Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has warned all concerned to dismantle and remove mobile phone jammers from places where they are installed, including mosques; with immediate effect.
In the recently issued Jammer Policy, in order to stop the installation of unauthorized and illegal jammers, it stated that institutions and individuals are prohibited to fix these instruments without clearance and No-Objection Certificate (NOC) from Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).
Policy directs the sellers to not to sell their equipment to general public and organizations expect those holding valid authorization/ NOC from PTA.
In case any such unauthorized and if illegal jammers are found, the regulator will take strict action against violators and owners under provision of PTA (Re-Organization) Act 1996 and directives of Ministry of Information and Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT).
The surging numbers of mobile phone jammers being installed at various places to curb unwanted noises of ringtones have blocked the signals of operators’ network, impacting negatively on telephony quality services in the surrounding areas.
Mobile phone jammers fixed particularly in mosques, banks and hospitals, to stop disturbance created by mobile handsets’ loud noises of the careless and forgetful customers despite verbal and written instruction of its utility prohibition.
These jamming instruments create its waves’ cycle that disables frequencies of GSM networks within certain areas, resulting mobile sets fail to accept signals of cellular services.
Analysts said the jammers coverage areas vary from half to two kilometer – mostly depending on the environment and frequencies of the GSM networks.
They said that anti-signal equipments are active mostly in the areas where the cellular phone towers are established at distant places. Hence, the customers face inconvenience in those areas while receiving calls, SMS, MMS and Emails on their respective networks, they added.
The regulator has dismantled scores of jammers from mosque in different cities, however, there is proper need of monitoring of its sales and usage and need of awareness towards legal permission by the users.
On the other hand, the users of telephony services should act responsibility and avoid using mobile phones particularly in mosque that causes disturbance in prayers.
PTA should also asked the Kot Lakhpat Jail Management to remove Jammers creating severe network problem for all cellular and data networks Since June 2011. In all surrounding area Including, Kot Lakhpat, Choungi Amar Sidhu, Township, Model Town, Johar Town, Kot Lakhpat Industrial Estate, DHA, and Many More. . . . . . .
@Echo, I agree with you. Been there done that :( . That Kot Lakhpat Jail is pain in the A**. We had visit the area several times and the issue is still pending as jail authorities denies they have installed any.
This problem is not new to authorities. One will be surprised to know the number of Jammers operational. Almost every third Masjid. If,unfortunately, one gives the impression while checking/asking for looking at the Jammers installed, that Jammer will be remove, that unfortunate one will be handled like someone with anti-Islamic mind.
Banks,on the other hand, are not using these devices as much as Masjid’s.
There is no match to awareness, this can only be solve if and when a common person realizes his responsibility to the Society.
PS: Please use word Masjid rather than mosque. Use the generic word(Arabic,Persian,Urdu,Hindi etc,).
Regards!
@Shamshir. . . Are you telecom engineer? And why the Jail management is denying that, as it was declared through media, even you can search over the net. . .
I had a chance to go to a mosque in inner city of Rawalpindi near Fawara Chowk and I didn’t get a signal. I found a box with 3,4 antennas and when I started looking at it, molvi sahab gave me a grin, it was desi type box. I first thought it was a FM transmitter but no it wasn’t as I asked other people about their network and signals and they all said “no signals here”.
It is due to our careless use of cell phones at such places. if there is no need, there is no action.
It was a good thing to stop mobile communication in masjid which is solely for worship and not for business deals and call.
I guess by this way PTA will make another way of earning money. Do you think they will give free NOCs.
Sick Policies.
Now i know why cellular reception at my house is bad it is within a few meters from two mosques!.
i agree with my friends who believe installation of jammers is a violation of thier rights. i believe the response to their usage should not be a sweeping policy that asks any jammer-user to stop using them at all. instead, there should be a code of conduct like in masjids jammers should be turned on during congregational prayers or at times when they are crowded. as far as banks are concerned their power to jam signals could be lowered so that only in bank premises signals are jammed. moreover PTA instead of giving a policy as it awakes from slumber and arresting retailers, must take serious measures and try to maintain a data base of persons/entities selling and purchasing these devices besides requiring a license. so that genuine complaints as highlighted above in most of the commentary can be addressed.
If an organization does not want the nuicance of cell phone noise pollution, they should be free to install the jammers. It is undesirable to hear all kinds of tones in Masajids, hospitals and other places where noise should not be happening.
We as people are not disciplined enough to do it our own (ie turn off or put our sets on silent).
These jammers should be configured such that they only block the signals in the immediate vicinity and not block the signals in a larger radius. I am sure technology is advance enough so that the goal to reduce noise pollution can be accomplished without impacting the general service quality of mobile operators.
Dont you all think that installing jammers at mosques is a necessary step, which ensures the safety of the people inside the mosques, as remote-controlled bombs are made redundant because of these jammers.
Personally, I’ll feel a lot more secure and safe in a mosque which has these jammers installed.
As far as mosques are concerned, one must not feel insecure in the absence of any jammers because a mosque is a the house of God which in every situation is secure because if something happens, those dying must be martyrs and the injured shall get their reward too for the sufferings. If one feels insecure in a mosque while praying, he seems to have a week faith. Futher, if a law for general welfare is made, it is also a duty of the faithful to comply with the state law. Therefore, it is imperative to remove all illegal jammers from the buildings including those installed in mosques.
Sorry brother this is not only a problem of bomb blast but this is very big problem when you are praying and suddenly hear songs in the house of Allah.Unfortunatly we are careless so jammers of limited range must be installed in mosques.