Cell phone blockers in Mexican Church...

[insein]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tm...u=/ap/20041017/ap_on_hi_te/cell_phone_jammers

Churches Installing Cell Phone Jammers

Sun Oct 17, 7:17 AM ET Technology - AP


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 (news - web sites) 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."

 

[Merlin1047]

Wow, wish I could get my hands on one of those babies. I would fix those inconsiderate swine who constantly take calls in movie theaters.

 

[5stringJeff]

I would carry one of those with me everywhere I went! How cool!

 

[Mr. P]

Reminds me of the cell phone that rang in church during a sermon.
The preacher walked down from the pulpit to the section of pews where the
interruption occurred and announced...."If God is calling you, he isn't going to use a cell phone".

 

[Politico]

I would carry one of those with me everywhere I went! How cool!

I already do lol.

 

[FA_Q2]

Not a bad idea. Would work nicely in theaters.

 

[Sunni Man]

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.

I wonder what's the rational for making them illegal in the U.S. ?? ..

 

[dilloduck]

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.

I wonder what's the rational for making them illegal in the U.S. ?? ..

Follow the money

 

[FA_Q2]

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.

I wonder what's the rational for making them illegal in the U.S. ?? ..

Simple, you do not have the right to block MY communication in a public arena. I do not know the specific laws but I have a strong suspicion that personal essentially means that you cannot walk down the street with one of these (or place one on the outside of your hose for instance) BUT if you owned a business you could buy one for that purpose. Such a law only would make sense as it should be illegal for you to block out my communication device at any time that I am NOT on your property.

 

[Sunni Man]

I fail to see why the business owner of a restaurant or a church shouldn't be allowed to install one on the premises?

Just put up a 'Cell Phone Jammer in Use' sign making patrons aware of it being used next to the 'No smoking' sign'. ..

 

[blastoff]

I fail to see why the business owner of a restaurant or a church shouldn't be allowed to install one on the premises?

Just put up a 'Cell Phone Jammer in Use' sign making patrons aware of it being used next to the 'No smoking' sign'. ..

I highly disagree on the grounds your solution is waaaay too simple, logical, etc.

 

[hjmick]

 

[FA_Q2]

I fail to see why the business owner of a restaurant or a church shouldn't be allowed to install one on the premises?

Just put up a 'Cell Phone Jammer in Use' sign making patrons aware of it being used next to the 'No smoking' sign'. ..

I agree. Hell, I don’t even think that a sign should be required. It is your property and you can do what you want on your property as long as you are not taking, hurting or endangering others. You don’t think that federal agencies are going to actually use their power properly though, do you. They do as they please and overreach as a matter of course. It is worthy to note that the law covering this is dated as well, created in 1934. I don’t know when the last time it was amended though as that can be important in that respect.

Relevant information:
http://transition.fcc.gov/eb/jammerenforcement/jamfaq.pdf

Section 301 of the Communications Act: “No person shall use or operate any apparatus for the transmission of energy or communications or signals by radio…except under and in accordance with [the Communications] Act and with a license in that behalf granted under the provisions of this Act.” 47 U.S.C. § 301.

5. Why are cell phone jammers, Wi-Fi jammers, and GPS jammers illegal?
Jammers are more than just a nuisance; they pose an unacceptable risk to public safety by potentially preventing the transmission of emergency communications. Cell phone jammers do not distinguish between social or other cell phone conversations and an emergency call to a family member or a 9-1-1 emergency responder. Similarly, GPS and Wi-Fi jammers maliciously disrupt both routine and critical communications services.

Of course they don’t mention that having a cell phone certainly is not mandatory, land lines still operate and there is no additional safety concerns that arise from a cell phone blocker in a restaurant or a movie theater than if no one has a cell phone. IOW, they are grasping in the excuse to make them illegal.

And the best part:

Yes. The sale, lease, importation, distribution, or marketing of jammers in the U.S. or its Territories is prohibited by federal law. See 47 U.S.C. § 302a(b); 47 C.F.R. § 2.803(a).
There is a very narrow exception. In limited circumstances, the sale of signal jammers for use by authorized federal agencies may be permitted.

Of course they exempted THEMSELVES from the law. We can’t have the government limited, now can we.

 

[RoadVirus]

Not a bad idea. Would work nicely in theaters.

Yeah...until another theater massacre occurs and police aren't called until it's too late because the theater had cell phone jammers.

 

[Politico]

Oh Lord.

 

[FA_Q2]

Not a bad idea. Would work nicely in theaters.

Yeah...until another theater massacre occurs and police aren't called until it's too late because the theater had cell phone jammers.

Really. You are going to go that route.


That is utter nonsense and you know it. If you don’t feel comfortable in a situation like that then the answer is simple, don’t go where your phone is not usable. Don’t take away the freedom of the establishment over their own property to satisfy your unreasonable fears.

I highly doubt that in a situation where you are being shot at, the first thing you are going to reach for is your cell to call the cops. If that is your ‘flight’ response, you are dead. Hate to break it to you but the cops are not going to do anything for you if someone is gunning you down.

Get out and then call the cops. There not going to be there in the seconds that you need them to be there anyway.

 

[Luddly Neddite]

Not a bad idea. Would work nicely in theaters.

Yeah...until another theater massacre occurs and police aren't called until it's too late because the theater had cell phone jammers.

Hmmm, well the massacre that comes to mind was over before anyone could even get their phone out of their pocket.

But, that's okay Mighty Mouse. You stay with your fantasy world.