Vow of silence cell

MONTERREY, Mexico - It was found that the journalists first. Unable to call editors while covering the weddings of the rich and famous, they asked the priest why their cell phones never worked at Sacred Heart. His answer: against Israeli intelligence. In four Monterrey churches, Israeli-made cell jammers the size of paper have been quietly nestled between the paintings of the Madonna and statues of saints. The shock polychromatic din of ringing cell phones are increasingly thwarted - from religious sanctuaries of India Parliament to Tokyo theaters and commuter trains - by devices originally developed to help security forces to avoid thwart wiretaps and triggered the bomb.
The Indian Parliament cellular jammers installed after politicians ignored requests to turn off their cell phones and legislative sessions were constantly interrupted. In Italy, universities started using the mobile blockers after discovering that cell phone teenagers have been notified of exam cheating by sending text messages or take pictures of tests. The four Roman Catholic churches in this northern city began using the devices after an insurance salesman imported as a personal favor of a priest. "There are still many people who do not understand that being at Mass is sharing a moment with God," said the Rev. Juan Jose Martinez, a spokesman for the archdiocese. "Unfortunately, we had no choice but to use these little gadgets. "Acquisition of approximately $ 2,000 each, they can be activated by remote control and emit low levels of radio frequencies that thwart the cell phone signals within a radius of 100 feet.

Users get a "no service" or "signal not available" message on their cell phone. Although Mexico has no law against mobile phone zapper, the private use of cell phone blockers is illegal in States U.S. and most western countries. But the tide is turning.

Japan allows public places such as theaters and concert halls to install cell phone jammers, provided they obtain a license from the government. And last week, France's Minister of Industry has approved a decision to let cinemas, concert halls and theaters install them - as long as provisions are in place for emergency calls can still be made.

Canada considered allowing blocking in similar situations. However, Industry Canada, which governs the country in the field of telecommunications, decided against him, saying the devices could affect the personal freedom and affect public safety by crippling communication with law enforcement and security agencies. Officials of the e-mobile, which sold its first cellular jammer in 1998, for example, they sell thousands of cell phone jammers a year and have expanded their activities across the world. They are far from the only manufacturer. The cell phone signal jammers are sold throughout the world, with dozens of vendors who sell on the Internet.

Tokyo-based Medic Inc. sold thousands of its Wave Wall jammers before the government in a regulated and their use for sites with live performances. Commuters buy mobile jammers to shut up chatty train passengers, even if their use is illegal. In Scotland, businessman Ronnie McGuire, owner of Electron Electrical Engineering Services, imported from Taiwan made cell phone blockers and sold to hotels, restaurants and bars until a local newspaper reported his activities , which are illegal in Britain.

McGuire said he will still import the Taiwanese devices, but to sell for export to countries where they are allowed. Kumaar Thakkar, director of marketing and sales for e-mobile, would not say how many gps jammers the company sells a year, or what country buys the most. In Mexico, the main clients are banks looking to stop would-be robbers from communicating with their accomplices and the Mexican government, which intends to use in prisons, Haim said.

In Monterrey, the Church of the Sacred Heart, a baroque temple favored by Mexico's elite for weddings, the Church has gained phone blockers two years ago. "Whenever there was a wedding, cell phones ring every five minutes," said Bulmaro Carranza, a parish clerk. "It was a real problem because there were times when even the husband would forget to turn off his cell phone."

For months, the devices went unnoticed until reporters covering the weddings that began to complain about their cell phones never worked. As word of the mobile telephony blocking public, priests from around Mexico have asked how to obtain them, said Carranza.

At Sacred Heart, a device at the entrance to the church and another by the altar are turned on right before every Mass yet, priests remind parishioners to turn off their phones before services, hoping good cell phone label eventually taken. Other churches in Monterrey devices - The Rosario, San Juan Bosco and Our Lady Queen of Angels - are also frequented by wealthier parishioners, Martinez said. "For many, the cell phone is a necessity. But this should not prevent them from having good manners and remembering that one must respect sacred places," said Martinez.