Barry Matthews

Wellington, Dec 16 NZPA - Cellphone jamming technology is working in all prisons with the exception of Auckland Prison which houses a transmission tower, Corrections chief executive Barry Matthews said today.

Mr Matthews told Parliament's law and order select committee that the jamming technology was in place and had been upgraded to match new technologies and mobile phone providers.

Auckland Prison was not yet covered because there was currently a Telecom cellphone tower within the grounds.

This was being moved and once this happened all 20 sites covered by the department would be blocked from prisoners using cellphones.

The jamming technology was introduced after reports of prisoners organising crimes while serving sentences.

Mr Matthews said the jamming equipment had to keep up with new technology, while not interfering with the wider public's cellphone use.