Cell phones in cinemas
p2p news / p2pnet: NATO (not that NATO, the other one) plans to jam mobile phone signals in cinemas have, not surprisingly, met with opposition from the wireless industry.
The National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO), "want to find ways to win back crowds" and, "I don’t know what’s going on with consumers that they have to talk on phones in the middle of theaters," NATO president John Fithian said at Showest in Las Vegas.
Solution? Jam cell phone reception, perhaps?
But that’s not the answer, says wireless industry spokesman John Walls, quoted in the Washington Post.
Jamming cell phone signals, "is a solution that also riles passions on the other side of the argument, notably parents of small children for whom a night out at the silver screen might not be feasible without emergency connectivity.
"Blocking technology is illegal for many reasons, the most important of which is public safety. I don’t think anyone’s in the position to play gatekeeper."
Willful or malicious interference with radio communications is illegal and making, importing, marketing and selling devices that can block or jam wireless transmissions can result in an $11,000 fine and a year-long prison term, according to the Federal Communications Commission Web site, adds the Washington Post.
Also See:
jam mobile phone – Jam cell phones in cinemas , March 15, 2006
Washington Post – Movie Theaters Try to Keep Things Quiet, March 16, 2006
March 17th, 2006 at 5:39 pm
so this NATO (as well as perhaps the other one) advocates illegal activity.
not surprising.
March 17th, 2006 at 5:41 pm
whereya been guy?
March 17th, 2006 at 9:59 pm
The National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO), “want to find ways to win back crowds”
It’s over. Home theaters are the way of the future. It took decades but television is finally replacing commercial theaters. They should cut their losses and get out.
March 18th, 2006 at 1:57 am
Wait, so let me get this straight; they want to ban cell phone reception in order to win back crowds to theatres???? That makes absolutley no sense, because no one uses their phone OR go the movies. No one that’s about to go to the theatre says to themselves, “oh, wait, I need to use my cell phone, so I’ll have to think about going to the theatre.” If anything people will refrain from going to the theatre because they can’t use their cell phones.