Freedom!!!
 

We should permit this idea in the States. I feel all movie theaters, churches, schools, and any place of business that wishes to discourage the use of cellphones ought to install one of these jammers to freeze any cellphone calls from being made or accepted.

I can almost find a daily occurrence where I want to crush someone and their cell phone for being so ignorant and rude in a public domain. I’ve also had more than a few asshats check their cell phones during the course of a movie, prompting me to kick one gal intentionally in the shin on my way out of the aisle, and telling another gal if she were to open her cell phone one more time- I was going to break the damn thing.

http://www.comcast.net/News/TECHNOLO...d77585581.html

Churches Installing Cell Phone Jammers

Tue Oct 19, 10:04 AM

By OLGA R. RODRIGUEZ, Associated Press Writer

MONTERREY, Mexico - It was the reporters who noticed first. Unable to call their editors while covering the weddings of the rich and famous, they asked the priest why their cell phones never worked at Sacred Heart. His reply: Israeli counterintelligence.

In four Monterrey churches, Israeli-made cell phone jammers the size of paperbacks have been tucked unobtrusively among paintings of the Madonna and statues of the saints.

The jarring polychromatic din of ringing cell phones is increasingly being thwarted _ from religious sanctuaries to India's parliament to Tokyo theaters and commuter trains _ by devices originally developed to help security forces avert eavesdropping and thwart phone-triggered bombings.

The Indian parliament had jammers installed after politicians ignored requests to turn off their cell phones and legislative sessions were constantly interrupted.

In Italy, universities started using the blockers after discovering that cell phone-savvy teenagers were cheating on exams by sending text messages or taking pictures of tests.

The four Roman Catholic Churches in this northern city began using the devices, from Tel Aviv-based Netline Communications Technologies Ltd., after an insurance salesman imported them as a personal favor for a priest.

"There are still many people who don't understand that being at Mass is sharing a moment with God," said the Rev. Juan Jose Martinez, a spokesman for archdiocese. "Sadly, we had no other choice but to use these little gadgets."

Purchased for about $2,000 each, they can be turned on by remote control and emit low-level radio frequencies that thwart cell phone signals within a 100-foot radius.

Users get a "no service" or "signal not available" message on their cell phones.

Although Mexico has no law against the devices, the private use of cell phone blockers is illegal in the United States and most Western countries.

But the tide is turning.

Japan allows public places such as theaters and concert halls to install jammers, provided they obtain a government-issued license. And last week, France's industry minister approved a decision to let cinemas, concert halls and theaters install them _ as long as provisions are in place so emergency calls can still be made.

Canada had considered allowing blocking in similar situations. But Industry Canada, which regulates the country's telecommunications, decided against it, saying the devices could infringe on personal freedom and affect public safety by crippling communication with law enforcement and security agencies.

Officials at Netline, which sold its first jammer in 1998, say they are selling thousands of jammers a year and have expanded their business throughout the world.

They're far from the only manufacturers. The devices are sold the world over, with dozens of suppliers selling them on the Internet.

Tokyo-based Medic Inc. sold thousands of its Wave Wall jammers before the government stepped in and regulated their use to venues with live performances. Commuters still buy mobile jammers to shut up chatty train passengers, even though their use is illegal.

In Scotland, businessman Ronnie McGuire, owner of Electron Electrical Engineering Services, imported Taiwan-made cell phone blockers and sold them to hotels, restaurants and bars until a local newspaper reported his activities, which were illegal in Britain.

McGuire has said he will still import the Taiwanese devices but sell them for export only to countries where they are allowed.

Loreen Haim, the director of marketing and sales for Netline, wouldn't say how many devices the company sells per year or what country buys the most.

In Mexico, the main clients have been banks looking to stop would-be robbers from communicating with their accomplices and the Mexican government, which is planning to use them at prisons, Haim said.

In Monterrey, the Sacred Heart church, a baroque temple favored by Mexico's elite for weddings, church officials acquired their blockers two years ago.

"Whenever there was a wedding, cell phones would ring every five minutes," said Bulmaro Carranza, a parish clerk. "It was a real problem because there were times when even the groom would forget to turn his cell phone off."

For months, the devices went unnoticed until reporters covering the weddings began complaining that their cell phones never worked.

Since word of the jammers went public, priests from around Mexico have been calling to find out how to get them, said Carranza.

At Sacred Heart, a device at the entrance to the church and another by the altar are turned on right before every Mass. Still, priests remind parishioners to turn off their phones before beginning the services, hoping good cell phone etiquette will eventually catch on.

The other Monterrey churches with the devices _ The Rosario, San Juan Bosco and Our Lady Queen of the Angels _ are also frequented by wealthier parishioners, Martinez said.

"For a lot of them, the cell phone is a necessity. But that shouldn't prevent them from having good manners and remembering that one must respect sacred places," Martinez said.

Margarita Escobedo, a Catholic who goes to church at least twice a week and volunteers at the San Genaro church, says she would welcome the jammers in her parish, where cell phones are becoming a nuisance.

"Those who bring cell phones to church are not committed to God," Escobedo said. "It's very distracting to be praying and suddenly hear birds chirping or techno music."

___

A lot of colleges and universities are installing jamming technology in their testing centers, as well. Bob Dole imagines we'll see a lot of implementations in the next year.

Pretty stupid, IMO. Its a minor annoyance. Sure, lets alienate those folks who HAVE to carry a cell phone for their business/work, as opposed to putting up a sign that says "please put cell phones on silent, or turn them off".

Yeah, that's working out REALLY well so far...
 

Correct, but its better than not putting a notice up. Some people might actually remember to do it. However, its still a minor annoyance, and an embarrasment for those who do not remember to turn them off. I've never seen someone answer the phone and talk on it like noone is around, they always either shut it off quickly, or they get up and leave.

I totally agree there....

If anyone who's ever sat in the theater waiting for the movie knows- they must tell those in the theater a hundred times to "...please turn off all cell phones..." during the movie.

If people would simply honor this request- we wouldn't have to install jammers or suffer the wrath of me wanting to destroy their cell phones.

Where do you live?
 

If notification is the only issue...
 

why would you care if someone checked their phone in a movie theater? Is the light on the phone really going to ruin your movie?

Ive allways wondered how it is that some people lost sight of the fact that buisness got along quite nicely before the advent of the cell phone or pager or email or blackberry. If said person needs a sign to know when to turn said device off, Im left scratching my head at why a business would 'need' that person that degree in the first place since it's obvious said person is bereft of common sense.

I can see the need for this but my wife used to carry a cell phone while on call for work, which was every weekend. When we went to the movies she would have it on silent mode and would leave the theater if it rang and deal with the issue outside.

This would suck for those people.

Since we are no longer in that position I say go ahead and install them. :thumb:

Uhhhh, YES.

I sat next to this gal in a theater a few months ago. She had one of those flip phones with a blue neon display. Every time she flipped her phone open, that blue light literally lit up the few rows around us. I wasn't the only one who said something to her...

The thing that blew me away was she was well into her 20's, and wasn't some ignorant teenager. But, she sure the hell acted like one having to check her phone every five minutes.

Cell Phones suck.

I tried callin' CP yesterday to pull the trigger on the trades we tried to do for McCardell and Shawn Springs, but the bastard didn't answer.

A belated thank you to your wife...
 

So YOU are the infamous "Gaz;" glad to meet you...

Nice post; agree entirely.