Jail cell phone blocking to be tested

AUSTIN - Texas officials plan to test cell phone jamming technology after a prison system lockdown turned up hundreds of mobile devices.

The test has been proposed for Dec. 18 at the Travis County state jail in Austin.

House Corrections Committee Chairman Jerry Madden said he requested the test. Officials at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice are working to set up the demonstration.

Florida-based CellAntenna Corp. has agreed to do the Texas demonstration.

It conducted a similar test at a South Carolina prison on Friday.

Prison officials from several states gathered to see how the equipment blocks wireless calls.

Regulators can grant permission to federal agencies to use the technology but federal law prevents state and local agencies from jamming cell phone signals.

Still, prison officials hope they'll be granted permission to use the blocking technology.