Canada/USA: Demand up for Cell phone jammers

by Barry ORegan | November 10, 2007 at 05:27 am
11423 views | 0 Recommendations | 12 comments

Photos

Canada/USA: Demand up for Cell phone jammers

Canada/USA: Demand up for Cell phone jammers

see larger image

uploaded by Barry ORegan

Boy ,would I love to have one of these toys under my Christmas tree.  Drivers on cell phones holding up traffic make me nuts.

Only cops can use them legally.

But there's a growing demand among residents south of the border for cellphone jammers - gadgets that render nearby mobile devices useless.

Overseas exporters of jammers say they are sending hundreds of them a month to the U.S. It's not known how many are being used in the Edmonton area.

"If people would use cellphones responsibly, then we wouldn't even have to talk about this," said Dr. Louis Francescutti, director of the Alberta Centre for Injury Control and Research and the founder of the Coalition for Cellphone-Free Driving.

Francescutti is among those who complain of abuse by people making or taking calls in inappropriate circumstances.

"I can't believe they're talking about allowing cellphones on airplanes," he said. "I'd die if I had to sit beside some yak-box the whole flight."

But while Francescutti also believes it would be useful to block cellphone calls in moving vehicles so that drivers don't become distracted, he says he recognizes that jamming signals isn't the answer - since it can also interfere with emergency calls.

And it's largely for that reason that people who use cellphone jammers aren't just taking matters into their own hands but the law as well.

"Under Canadian law and regulations, the use of jammers is not permitted except in limited circumstances by some federal law-enforcement agencies who have obtained federal cabinet approval," said Caroline Grondin of the Industry Department, which regulates the Radiocommunication Act.

Department of Justice spokesman Chris Girouard says penalties for the illegal use of a jammer were just put on the books in 2005 - and carry an individual fine of $5,000. The devices work by broadcasting signals that interfere with cellphones, and a version featuring a 25-metre range is available on eBay Canada for $250.

Edmonton police Sgt. Brian Anderson explains there are times when cellphone blocking technology can be useful in police operations.

"It could be used in a high-risk incident, where we have a barricaded person or a man with a gun and we need to maintain an uninterrupted line of communication to negotiate and possibly resolve the situation," he said.

Anderson says he can imagine such technology becoming even more common as a law enforcement tool.

But it's likely to remain illegal in the private sector.

"Our response to cellphone users is to ask people to respect others and turn them off or turn them on to vibrate mode if they need to keep them on for emergency reasons," said Pat Marshall, spokesman for Cineplex Entertainment, which operates movie theatres across Canada.

Jammers are also illegal because they interfere with signals broadcast on frequencies that cellphone providers pay for. But when it comes to arguing against their use, Telus spokesman Chris Gerritsen also points to the fact that jammers aren't selective and block all the signals around them, and may interfere with emergency communications.

"If my kid was choking and I had to call 911, it would be devastating," said Gerritsen.

No one from eBay was available to explain how cellphone jammers are available for sale on their site.

Advertisement
recommend Sign In or Join to post comments
1
Jordan Yerman

I want one that can silence annoying ringtones... that would rule.

0
Barry ORegan

You know, somehow I just knew this story would get your attention.

I want one. so it doesn't screw up my electronic validation equipment when I am working in hospitals. 

Hospitals have a no cell phone rule, but everyone ignores it, except families visiting whose relative is on a heart monitor.  

0
jammer onlin

hi, u want to have a personal mobile phone jammer?

 

pls have a look at

www.jammer-online.com

to find out the most cheapest and good quality mobile phone jammer

contact email: block_mobile@yahoo.com

 

0
jammerstech

Shenzhen GSH Technology Co.,Ltd. is a Chinese mobile phone jammer manufacturer. We can supply top quanlity mobile phone jammer. And we have intelligent mobile phone jammer system. You can get more details at our web: http://www.jammerstech.com

contact mail: jammertech@hotmail.com

0
Giulio Moro

I believe that most people carelessly use their cellular telephones.  In movie theatres during a movie, a store checkout line, a TTC bus or subway, and while in a restroom stall.  It's all very disturbing when you're in a restroom stall and you can hear someone enter the restroom while on their cell phone, walk up to a urinal, take care of business, and then continue their conversation without interruption while walking out of the restroom without washing their hands.  How about the HR person sitting beside you in an airport terminal talking about truly sensitive topics at the top of her lungs with a packed group of quiet people around her.  Then there's the stupid person on the TTC bus talking so loud at the back of a moving bus (beside the engine compartment), that everyone can clearly hear her private conversation from the seat beside the bus driver, while in motion!  Since when do 10-14 year old children need a cell phone?  There's a time and place to use a cell phone, and a time and place to keep quiet.  If more people would recognize this and stop this ridiculous behaviour then companies wouldn't be making these cell phone jammers, and many places wouldn't need to have them installed to curb this type of bad behaviour.  Ever been at a live theatre only to be constantly annoyed by the cell phones ringing around you by ignorant people that refuse to turn them off?  How about standing in line 30 minutes for a movie only to hear the loser teenager behind you constantly talking on their cell phone during the movie, and their parents are right beside them!  Talk about ignorant.  Too bad they don't make personal portable MP3 jammers also.  They sure would come in handy for people all over the world towards people listening to music so loud that it's makes your daily commute to/from work a living nightmare.  In the old days electronic devices emitted such a huge amount of ambient signals that many sensitive devices did not work properly, hence they invented magnetic shielding in these devices.  Then they legislated the amount of permissible ambient noise in an effort to control their effect on other devices.  Electronic devices made today are so shielded that you can now use these devices on airplanes.  Remember the old days when airplane electrical systems were so poorly constructed that turning on a cell phone while in flight by accident would cause some electronic subsystems to shut-down?  Those days are long gone, as we now use digital cameras, cell phones, MP3/MP4 players, DVD players, and even laptops while in-flight on everyday airplane trips.  The real point is if parents don't teach their children corrective behaviour when they're young and do the same themselves, how is anyone to wake-up?  In NY and PA within the USA cell phone use while driving a car is illegal, but people still do it every day.  Cell phone texting is also illegal, but look at how many people do it every day in California and cause accidents and deaths, and they still don't learn when it's illegal.  I guess that's why companies make these jammers and people need to be taught a lesson in etiquette and controlled more.  Just because you have unlimited free incoming calls on your cell phone plan doesn't mean I need to hear why your friends' boyfriend doesn't want to go out with you on Saturday night because he has some family affair to attend to that he doesn't want to attend and can't get out of.  People, get a life grow-up, and learn some etiquette!

0
bux

Nice Blog

0
bux

Are you done crying now? Tissue?

0
anyhope

while we are at sopping phone use in restrooms, i think we should also restrict saying proper names with too many vowels. have you ever been in a stall when someone comes into the restroom and shouts the name of a person with too many vowels. these names are obviously obnocious, they will sometimes interupt the proper sounds of the restroom.

0
Syncro

Its funny that more people are not up in arms at the building owners about this!  While it is indeed illegal for a citizen to jam cellphone signals it isn't so if the building construction does just that.   Movie theaters, restaurants, and SCHOOLS should take this into consideration while construction plans are underway.  It is in fact, very easy to do.  Signal reflecting windows, they look slightly tinted, and chicken wire under the exterior of the building.  The wire must be grounded.  If just a office, or bay, inside the building is meant to be phone free just that space can be surrounded with the wire (under the drywall.). 

This stops all wireless signals from penetrating the space and lets us all enjoy our peace.  Any restaurant that does this should notify police and medical/fire personelle when entering that they won't get signal.  Some of the places that have already done this provide these peopel with small vibrating pagers that they use while their cellphones are forwarded to a specified number. 

Just last night we were out for the evening, and I spent my whole supper listening to dome dimwit talk to their long lost friend at the table beside me.  I was miffed at them, for being ignorant, as well as the building owner for not providing me with a quiet place to eat.  I won't be back there for a long time.


I think we have to focus on the bigger picture.  People are inconsiderate.  As such we have to force them to be considerate.  Put the wire up, make a Faraday cage around the building, and end their ignorance.  If more people complain to the owners of these buildings they will finally do something about it!


0
Cetacean

Our concern in our buidling (sports facility) is the phones with cameras. People taking pictures of others in locker rooms, pool areas etc. We ask that they don't use them past the entrance but the do anyway and you never know what they are doing until it's too late and pics are used for some creeps personal enjoyment or have been posted online.

0
wirelessphonejammer

we are manufacture in producing some kinds of cell phone jammers,our homepage is

 http://www.wirelessphonejammer.com

you can email me to ask for the price list:sk_knight01@live.cn

0
Cell Phone Jammers

You can buy cell phone jammers from cellphone-jammers.com

I got my jammer about two weeks ago, and I can see why the govt would want to keep these devices illegal.

What is NowPublic?

NowPublic lets people work together to cover news events around the world.

Find out more

Crowd Power

These members have powered this story:

Most Recommended Stories in Tech & Biz

 

closeSign in to NowPublic

is reporting from