Cell phone signal jammers are illegal in the US, but that doesn't mean they can't be used. They are apparently becoming more common and are expected to spread quite a bit in the near future. The FCC says that using a jammer is considered "stealing" radio waves because that spectrum has been assigned as property to a commercial entity. However, the author of the article wonders if it is "passive jamming" - such as erecting buildings made of material that blocks cell phone signals. While some don't like the idea of having their signals blocked - others think that if they just have areas to "separate" it could become much more popular in the future. The article points to the rise of camera phones as a "bottom-up surveillance society" as one reason we need areas that have no signal. That makes little sense to me as anyone using a camera phone can still take the picture and then upload it later when they are within range of a signal. Still, it will be interesting to see if anti-jamming equipment becomes popular. Most people have no idea if a jammer is being used as it looks like there is no service. This makes it very difficult to find out if someone is using a jammer and means no one will get caught doing these things.
In real life, these places can use disruptors. Some of the interviews below are real quotes from US netizens.
I would love to have cell phone jammer on my car when I drive down the street. I'm fed up with drivers who are still on their phones while driving and not paying attention on the road. I caught more drivers on the phone and dropped nearby. It would be nice if my car disturbs this idiot cell phone driver to get attention ON THE ROAD. NY State makes it illegal to use a cell phone while driving. Hence, SCREW FCC law, it's my safe drive my car down the street without being hit by careless cell phone drivers.
I work in the discipline office of a high school. Repeated cell phone use during school accounts for 1/2 of my students' suspensions. 1st offense is imprisonment, 2nd offense is 1 day suspension, 3rd offense is 2 days suspension, and so on. I would like to know if teachers can legally put a jammer / blocker in their classroom. would this be considered passive blocking?
I totally agree with the opinion of the article. I think everyone needs a cell phone signal jammer in our daily life. It is usually used where noises are prohibited or where silence is needed for a moment, such as churches, mosques, libraries, cinemas, conference rooms and others. it can be very useful to us. A friend of mine who is a teacher was once annoyed by his students texting short text messages during class and later bought a portable cell phone jammer, then all the students were confused that their cell phones couldn't pick up signals themselves when it was the most my friend said he bought it well online.