After finding 775 prohibited cell phones in Texas prisons so far this year, state officials are petitioning federal regulators and the U.S. Senate for the power to jam cell phone signals in lockups — joining 27 other states who want the same authority.

Texas and other states hope to use jamming technology to keep cell phones out of the hands of inmates, who can use them to order criminal acts outside prison walls. “It’s critical,” said the Texas prison system’s inspector general, John Moriarty. “The cell phones are the most immediate threat to public safety in Texas. … We’ve had a lot of crimes orchestrated over those phones…”

But cell phone jamming by states is apparently prohibited by a 1934 federal law that bans states from interfering with federal airwaves.

“The problem with jamming technology is that’s it’s imprecise,” John Walls [representing wireless carriers] said. “We’re certainly not at odds on the intent. There’s not one legitimate customer that we have behind bars, and shutting that off is as much of a concern to the industry as anybody else.”

Walls said they want a solution that will “protect legitimate use while still solving the problem.”

Tell you what. Let the fracking cell phone companies come up with a technology that does what they want. Meanwhile, jam the signals in the prisons. Save the “what-ifs” for your favorite soap opera.