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Cape Town - While cellphone jamming may sound exotic, any hobbyist with a bit of know-how is able to build one, says an expert.
Cellphone jamming became a hot topic on Thursday when the Democratic Alliance (DA) objected to the alleged use of a cellphone jamming system just as President Jacob Zuma was about to deliver his State of the Nation address.
The DA subsequently walked out of the chamber as the speech descended into chaos following the removal of Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) members.
"The jammers are not really that hard to build. Anyone with a little electronics knowledge could build a crude jamming device for less than R1 000, and you can use old cell phone parts, or even with a TV remote and some extras to do it," David Taylor, Legal Edge Consulting specialist in ICT law, told Fin24.
Taylor is a former professor of ICT law and has more than a decade's experience advising corporations on big data, cloud and security systems.
Investigation
The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) on Friday strongly criticised the use of a cellphone jammer in Parliament.
"The position of the Authority on this matter is as follows: The use of jamming devices by any entity other than National Security Cluster Departments is not authorised and or permitted. The National Security Cluster departments may, where supported by relevant security legislation, deploy the use of jammers in relation to, amongst others, state security functions," Icasa said.
Icasa based this comment on the Findings and Conclusions Document on the Enquiry into Mobile Telephone Blocking Devices policy, gazetted in 2002.
Meanwhile, the regulator said it welcomed an investigation into the use of such equipment.
"The authority (Icasa) welcomes the Speaker’s pronouncement that Parliament will investigate this matter. The authority will liaise with Parliament on the outcome of the investigation. Should it deem it necessary, the authority may also institute its own investigation into the matter," said Icasa.
'Quiet zones'
Taylor said that cellphone signal jammers are increasingly being used in areas where people don't want to be disturbed by inconsiderate mobile phone users.
"There is an increase in the personal use of jammers in the United States of America. People use jammers to prevent people around them using cellphones, whether that is in the car, business meetings or the movies," he said.
A number of US schools implemented cellphone jamming technology in order to create so-called "quiet zones" where students could learn without mobile device distraction.
However the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) warned that these devices are against the law, irrespective of the intended purpose.
"We remind and warn consumers that it is a violation of federal law to use a cell jammer or similar devices that intentionally block, jam, or interfere with authorised radio communications such as cellphones, police radar, GPS, and Wi-Fi."
Taylor also warned that using any kind of cellphone jamming device in SA would put you on the wrong side of the law.
"With the increase use of jammers, there has also been an increase in arrests. Using a jammer is not legal - in most cases."
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