Yes - at last - not more being bothered with nerds whose mobiles go off in public places and ruin your lunch/movie/theater experience. Simply introduce a magnetic/electronic shield (may be by using a blocking transmitter, or special wire mesh embeded in plaster on inside of building) so that no phone within the confines of the building can get a signal. Hey presto! Even the geek in row 1 can no longer bother you with his mobile.-- goff, Sep 27 2000 Cellphone Disruptor http://www.halfbake...llphone_20DisruptorSimilar idea. [egnor, Sep 27 2000, last modified Oct 05 2004] Baking http://www.nytimes....hnology/22JAMM.html"The Canadian government is considering changing its laws to allow restaurants, theaters, hospitals and other private companies to silence cell phones by jamming radio signals..." [egnor, Sep 27 2000, last modified Oct 05 2004] (?) Magnetic Wood baking http://www.newscien...s.jsp?id=ns99992461New Scientist: 'Magnetic wood could be a major plank in the battle against noisy cellphone users...'27Jun02 [tharsaile, Jun 27 2002, last modified Oct 05 2004] just spotted the cell phone disrupter idea - this is just a variant (though ma be more realistic??).Just shows, there are no such thing as new ideas, just re-hashed old ones........-- goff, Sep 27 2000 Cell phones. Get over them.-- centauri, Sep 27 2000 I think the local symphony hall does block cellphones, and will take your cellphone and seat number so that ushers can come get people in case of emergency.
After all, there aren't so many hats to check nowadays.-- hello_c, Sep 27 2000 Even presuming that there would be no interference outside of the public buildings from these jamming devices you've still got to allow some people - such as doctors on call - to be able to live their life but be contactable at any moment. As for the symphony hall's policy, I think thats a great idea - though i can't see cinemas, resturants or theatres following their lead. In the case sited above, the delay caused by staff trying to find the doctor could cost lives. Personally, I don't own a mobile and intend to hold out as long as possible until it really becomes essential, however for some they are vital.-- will, Sep 28 2000 Mmmmm; if the doctor is probably five minutes away from costing lives, s/he probably should give the symphony a miss for the evening. (The ushers know exactly how to get to the seat in question - it wouldn't take long.)-- hello_c, Sep 28 2000 I want a device to tap into the signal of the nearest cell phone so I can talk dirty talk to them.-- AfroAssault, Oct 12 2000 I just wanted to make a mention...although I know I'm late. Don't doctors wear pagers? You know, the things that vibrate and don't make noise and you don't have to talk into? I think that'd be the perfect idea rather than an anti-cell shield. Just don't allow cellular use in the performance hall-whatever. If it's that important, they can go elsewhere and call from their cell. :P-- dagrrl, Nov 19 2000 what about a lead shield? perhaps new buildings should incorporate lead shields in certain mobile-free areas. lead shielding might be more troublesome to implement than an rf shield, but at least it's easier to maintain, completely safe, and doesn't break any communications laws.-- macm, Feb 08 2001 I'm pretty sure there's cellphone jammers in Japan already. When I was in Asia a few years back, the cellphone annoyance was already underway and some people could buy jammers for concerts etc.-- tierrie, Feb 19 2001 right macm, because there are no known risks involved with using lead as a building material.-- oooga, Feb 21 2001 that's correct, there are no known risks. unless you were planning to eat through the walls and lick the lead shielding... ?-- macm, Mar 21 2001 Lead is conductive. Take a look at your car's battery clamps...-- StarChaser, Mar 21 2001 However, copper and steel are more conductive (meaning, they'll shield better), and they're also easier to build with. Steel at least is probably cheaper than lead.-- wiml, Mar 25 2001 Twoo. But most buildings, especially large buildings, already ARE a cage of steel and copper. Structural members and power cables...-- StarChaser, Mar 25 2001 And, in fact, cell phones frequently don't work very well inside buildings with steel framing instead of wood. I don't see what that has to do with lead, though.-- wiml, Mar 26 2001 Have you READ the thread at all?-- StarChaser, Mar 27 2001 This idea is baked in at least one country (either America or Japan, I don't remember which).-- PollyNo9, Jun 16 2003 Couldn't you instead of a cell phone jammer use a device which: Finds the cell phone number on the incoming call to the building and if the number is regestered to a doctor, ect it lets the call pass. If it is not then it jamms the cell phone signal (Using the correct algarithm so not to scramble calls to/from doctors)-- angry_scientist, Nov 07 2003 My phone is perfectly capable of making a right old racket even when it has no signal (alarms, schedule-reminders etc). A more interactive method of eliminating the problem would be to require all attendees to switch off their mobile phones and to ensure compliance, signs would warn people that it was legal to poke in the eye anyone whose mobile made a sound. I think the mobile-haters would be queuing up to do some good eye-poking. The ambulance on standby along with the trails of blood and the screams of the disobedient would make me switch off pronto.-- dobtabulous, Nov 07 2003 random, halfbakery