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Author Topic: Blocking cell phone signals in theaters Jack Ondracek Film God Posts: 2348 From: Port Orchard, WA, USA Registered: Oct 2002 posted 12-22-2005 06:35 PM                        quote: My god, how did we ever exist without cell phones? We've all gone off the deep end. SHUT THE DAMN PHONE OFF FOR 2 HOURS!!! I've taken my family to the Benaroya Concert Hall in Seattle a couple of times over the past month. They start each show with some kind of "turn off your cell phones & pagers" announcement. Last night, they had a slide above the prosceneum that told people to turn the stuff off... maybe a slide in one of their spots? Pretty cool. Anyway... I never heard one ring, beep or saw an open screen all night. They also have an army of ushers who have no problems with tapping you on the shoulder to ask you to STFU. So... any reason this can't (still) be done in theatres?  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 12-22-2005 06:36 PM                        Active blockers are and will be illegal in the U.S. Fithian won't change this; we are not considered to be an industry worth protecting. Passive (Faraday) blocking has merit and should be considered when any new construction is started....might not be that expensive. Expense is a relative thing. Waste on a large job would more than pay for the Faraday shielding. Also, it might be possible to use cell phone repeaters within the shield so that cell phone would work well until the changeover opens. Louis  |  IP: Logged Mark J. Marshall Film God Posts: 3188 From: New Castle, DE, USA Registered: Aug 2002 posted 12-22-2005 10:17 PM                    Mark... How many people have your "emergency" cell phone number?  |  IP: Logged Frank Dubrois Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 896 From: Cleveland, OH Registered: Mar 2005 posted 12-22-2005 11:45 PM                    I think it is up to theater personel to closely monitor the auditoriums for cell phones, HOWEVER, if I were a customer and someone near me was using a cell phone during the show, I wouldn't have a problem telling them to turn it off or get a theater usher. Granted, customers shouldnt have to confront other customers, but when it comes down to it...it is the fastest way to solve the problem. I'm a little more confrontational than others I'm sure, but I'd have no problem taking care of business my self. The only thing worse than cell phone users in the theater, is those dam laser pointer kids who think it funny to point them on the screen.  |  IP: Logged Matt Fields Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 545 From: Ohio, United States Registered: Jun 2005 posted 12-23-2005 07:54 AM                     quote: I don't like the idea of taking a customer's cell phone during the movie. Instead, simply kick them out with no refund if they don’t think they can sit for two hours with their phone silenced. Also, if the phone rings, I wouldn't remove the patron. I'd warn them that any further activity of any type would result in them being ejected. In our case, we gave the girl a choice: leave or give us the phone till after the movie. She voluntarily handed it over. We can't make her give us the phone.  |  IP: Logged Mark Lensenmayer Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1605 From: Upper Arlington, OH Registered: Sep 1999 posted 12-23-2005 08:43 AM                     I guess we use our cell phones differently from others. The only people with the number are my wife, parents (both around 80), mother-in-law (83) and children (18 & 22). I'll also give it to someone like a plumber or worker that may need to contact me. We do not use the cells for casual conversation...we just don't talk on the phone very much. We primarily got the phone to communicate during my father-in-laws severe illness. As for text messaging, I usually only use that to Google the nearest pizza place location. (I don't even use it for movie show times...I get that on my watch!!) At any rate, the problem here is not the cell phone, it is the disturbance caused by the conversation. I can have my cell phone and leave the auditorium if I need to have a conversation. I agree that people causing disturbances should be removed, but I believe it is possible to handle a call in a way that does not cause a problem. It gets back to the personal responsibility of the person. And really, that's the heart of the problem. As for my earlier "call must go through" statement, of course that is subject to the network.  |  IP: Logged Brad Allen Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 688 From: Evansville, IN, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 12-23-2005 10:35 PM                     Jack said it best, it's up to us as owners to police the auditoriums and to keep all types of disturbance's down. I have far more trouble with the Mable and Freds talking like they are still at home in their own living room.  |  IP: Logged Alan Dallas Film Handler Posts: 48 From: Prescott Valley, AZ Registered: Jul 2004 posted 01-15-2006 08:29 AM                     Cell phones in Theatres are my biggest pet-peeve. We don't actively patrol for phone users, but we do perform at least 2 patrols during each showing for any disturbances. One of my more favorite and quite comical "customer correcting a customer" incidents was a teenager coming out of what ever it was they were watching complaining that someone kept squirting them with soda(was actually water). As was reported to me the Manager that handled it said he went to the auditorium and stood at the top of the stadium seating off in the corner to observe for awhile. When low and behold the complaining teenages cell rang and was very audible over the movie. Just as he was going to correct that infraction of theatre ettiquette he saw the unbelievable. Turned out an elderly gentelman got sick and tired of "these damn kids these days with there cell phones" and took to carrying a water pistol with him when he came to watch movies. Nailed the little teeny girl right in the back of the head with that water pistol from 2 rows above her. I agree, movie goers really need to start helping the Theatres out and policing themselves. Ultimatly there only ruining the "Movie going experiance" for themselves IMHO.  |  IP: Logged Alexander Smith Expert Film Handler Posts: 128 From: Walney Island, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria. Registered: Jun 2003 posted 01-15-2006 10:29 AM                     The mobile phone companies will not agree to blocking, or otherwise limiting, mobile phone coverage in cinemas simply because there's too much money to be lost. Unless the government gets involved, i.e. passes a law then the situation won't change. Looks like we're stuck with observing from the port-glass, and relaying the location of mobile phone users to the front of house staff. Alex.  |  IP: Logged Mike Williams Master Film Handler Posts: 255 From: Knoxville, TN Registered: Feb 2002 posted 01-15-2006 01:35 PM                     If we ever are allowed to block cell phone signals, make sure you can block them completely or don't do it at all. I can only imagine what would happen if everybody had a weak signal: Instead of being able to talk quietly, the call will go through and the inconsiderate cell phone user will have to yell or repeat themselves loudly several times because of the weak cell phone signal (not that they should be trying to talk on it in a theater in the first place). I remember hearing about some bluetooth technology a couple of years ago that would automatically put people's bluetooth phones on vibrate when they enter the auditorium. It is not a solution, but it could be a good start.  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 01-15-2006 02:05 PM                        Could pass a law against cell phone use of any kind in a public performance space. This is more than cinemas. Too bad you can't legislate courtesy. Louis  |  IP: Logged Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 01-15-2006 02:30 PM                     Frankly, the signs and inserts in policy trailers are too nice regarding cell phone use. There needs to be a real stern tone about it, enough to shame the hell out of whatever JERK is doing it. IMHO, young women are by far the biggest offenders in using cell phones in theaters. Damn near everytime I hear a cellphone ringer happening, the phone belongs to some chick. They also seem to be more obsessive in checking their messages frequently and thus lighting up their area of the auditorium with those ever brightening LCD displays. Pretty soon that light pollution is going to be comparable to someone firing up a notebook computer in there. I don't think as many men use their phones in theaters, in part because they know with being a guy there's nothing to stop some other guy getting in his face about it. It's more complicated to confront some teenage girl about her phone use. Here's one possible solution: A reward system for viewers. Give them a bounty of a free soda or popcorn for getting a cell phone user tossed from the theater. First one who reports the abuse wins. I don't think the theater would lose much from the snack counter. The system would likely cut down phone use in theaters down to nothing if the phone user has to worry about everyone else in the auditorium potentially turning him in for a reward. quote: Mark Lensenmayer The issue isn't really the cell phone itself, but how it is being used. 99.99% of people who insist on using cell phones in theaters are complete fucktards in being able to use a cell phone in a non-disruptive way. Most can't be bothered to put the damned thing on vibrate. Seriously, all cell phone users should leave their phones on silent vibrate mode as much as possible. I will not be made to be impressed or entertained by all those stupid, irritating ringers. They suck no matter where they are heard. Restaurants, libraries, funerals, church services or even in a loud football game. It's amazing to me how so many cell phone users have not figured out the novelty of the musical ringer has worn off and gone out of fashion.  |  IP: Logged David Stambaugh Film God Posts: 4021 From: Eugene, Oregon Registered: Jan 2002 posted 01-15-2006 02:45 PM                        I think actual cell phone use (as in the phone rings during a movie) might be down. But "silently" checking for messages or whatever is another issue. People seem to think those bright LCD displays are invisible to everyone else in the theater.  |  IP: Logged Jeremy Jorgenson Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1002 From: Chicago, IL, USA Registered: Feb 2005 posted 01-15-2006 04:54 PM                        Agreed with David ... the bright light is about as annoying as somebody talking at a normal conversational level on a phone. quote: Bobby Henderson Damn near everytime I hear a cellphone ringer happening, the phone belongs to some chick. I have not found this to be true ... at least in IL or CA (where most of the movies I've seen have been since cell phones have gained popularity). In my experience it's been pretty well split between the genders.  |  IP: Logged Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 01-15-2006 08:18 PM                     I would agree my observation on which gender is the bigger cell phone offender is not a scientific judgment. At least here in my part of Oklahoma I notice more teenage girls playing with cell phones in theaters than anyone else. I think some of this may also be a basic difference in behaviors between the genders. Most men don't want to yammer away on a phone all the time.  |  IP: Logged

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