KARACHI, Feb 12: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has recently restrained around 20 financial institutions from using unauthorized mobile phone jammers that adversely affected the performance of cellular operators.

Under a policy announced by the telecoms regulator recently, only commercial banks and financial institutions could use cell phone jammers under "exceptional circumstances (ie not as a matter of routine) to block cellular mobile communication in such a manner that the operation of the licensed cellular operators may not be affected."

A high-ranking PTA official told Dawn on Saturday that there were at least 50 sites in the commercial heart of the city where cell phone communication was adversely affected by the operation of unauthorized jammers.

"The PTA has recently given licences to two vendors to supply cell phone jammers to those financial institutions which may want to install them for security reasons. But some financial institutions are using unauthorized jammers which hinder cellular communication outside the premises they are installed on. We are in talks with such users to persuade them to employ only authorized jammers which do not affect cellular communication outside the buildings in which they are installed," the PTA regional director, Rizwan Hydri said, adding that under the policy, the operational range of cell phone jammers must not be more than 20 metres.

The PTA policy says: "In case of non-compliance of any obligation mentioned above, the permission to import/supply the jamming device shall be cancelled, equipment installed shall be confiscated and penalty shall be imposed as per provisions under the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organization) Act 1996."

Mr Hydri said that violators of the law could be punished with imprisonment which might extend to two years or with fine which might extend to Rs10 million or with both.

The regional director of the PTA said mostly two types of jammers were used. "There are jammers which make cell phones show 'no signal'.

In this case, users know that the building they are in, is fitted with a jammer and they cannot use their cell phones. But there are other jammers which can block communication without making the cell phones show 'no signal'. In this case, users hold their cell phone operators responsible for poor service," he explained.