[...] Mr Anderson was told it was illegal to have a blocker, let alone put one into operation. The offence carries a fine of up to 25,000 euros (£17,400) or a maximum prison sentence of a year."It has been disposed of, essentially thrown in the bin," Mr Anderson said. "I am disappointed. I think it is an injustice not only to the Savoy but to patrons of cinemas all around the country."
No one had lodged a complaint to ComReg.
Ward Anderson spent £499 to import the signal blocker from the US to the Savoy, its flagship cinema in Ireland. The blocker works by emitting a low-power signal that occupies the broadcasting spectrum used by mobile phone operators. It keeps out calls within a 30m (100ft) range.
the right to talk on the phone during a movie shall not be infringed
Cinema banned from blocking mobiles
Tags: big brother, phones
Current Music: Regenerator -- Rush ♬
9 Responses:
*cell phone rings*
"Do you hear that, Mr. Anderson? That... is the sound of inevitability."
If it wasn't so expensive, he could always build a faraday cage. I'd like to see them try to ban that.
Hell, our office at the club barely gets reception -- just bottle whatever-that-is and sell it. How hard could it be? Tinfoil in the walls?
Iron foil would probably do it. A faraday cage is just a layer of ferromagnetic stuff.
If the Savoy is their flagship, they don't have much of a fleet. It's a dump.
I suspect ComReg's reason for the ban on blockers is to do with people who have phones for life-or-death reasons, such as doctors, etc. but really, I'd be happy if they just hired an 800lb gorilla to wander over to people using their cellphones and politely explain to them that it's not nice to interrupt other peoples' moviegoing.
I'm not quite convinced by that argument; most doctors I know in Canada wear pagers when they're on call, so emergencies come to the pager, not the phone. I know that pagers work in a lot of places that cell phones don't (like my apartment, for example). I wonder if it's possible to block cell phones and not pagers?
Even if it isn't, the simple answer to that is, if you're on call, and your need to be contacted is that important, don't go to the movies!.
The Little Theatre in Rochester NY has an on-screen advisory to leave cell phones and pagers with staff so they can come find you when a call comes in. Of course, they only advise this if your incoming call is going to be important. I have no idea if anyone takes them up on it.
I've never understood why talking during a movie is almost universally reviled but many people go apeshit if you ask them to shut up during a concert. I mean, you can always see a movie again but most concerts are unique performances.
I've never understood why people don't have any fucking manners.