[IP] more on Theater Owners Want to Jam Cell Phones
Begin forwarded message:
From: Jeff Ballard <ballard@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: December 22, 2005 7:28:02 AM EST
To: dave@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [IP] Theater Owners Want to Jam Cell Phones
While "jamming" might be easier (to a point), sometimes the low-tech
solution
might just be easier -- chicken wire. Asking Google ended up with
this link
(which was quite interesting):
http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=413500
Specifically this part:
------ Begin Snippet
HOW TO LEGALLY BLOCK CELL PHONES IN USA
Simple - mount steel mesh or chicken wire around all your walls,
cover them with decorative wall board, and run a wire down to a good
electrical ground, such as conduit pipe or water pipe. This will
effectively block incoming or outgoing cell phone transmissions. After
all, it is YOUR office or store, right? People can go outside to
make calls, as they should.
------ End Snippet
Painful, yes, however since it isn't something that is transmitting,
it isn't
the FCC's domain. Besides, we've all been in buildings that do this
accidently.
-Jeff
On Wed, 21 Dec 2005 22:11:37 -0500 (EST) "David Farber" wrote:
Dave,
Word is out that the National Association of Theater Owners
wants the FCC to allow the jamming of cell phones in movie
theaters. See
for example: http://www.mobiledia.com/news/41645.html
As you can imagine, the cellular phone industry is rather negative
toward
this idea -- as should be anyone who has their priorities
straight.
Such jammers are already available illicitly in the U.S., and some
establishments have supposedly already been experimenting with them,
figuring that patrons would just assume poor inside coverage.
But can you *imagine* the liability issues that would arise in
emergency contact situations if purposeful jamming were taking
place, even assuming that the jamming didn't spill out into other
areas?
Frankly, the probability of the FCC going along with this idea is, uh,
something of a long shot. Yes, people who insist on using cell
phones or
other obtrusive devices in theaters are a pain. But so
are loud talkers, seats and floors covered with bubble gum and
spilled popcorn, and of course lousy movies.
The fact that the theater association is even trotting out the idea of
blanket jamming suggests desperation in the extreme.
--Lauren--
Lauren Weinstein
lauren@xxxxxxxx or lauren@xxxxxxxxxx or lauren@xxxxxxxx
Tel: +1 (818) 225-2800
http://www.pfir.org/lauren
Co-Founder, PFIR
- People For Internet Responsibility - http://www.pfir.org
Co-Founder, EEPI
- Electronic Entertainment Policy Initiative - http://www.eepi.org
Moderator, PRIVACY Forum - http://www.vortex.com
Member, ACM Committee on Computers and Public Policy
Lauren's Blog: http://lauren.vortex.com
DayThink: http://daythink.vortex.com
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Jeff Ballard <ballard@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> 608-265-5090
Unix Systems Manager, Computer-Aided Engineering Center
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