, in the hopes they'll be allowed to use it someday themselves.

Regulators can grant permission to federal agencies - but not to state or local ones - to use the technology, which renders cell phone signals useless. The equipment prevents cell tower transmissions from reaching the phone.

South Carolina Corrections Director Jon Ozmint invited a company that makes and sells the equipment to conduct the demonstration. "In this prison system as we speak, there is likely an inmate using a cell phone," said Ozmint, who says contraband cell phones are one of the biggest security problems in prisons across the state and nation. "Every prison system in the country is dealing with this problem. The solution is simple: jamming."

Experts say the consequences of inmates using cell phones can be dire. Authorities say a Maryland man was gunned down outside his home last summer after a suspect ordered a hit on him from behind bars. In Texas last month, prison officials arrested the mother of a death row inmate on charges she paid for minutes on a cell phone that had been smuggled to her condemned son - who authorities say called a state senator to say he knew the lawmaker's daughters' names.

But critics say it's impossible to contain the jamming technology to one or two buildings, and that using it runs the risk of affecting people using phones nearby. Earlier this month, Steve Largent, president of CTIA-The Wireless Association, called on the FCC to enforce the ban and stop Friday's demonstration from taking place, but regulators said they would not step in.

Ozmint and dozens of corrections officials, reporters and representatives from U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint's office watched as CellAntenna Corp. CEO Howard Melamed flipped a switch on a black, briefcase-sized device. When the equipment began to whir gently, it emitted a frequency that immediately shut down cell phones around the auditorium. But outside the room, cell service was uninterrupted, something Melamed says shows how specific his devices can be.

"We only jam areas that we have to," said Melamed, whose device can block signals in a 10,000-square-foot area at maximum power. "You don't even have to jam the whole prison." Melamed, who sells his equipment to prison systems around the world, said Friday's demonstration was his first ever in a state prison within the U.S. After Ozmint contacted him, Melamed says he's gotten calls from almost all 50 states and is making plans to conduct demonstrations across the country.

Ozmint is hoping Melamed will have a chance to sell his equipment to corrections systems soon, starting with South Carolina. On Friday, Ozmint announced he would petition the Federal Communications Commission for permission to conduct a long-term pilot program using the technology at the state's prisons and would ask DeMint and U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham to introduce legislation to change the federal law.

"I know the federal government knows that it works," Ozmint said. "Guess who's allowed to jam? Them."

Spokesman Robert Kenny said FCC Chairman Kevin Martin has publicly offered support to law enforcement and prisons seeking to use jamming equipment, is willing to work with them on the issue and will "give careful consideration" to Ozmint's petition.

Zack Kendall, a security specialist for North Carolina's prison system, said he drove down to the South Carolina maximum security prison to learn more about the jamming technology.

"It would be nice to completely negate the usefulness of cell phones in a facility," said Kendall, whose system has also trained a dog typically tasked with sniffing out drugs to root out cell phone batteries instead. "Everything we've looked at so far has been about detection and prevention."

Corrections Dept. hosts cell phone jamming demonstration

Date: 21 November 2008
Posted: Nov 21, 2008 8:18 PM Updated: Nov 28, 2008 2:28 PM RIDGEVILLE, SC (WIS) - There's a plan to keep inmates from breaking the law inside prison walls. Last month, only WIS News 10 showed you photos of what's called a potato gun investigators say was used to launch illegal items like cell phones into the McCormick Correctional Institution.

Friday the Department of Corrections unveiled a plan to make those cell phones useless even if they do make it into prisons. From drugs to DVDs, a lot of stuff gets smuggled and even shot into prisons. But the state's corrections chief says few things more dangerous than cell phones, now used inside the razor wire for everything from setting up escapes to contract murder. The solution, Jon Ozmint says, is cell phone jammers.

"This technology works. It's not going to block grandmama's 911 call as if the wireless providers are really concerned about that," says Ozmint. Ozmint has emerged as a leading critic of wireless providers and the FCC. Both are standing in the way of the state exploring the use of jammers like the one demonstrated Friday at South Carolina's Lieber Correctional Institution in Ridgeville. Ozmint says there's no reason to deny states the same option already given to federal prisons and agencies.

"Congress is the one that implemented an exemption for itself. For the federal government, and basically looked at the constituents back home and said that you can continue to be at risk," says Ozmint. The equipment tested is from the Florida-based company called CellAntenna. "what we do, you hear of two cans and a string? We cut the string," says CellAntenna CEO Howard Melamed. Ozmint and the company say there's no risk of interfering with cell phone signals outside the prisons. They say wireless providers who say otherwise are only worried about their profits.

"It's our belief that most carriers, they make between 25- and $30,000 a week from a prison. In the use of cell phones there. So I believe this is a money issue, unfortunately," says Melamed. With a flip of a switch, Friday's demonstration showed the jammer could kill cell phone service inside the room. Nextel phones and the corrections department's two-way radios continued to work. Another flip, and the cell signal was back. CellAntenna says for $100,000 it could zap contraband cell use throughout the Lieber prison.

It's a cost-effective way, say company officials, to cancel out crime. Friday's demonstration did touch a nerve with the cell phone industry. We're told a representative of the Wireless Association called Governor Mark Sanford, begging the governor to call off Friday's event. That group is headed by pro football hall of famer and former congressman Steve Largent, who happens to be an old buddy of Governor Sanford. The experiment went on as planned. Reported by Jack Kuenzie

Prison hosts phone -jamming demo

Date: 22 November 2008
By MEG KINNARD Associated Press Saturday, November 22, 2008 RIDGEVILLE - Despite a federal law against it, representatives from corrections departments in several states gathered Friday at Lieber Correctional Institution to observe a demonstration of equipment that blocks cell-phone signals, in the hopes they'll be allowed to use it someday themselves.

Regulators can grant federal agencies permission to use the technology, which renders cell-phone signals useless with the flip of a switch by preventing cell tower signals from reaching the phone.

South Carolina Corrections Director Jon Ozmint invited a company that makes and sells the equipment to conduct the demonstration in the hopes that state and local authorities will be granted permission to use it in their facilities. "In this prison system as we speak, there is likely an inmate using a cell phone," said Ozmint, who says contraband cell phones are one of the biggest security problems in prisons.

Experts say the consequences of inmates using cell phones can be dire. Last summer, a Maryland man was gunned down outside his home after authorities say a suspect the victim identified ordered a hit on him from behind bars. In Texas last month, prison officials arrested the mother of a death row inmate on charges she paid for minutes on a cell phone that had been smuggled to her condemned son, who authorities say called a state senator to say he knew the lawmaker's daughters' names.

But critics say it's impossible to contain the jamming technology to one or two buildings, and that using it runs the risk of affecting people using phones nearby. Earlier this month, Steve Largent, president of CTIA-The Wireless Association, called on the Federal Communications Commission to enforce the ban and stop Friday's demonstration from taking place, but regulators said no. Ozmint and dozens of corrections officials, reporters and representatives from U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint's office watched as CellAntenna Corp. CEO Howard Melamed flipped a switch on a black, briefcase-sized device. The equipment emitted a frequency that immediately shut down cell phones around the auditorium. But outside the room, cell service was uninterrupted, something Melamed says shows how specific his devices can be.

"We only jam areas that we have to," said Melamed, adding that his device can block signals in a 10,000-square-foot area, at maximum power. Melamed, who sells his equipment to prison systems around the world, said Friday's demonstration was his first ever in a state prison within the U.S. After Ozmint contacted him, Melamed says he's received calls from almost all 50 states and is planning to conduct demonstrations across the country.

Ozmint is hoping Melamed will have a chance to sell his equipment to corrections systems soon, starting here. On Friday, Ozmint announced he would petition the FCC for permission to conduct a long-term pilot program using the technology at the state's prisons and would ask DeMint and U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham to introduce legislation to change the federal law.

"I know the federal government knows that it works," Ozmint said. "Guess who's allowed to jam? Them." FCC spokesman Robert Kenny said FCC Chairman Kevin Martin has publicly offered support to law enforcement and prisons seeking to use jamming equipment and will "give careful consideration" to Ozmint's petition. Zack Kendall, a security specialist for North Carolina's prison system, said he drove down to the maximum security prison to learn more. "It would be nice to completely negate the usefulness of cell phones in a facility," Kendall said.

Prison hosts cell phone jamming demonstration

Date: 30 March 2008
RIDGEVILLE - Despite a federal law against jamming cell phone signals, officials from several state corrections departments gathered at a South Carolina prison Friday for a demonstration of equipment that blocks the wireless calls, in the hopes they'll be allowed to use it someday themselves.

Regulators can grant permission to federal agencies - but not to state or local ones - to use the technology, which renders cell phone signals useless. The equipment prevents cell tower transmissions from reaching the phone. South Carolina Corrections Director Jon Ozmint invited a company that makes and sells the equipment to conduct the demonstration.

"In this prison system as we speak, there is likely an inmate using a cell phone," said Ozmint, who says contraband cell phones are one of the biggest security problems in prisons across the state and nation. "Every prison system in the country is dealing with this problem. The solution is simple: jamming." Experts say the consequences of inmates using cell phones can be dire. Authorities say a Maryland man was gunned down outside his home last summer after a suspect ordered a hit on him from behind bars. In Texas last month, prison officials arrested the mother of a death row inmate on charges she paid for minutes on a cell phone that had been smuggled to her condemned son - who authorities say called a state senator to say he knew the lawmaker's daughters' names.

But critics say it's impossible to contain the jamming technology to one or two buildings, and that using it runs the risk of affecting people using phones nearby. Earlier this month, Steve Largent, president of CTIA-The Wireless Association, called on the FCC to enforce the ban and stop Friday's demonstration from taking place, but regulators said they would not step in.

Ozmint and dozens of corrections officials, reporters and representatives from U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint's office watched as CellAntenna Corp. CEO Howard Melamed flipped a switch on a black, briefcase-sized device. When the equipment began to whir gently, it emitted a frequency that immediately shut down cell phones around the auditorium. But outside the room, cell service was uninterrupted, something Melamed says shows how specific his devices can be.

"We only jam areas that we have to," said Melamed, whose device can block signals in a 10,000-square-foot area at maximum power. "You don't even have to jam the whole prison." Melamed, who sells his equipment to prison systems around the world, said Friday's demonstration was his first ever in a state prison within the U.S. After Ozmint contacted him, Melamed says he's gotten calls from almost all 50 states and is making plans to conduct demonstrations across the country.

Ozmint is hoping Melamed will have a chance to sell his equipment to corrections systems soon, starting with South Carolina. On Friday, Ozmint announced he would petition the Federal Communications Commission for permission to conduct a long-term pilot program using the technology at the state's prisons and would ask DeMint and U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham to introduce legislation to change the federal law.

"I know the federal government knows that it works," Ozmint said. "Guess who's allowed to jam? Them." Spokesman Robert Kenny said FCC Chairman Kevin Martin has publicly offered support to law enforcement and prisons seeking to use jamming equipment, is willing to work with them on the issue and will "give careful consideration" to Ozmint's petition.

Zack Kendall, a security specialist for North Carolina's prison system, said he drove down to the South Carolina maximum security prison to learn more about the jamming technology. "It would be nice to completely negate the usefulness of cell phones in a facility," said Kendall, whose system has also trained a dog typically tasked with sniffing out drugs to root out cell phone batteries instead. "Everything we've looked at so far has been about detection and prevention."

FCC offers prison boss phone jamming help

Date: 30 March 2008
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has offered to work with South Carolina's prison boss to find a way to prevent mobile phones being used in prisons, but industry body the CTIA is calling on the FCC to get a court order preventing anyone from demonstrating the technology.

Prison chief Jon Ozmint recently called for states to be allowed to use jamming technology, a privilege currently restricted to federal authorities and has offered to demonstrate how the technology can be applied using equipment supplied by CellAntenna. However, the CTIA points out that any demonstration would be against the law, the Charlotte Observer

"I hope you are disturbed as much as I am that CellAntenna would so brazenly violate federal law, especially where there are lawful alternatives to combating contraband in prisons," wrote Steve Largent, president of the CTIA representing the mobile operators, addressing the FCC. Scanners and searches have already been tried in South Carolina and considered to be useless, and base-station triangulation isn't nearly accurate enough. Alternatives such as the phone tracking technology from Path Intelligence or setting up fake base stations are being considered by some prisons, though none have the simplicity of jamming the signals.

The increasing availability of jammers is causing concern north of the border too. The Ottawa Sun reports that the Mounties have sent out a warning to every police force in Canada after two Quebec police offices were left without radio contact when they pulled a car equipped with a jammer. Ozmint has invited a congressional delegation, law enforcement officials, and the FCC to the demonstration next week - which could lead to a fine of up to $11,000 if anyone there takes umbrage at the way the law is being applied. ®

CellAntenna Files RF Jamming Action Against FCC

Date: 12 March 2008
CellAntenna Corp. has filed an action in the U.S. District Court of the Southern District of Florida challenging a ruling by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to prohibit the use of cellular and radio frequency jamming equipment by state and local governments, the company said Wednesday.

CellAntenna is asking the U.S. District Court to rule on whether the FCC can ban the use of radio frequency jamming equipment by state and local law enforcement agencies, according to filed documents. The FCC's current interpretation of the Federal Communications Act (FCA) of 1934 prohibits state and local officials from having access to the technology. CellAntenna said the ruling conflicts with public interest and puts lives in jeopardy.

CellAntenna chief executive officer Howard Melamed argues the lives of first responders and the public are at risk in the event of a terrorist attack when using a remote controlled improvised explosive device. Radio frequency jamming equipment obstructs radio and cellular frequencies and prevents a device from receiving signals.

Pushing the government to intervene, Melamed said "local and state bomb squads and local agencies should have the ability to jam cellular communication signal in the event of a terrorist attacks and criminal activity." Melamed said insurgent groups in Iraq and terrorist cells abroad have turned to cellular-triggered explosives as a means of attacking civilian and military targets. "The Madrid bombers used cell phones, and there is talk of these remote triggering devices being used in London and Bali," he said. Requests for the device are coming in from state and local government agency bomb squads and "we can't sell it to them." From studies of the Homeland Security, Melamed said, "we think the FCC has overstepped its boundaries and they should not be involved in weapons there to protect the public." Sales of CellAntenna's jamming-device to federal government agencies brings in less than "one tenth of one percent" of the company's approximate $7 million in annual revenue. Melamed estimates the fight to overturn the FCC's decision will cost between $20,000 and $50,000.

Understanding the Threat of Cell Phones
Used by Terrorists in Remote Controlled Bombs.

Date: 10 March 2008
by Howard Melamed, CEO CellAntenna Corporation

Cell Phones are one of the most important communication devices ever engineered. They are used by more than 2.6 billion people worldwide with more than 240 million users in the United States alone. However they are also the number one triggering device used by terrorists proven by the recent discovery of the plot to blow up airplanes in a 9/11 style of terrorism. As well recent worries by law enforcement authorities concerning the purchase of pre-paid cell phones brings the issue close to home. What exactly is the threat of cell phones and why are the authorities so worried about it?

Almost a year and a half ago, in January of 2005, the FCC and FAA were considering allowing the use of cell phones on airplanes. At that time we had issued a press release indicating our concern for the safety of passengers and confirmed the fact that the cell phone can be a deadly part of weapons used by terrorists. Finally, in July of 2005, the Department of Homeland Security came out in support of our objections and also indicated their concerns. However there was never any explanation given. I offer the following article for the purposes of understanding the threat and possibly influencing those people involved in making the decisions regarding our safety.

Why are cell phones used by terrorists?

1. Easily concealed: No one until recently was looking at them as any sort of a threat. With more than 1,5 billion users, and more than 3 billion cell phones available including the ones most of the population hangs on to after upgrading their cell phones, the supply is impossible to control and terrorists can get access to them without suspicion. ( except when purchasing them in large quantities at a department store).

2. Battery Power: The electrical properties for most batteries used today in cell phones are 3.6 volts at 1.2 amp. or roughly 5 watts of energy. This is enough energy to produce the necessary 'spark' or power required to detonate a blasting cap or modified electrical match. This detonation is used to supply the energy needed to explode plastic explosives.

3. Mechanism in place to turn the cell phone into a bomb triggering device: The vibration circuit of the cell phone consists of a small motor with an unbalanced cam, that causes the phone to shake. This is similar to an unbalanced tire on your car that causes your car to vibrate. This motor is attached to the cell phone circuit via 2 leads. These leads are positive and negative DC at 3.6 volts and can either directly power the detonator, or can be connected to a small relay attached an outside larger electrical source.

4. Easy to modify: No manufacturer today makes it difficult to open a cell phone. It is easy and can be done in a matter of seconds. As a result the terrorist quickly and safely modifies the cell phone. He then puts the cell phone back together without any exterior indication that it was tampered with.

5. Untraceable: The Terrorist can use cell phones from countries outside of the United States with SIM cards either stolen or falsely subscribed to. As well, they buy pre-paid cell phones at department stores for cash where no name is given or asked in order to activate the cell phone service. As well, current world roaming agreements means that any cell phone can be used almost anywhere.

6. Deliverable: It is easy for the terrorist to combine a cell phone and plastic explosive and send it around the country by a parcel delivery service or even a postal service.

7. Addressable: The cell phone can be made to react in a certain manner to a phone call placed. With Caller ID the cell phone can be set to vibrate when a certain number is received. This provides the terrorist with a safety factor, as only when a call from the programmed number is received would the phone's vibration circuit trigger a detonation. This is what was used by terrorists in the Bali Bombings, and is being used by terrorist in Iraq as one of the means of detonating Improvised Explosive Devices (bombs).

8. Accurate Timer : The cell phone has an alarm function that was provided to consumers as one of those conveniences to use to wake them up, or remind them of an appointment. As well, this time on the cell phone is kept accurate by the towers that communicate with them several times an hour. The cell phone is set to vibrate when the alarm goes off and this triggers the detonator attached to the vibration circuit. This is what was used in the Madrid Spain train bombings and was suspected in the London bombings as well.

9. Authorities Are Unprepared to Counter Threat. Terrorists know that for the most part our law enforcement agencies have no plan of action in case of cell phone bombs. Currently there is no communication between local, state and federal authorities with Cellular providers and tower owners across the country should terrorist launch and attack using cell phone detonated bombs. There is plan of action to shut down a tower, or scramble the timer in a cell phone if a 9/11 situation were to occur using cell phone bombs.

10. Bomb Squads lack Jamming Equipment to prevent detonation: Terrorist know that our First Responders, local and state law enforcement agencies lack the equipment necessary to stop a bomb from exploding. The current communications act was passed by congress in 1934. The law states that only the Federal Government is allowed to interfere with radio frequency communication. The FCC enforces this law and as such local, and state law enforcement agencies do not have the equipment necessary to prevent any remote control device from blowing up once found, including a cell phone controlled bomb. The local bomb squad, which is considered the First Responders, cannot purchase or use jamming equipment even though they may find a suspicious package with an antenna stick out of it. They must wait for the FBI to come to the scene. This is ok in large cities with an FBI department that may or may not have the jamming equipment, but in smaller cities and other prime rural targets, the time wasted will be lethal.

11. The Battery can be made to explode: Cell Phones deploy a Lithium Ion Cobalt battery as its source of power, the same composition as laptop computer batteries. Lithium Ion Cobalt is unstable and requires an electrical circuit to protect it from rapidly discharging in case of shorting the contacts, or from overcharging. However, if this circuit is removed, or in the case of some imported batteries, either damaged or non-existent, the battery can either explode or flame up. This is not fiction. The Consumer protection Department has come out with a warning, a large cellular carrier and Kyocera had issued a recall of millions of cell phone batteries. As well, Sony and Nokia both issued warnings to consumers that batteries bought from outside sources may explode. Most recently, Dell has issued a recall on their batteries used on millions of computers. The reason the Lithium Ion Cobalt is used, is mostly a matter of 'bang for the buck' if you would excuse the expression. The battery basically provides a consistent source of energy at a relatively low cost. Currently there is no standard in place by law that regulates these batteries. It is easy for a terrorist to convert a cell phone into a flammable device and cause it to flame or explode. this provides an increase danger to airplanes including the cargo holds. Reducing the Threat with Common Sense. In a recent flight I took between London Heathrow and Miami, I laughed once again, when I heard the flight attendant announcing in a nice gentle voice:

" We have closed the hatch and as such we kindly request that all passengers turn off their cell phones and keep them off due to the fact that they interfere with navigational equipment". I have often commented to flight attendant if they actually believed that the cell phone was a threat to the equipment, and if so, how do they feel when the plane lands at the destination, and all of a sudden all of the cell phones that the passengers forget to turn off start to ring and beep. Where we really at risk during the flight? Common Sense. That is what I tell people. Common sense would dictate that if the cell phone signal were really a threat no passenger would be allowed to walk on board with one. The Flight Attendant checks to make sure that we are all wearing our seatbelts, but the device that would bring down an airplane in flight if a passenger were remised and forgot to turn it off is to say the least ridiculous. However, the threat of a cell phone used as a triggering device is realistic. It is quite important that we face the reality of the situation with regard to the terrorist threat in using cell phones to remote detonate bombs. Common sense really needs to prevail. In all of the examples of why cell phones are a threat , there are logical solutions to reducing the threat of Cell phones used by terrorists.

Here are some of them: 1. Do not allow Cell phones on airplanes. They should be checked in with the battery removed.

2. Make cell phones tamper proof: This would solve the problem only if cell phone programming is changed to disallow older cell phones from working on the network. The manufacturers need only build in an anti tamper switch that would fry the cell phone ic's similar to circuits placed on expensive radios that are installed in cars.

3. Force the Carriers to scramble their synchronization timing for the cell phone clocks. A programming update would be required for the cell phone itself to always synchronize with the signal provided by the carrier. Some cell phones lock this function out while others allow for the update all of the time. Those people that travel see this happen since when they land and turn on the cell phone, the clock is updated to local time. The Carrier can then scramble the clock, especially in tunnels, at airports or government buildings. This would reduce the threat of the cell phone being used as a timer.

4. Force the carriers to id anyone purchasing a pre-paid cell phone.

5. Prevent roaming ability from countries that harbor terrorists, and in cases of alerts prevent roaming altogether. This would prevent cell phone bombs from going off by the placement of phone calls from outside of a given area.

6. Change the composition of Batteries: Current Lithium Ion Cobalt batteries can be dangerous. However another type, Lithium Ion Phosphate is not. The difference is that the latter is manufactured in the United States by Valance Technology out of Texas. Lithium Ion Phosphate is safe, doesn't explode and is as effective if not better than what is in use today.

7. Legalize Jamming by the Bomb Squad and First Responders. There is no reason whatsoever that local bomb disposal units and first responders do not have the right to use jamming equipment to protect themselves or the public against remote controlled bombs. Jamming of cell phones occurs in a small area and only the signal between the tower and the cell phone is jammed. if there is a suspicious bag with an antenna sticking out of it, the jammer needs to be deployed without waiting for the Federal Government.

8. No Cell Phone signal in tunnels : The argument that someone might need to make a phone call in a tunnel in an emergency does not work. There are regular land line type of emergency phones every 100 feet in tunnels. They are more reliable. However the chance of a bomb going off attached to a gasoline truck is more likely than someone who cannot find the emergency phone station.

9. Plan of Action: We need the Department of Homeland Security to develop and deploy a plan that involved the carriers and local police departments in order to turn towers off, or scramble timing synchronizations in times of known threats.

It is important that all of the points above are considered and hopefully implemented. There are several lobby groups that I know of that oppose jamming and anything that may affect the profits of the cell phone industry. As well, the FCC has opposed the use of jamming equipment by the local police departments as they say that the local police may abuse the jammers. The department of Homeland Security refuses to make good on their mandate given to them by Congress via the Homeland Security Act, which gives them the power to provide "Whatever technology is needed to prevent or mitigate terrorist activities ", which of course must have included bombs.

The threat of using the cell phone as a weapon against us is real. It is the number one triggering device used by terrorists around the world, and as such will inevitably be used here in the United States. We need to be prepared for such attacks by planning and making sure that our local and state law enforcement have the necessary weapons to combat the threat. We can ill afford to wait until people in this country are killed from a terrorist attack that uses a cell phone remote controlled bomb before we take action. 2006 CellAntenna Corporation. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced, displayed, modified or distributed without the express prior written permission of the copyright holder. For permission, contact Howard Melamed CEO of CellAntenna Corporation at 12453 NW 44th Street, Coral Springs Florida 33065, or telephone at 954-340-7053 or by sending an email to hm@cjam.com Tags: bombs, cjam, remote controll, terrorist, threat

CellAntenna Challenges FCC on Cell Phone Jammers in US District Court of South Florida

Date: 08 March 2008
Company Argues a 1934 Ban on Jamming Equipment Impedes Ability of State and Local Law Enforcement to Respond to Terrorist Attack Coral Springs, Florida- April 5, 2006 - CellAntenna Corporation, a leading provider of cellular communication solutions, announced today the filing of an action in the US District Court of the Southern District of Florida challenging a law enforced by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to prohibit the use of cellular and radio frequency jamming equipment by state and local governments.



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