Should businesses such as restaurants, concert halls, churches, funeral homes and theaters have the right to block cell phone reception with adequate public notice. If I were looking for an nice restaurant to take friends, one with a sign that said, "We block cell phones. You'll need to go outside to send/receive calls," would get a plus from me.
I've got the habit to navigate on internet on my smartphone when I eat alone for lunch. But I find annoying that someone calls me, so I would agree with a limitation of phone functions, but not on internet functions ...
The problem is not cell phones, the problem is rude people. Some people think they have to yell into their phone. Restaurants try to block cell phones to avoid directly confronting rude people and to avoid the problems of patrons confronting rude people. Its a sign of the times - the US has become a nation of wimps and thin skinned jerks. People generally don't stand up for themselves, their property, rights, freedoms, or for other people. Leave the cell phones open. If patrons and the restaurant don't have the guts to say something to a rude person, then they get what they deserve.
I doubt anyone would block calls at lunch but I took a friend and her daughter to a very nice restaurant for dinner. We had just ordered when the man at the next table got a call and proceeded to loudly tell the caller what each of the people at his table for six had ordered. I looked at the waiter and he shrugged and gestured, "What can I do?" When the nitwit finished with the menu I stood up and started loudly telling him what I and my friends had ordered. "What do I care?" "Oh, I thought you wanted to tell you friend what everyone was having." He slammed his phone down and people in the restaurant applauded. That restaurant didn't open until 2 p.m. I've also been in restaurants that were one step up from fast food that had signs saying their WiFi was turned off during peak hours. I agree with that, too.
At the current time it's illegal to block cell phone reception. I agree with that. Back when my kids were just old enough to be home without a babysitter, I was thankful that we had cellphones, and could keep contact with them. The problem is etiquette, not the phones themselves. Etiquette hasn't evolved as fast as technology.
I'm for to leave market decide: there should bee freedom of choice for the restaurants / pubs / pizzeria ... if I want to go to eat where there is no possibility of disturb by smartphones and similar, I will go to a place where these devices have to be kept switched off. If I don't care, I go elsewhere.
If you could guarantee the blocking would only be of the restaurant, I would agree. The problem is, that cannot be guaranteed. Any radio based blocking device would either be ineffective, or would block outside of the restaurant.
Yes, in this perspective we are going to require to restaurants to install advanced military systems of oriented and delimited military jamming [a bit expensive: imagine how would cost to have a dinner in those restaurants!].
I'm no engineer but I live in a country where not quite everything is illegal. Churches, for example, can and do block cell phones. The reporters who go to funerals at the Cathedral in Mexico City routinely step outside to check cell calls. I don't mind if a restaurant wants to cater to cell phone users. But, if I were making a reservation for a nice restaurant I would check to insure there would be no cell phones. I'm aware, blocking cell phones is illegal in the U.S. but most things are. I would definitely leave it up to the restaurant, concert hall, mortuary, church, museum, or whatever but leaving the individual free to choose is not the American way.
I really hate hearing a phone go off during a movie. I especially hate it when the (*)(*)(*)(*)ing answer it. It would be nice to live in a society where everyone was a responsible adult... but we don't and I am totally fine with a theater shutting off mobile devices after a movie starts.
I would be more interested in a pocket size device that I could carry around that would block all cell phones within 10 meters.
"We remind and warn consumers that it is a violation of federal law to use a cell jammer or similar devices that intentionally block, jam, or interfere with authorized radio communications such as cell phones, police radar, GPS, and Wi-Fi." http://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/jamming-cell-phones-and-gps-equipment-against-law Whether it's an actual law or simply a regulation implemented without review is irrelevant. According to this government website, which should excite you, it is a violation of federal law to block a signal even in your own home or business. As a conservative, it does give me pleasure to assist those less fortunate by spending 15 seconds to do a Google search for them. No thanks is required.
The question is moot, since that right already exists. - - - Updated - - - It's not necessary to jam radio signals in order to block cell phone service within a building. It can be done with simple, passive shielding.
Against FCC rules to block radio transmissions. The cell phone companies pay money to rent the portion of radio spectrum that they use. That cannot be interfered with purposefully. http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/cell-phone-jammer5.htm
Passive shielding is legal. My local wal-mart stores does this, although not purposefully. Is a pain when I try to text my wife a picture of somethign to see if it's the right one.
Yes, I often work in areas that (unintentionally) block cell phone service. It's not terribly difficult, since it is a relatively low wattage signal.
No, if they like they can simply have a policy stating that all cell phone conversations must be made outside. If the patron doesn't abide by the rule then they have the right to kick them out. Plenty of people have their phones for convenience as well as work and emergencies.
I see. So, a nitwit has ordered dinner. His phone rings and he answers with the usual shouted, "HELLO!" Then he proceeds to chat, equally loudly, with someone. Now, your solution is for the manager to come over, tell the man to leave, eat the loss on the meal and disrupt everyone's dinner farther. That makes a lot more sense than having a sign at the door notifying nitwits that their cell phone won't work and they'll need to go outside to use their phone. We could have a sign at the door directing cell phone users to the left and smokers to the right. At concerts, it would make a lot more sense in the middle of the concert to have ushers come down and disrupt the concert farther as the demand the offender leave. That would be so much better than having a sign that says, "Cell phones will be blocked and may be used only during intermission." I'm curious. Do these people who can't disconnect for a meal or a concert disconnect when they're having sex? It doesn't sound like they would. I'm mean, really, what if Chuck at work wants to talk to your wife while you're having sex? Are you just going to let the phone, gasp, go unanswered? We already have the ability to mute the phone or even turn it off. I know many people are unaware of that feature but it does exist. Doesn't work, does it? Phones still go off in weddings, restaurants, and theaters.
Rude people talked too loudly in restaurants long before we had cell phones. You can't jam radio signals within a building without also jamming them outside of the building -- unless you shield the entire building. If you installed an effective shield, then the jamming would become redundant. Besides, grouchy (*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)s would simply find something else to whine about if they couldn't whine about people talking on their cell phones.
Not everyone who keeps their cell phone on in public is doing it for convenience or to be rude. Some people have jobs to where they are on call 24/7 or have it on them for emergencies. I've been in situations to where I was on standby and if I got a phone call I had to go to work NOW. No excuses would suffice. I've been out with my Aunt before when she got a phone call from a panicking babysitter because my little cousin fell off of his bike and broke his arm and she had to call 911. Those are things that a parent wants to know NOW, If businesses started blocking cell phone reception then it might become a trend and become normal practice. So when people go out they can expect not to have cell phone reception. I understand what you are saying, rude and inconsiderate people can be annoying but cell phones can also be a positive tool in modern society. I know I know the world functioned just fine before they were invented. But since the world has now moved into this technology phase then many jobs expect to be able to get a hold of you all the time. And many jobs don't want to hear the excuse of you not hearing your cell phone ring. The Army is one of them. So are many medical jobs. During certain operation tempo's in the Army we have a policy that says you WILL be at work if we call you within 2 hours or else. And if you don't have a cell phone then you WILL buy one or they will get one and give it to you. Businesses who implemented such a practice would likely lose customers. Many in society are indeed locked onto their cell phones like a plague and can't put them down. Others HAVE to have their cell phone on them. Either way few people would visit an establishment that had such a practice.
Whether businesses would suffer with such a policy is a moot point since the government of the U.S. is denying them that option. If in fact the market would punish restaurants, concerts, theaters, churches, and funeral parlors to not allow cell phone activity the businesses would choose the cell phone option and eliminating the law would make no difference. But, our government is not big on allowing people choices. They tend more to dictate what you will and won't do. FWIW, although I realize it's not much, I spent thirty years being on call. A third of that time was before pagers and cell phones existed and I had to stay near a phone or notify the dispatcher of my location and check in by land line frequently. I am not a cell phone expert but when I relied on a pager it could be set to vibrate. When it vibrated I left the theater, concert, church, funeral, or movie and went to a phone. People could, now, put their phone on mute/vibrate and leave to take the call. Courteous people probably do. Or, if I absolutely could not tolerate not being on the cell phone for the duration of a meal, I'd eat somewhere else. I doubt if McDonalds would ever need to block cell service.
