CellAntenna Continues Fight Against FCC.

Company Argues That FCC Should Allow Local and State Governments and First Responders To Use Jamming Equipment

CELL PHONES IN PRISONS: Are Cellular Service Providers Aiding and Abetting Criminal Activity?

CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. -- CellAntenna Corporation, a telecommunications solutions company, announces that it is continuing its fight against the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) over its ruling prohibiting local and state governments the use of cell phone jamming equipment. The restrictions are imposed due to the Communications Act passed by Congress in 1934. This issue poses the number one threat to local, state, and federal correctional institutions with incarcerated inmates using cell phones to continue illegal transactions leaving the authorities helpless.

For inmates, the "New Cash" cell phones are easy to smuggle into prisons since they are easy to conceal. Once inside prison, inmates use obtainable prepaid calling cards to continue their criminal activities. In some cases they have even used cell phone to coordinate smuggling activities between prisons as well as harass witnesses for pending trials. The problem is especially evident in the United States as the law is outdated compared to other countries who have tackled this problem head on.

Howard Melamed, CEO of CellAntenna, maintains that cellular providers have the ability to reduce signal levels in the prison or increase the security of prepaid cards and cell phones prevent illegal use of cell phones in prisons, but have elected to do nothing.

"If the carrier has the ability to prevent the illegal use of cell phones within their system, and refuses to do so, does not their inaction constitute an aiding and abetting of criminal activity," stated Howard Melamed CEO of CellAntenna Corporation. "The FCC needs to step in and truly act in the best interests of the public as their mandate from congress clearly states."

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.