Oh, for some peace and quiet!
Have you heard about this new gadget that can save your sanity? The cellphone jammer! You get on the bus/train/tram and the guy/girl next to you starts yakking on his/her cellphone. There are no other seats available and you are stuck listening to one side of some stupid conversation. You can't read or concentrate on anything, so you sit stewing, wishing you could press the eject button and launch the talker into space. Well, it seems that now you can with this new gadget called a cellphone jammer. All you do when your nerves reach breaking point is slip your hand into your secret pocket where the jammer is resting. Press on the button and you cut his/her phone call instantly and return to a quiet world. This is not a joke. The technology is not new, but overseas exporters of jammers say demand is rising and they are sending hundreds of them a month into the United States, prompting scrutiny from federal regulators and new concern last week from the cellphone industry. The buyers include owners of cafes and hair salons, hoteliers, public speakers, theater operators, bus drivers and, increasingly, commuters on public transportation. The development is creating a battle for control of the airspace within earshot. And the damage is collateral. Insensitive talkers impose their racket on the defenseless, while jammers punish not just the offender, but also more discreet chatterers. The jamming technology works by sending out a radio signal so powerful that phones are overwhelmed and cannot communicate with cell towers. The range varies from several feet to several yards, and the devices cost from $50 to several hundred dollars. Larger models can be left on to create a no-call zone. But, using the jammers is illegal. The radio frequencies used by cellphone carriers are protected, just like those used by television and radio broadcasters. People who use cellphone jammers could be fined and enforcement is operating and is already prosecuting a few American companies for distributing the gadgets. The users are are also subject to prosecution.
