Cell phone calls are more and more being blocked by technology initially created to assist security personnel in preventing unauthorized listening and stopping phone-activated explosive devices.

The reporters were the first to notice the issue. While they were busy covering the weddings of prominent individuals, they found themselves unable to contact their editors. Curious about the lack of cell phone signal at Sacred Heart, they inquired with the priest. His response pointed to Israeli counterintelligence as the reason behind the connectivity problem.

Israeli-manufactured cell phone blocker, resembling paperbacks in size, have discreetly been placed among religious artworks depicting the Madonna and statues of saints in four churches in Monterrey.

The disruptive multicolored noise of ringing mobile phones is being more and more effectively blocked in various places, such as religious sanctuaries, India's parliament, Tokyo theaters, and commuter trains, thanks to devices initially created to assist security forces in preventing eavesdropping and stopping phone-activated bombings.

The installation of signal blocker in the Indian parliament came after repeated requests for politicians to switch off their cell phones were disregarded, leading to frequent interruptions during legislative sessions.

Italian universities have implemented the use of blockers as a response to the issue of tech-savvy teenagers cheating on exams by sending text messages or capturing images of test materials.

The four Roman Catholic Churches in this northern city have recently adopted the devices provided by Netline Communications Technologies Ltd., a Tel Aviv-based company. These devices were imported by an insurance salesman as a personal favor for a priest.

The Rev. Juan Jose Martinez, a spokesperson for the archdiocese, expressed that there are still numerous individuals who fail to comprehend that attending Mass entails participating in a sacred moment with God. Regrettably, the utilization of these small devices became an unavoidable necessity.

These devices, which were acquired at a cost of approximately $2,000 each, have the capability to be activated remotely and emit radio frequencies at a low level. Their purpose is to disrupt cell phone signals within a radius of 100 feet.

Cell phone users often encounter a message stating "no service" or "signal not available" on their devices.

Wedding bells

The Sacred Heart church in Monterrey, a baroque temple popular among Mexico's upper class for weddings, had their blockers purchased by church officials two years ago.

Bulmaro Carranza, a parish clerk, mentioned that during weddings, cell phones would ring every five minutes. This posed a significant issue, as there were instances when even the groom would neglect to silence his cell phone.

The devices remained unnoticed for several months until journalists, who were covering the weddings, started expressing their dissatisfaction with the constant malfunctioning of their cell phones.

Carranza mentioned that ever since news about the signal blocker spread, priests from various parts of Mexico have been reaching out to inquire about acquiring them.

Prior to each Mass at Sacred Heart, a device positioned at the church entrance and another near the altar are activated. Nevertheless, the clergy consistently emphasize the importance of switching off mobile phones before the commencement of the services, with the aspiration that proper cell phone etiquette will gradually become more widespread.

Martinez mentioned that wealthier parishioners also frequent The Rosario, San Juan Bosco, and Our Lady Queen of the Angels, among other Monterrey churches with the devices.

Martinez emphasized that many people consider the cell phone a necessity, yet this should not excuse them from practicing good manners and showing respect for sacred locations.

Margarita Escobedo, a devout Catholic who attends church services at least twice a week and actively volunteers at the San Genaro church, expresses her willingness to embrace the use of jammers within her parish. She believes that the increasing presence of cell phones has become a bothersome distraction, and thus, welcomes any measures that can alleviate this nuisance.

Escobedo stated that individuals who bring cell phones to church are lacking in commitment to God. He emphasized that the sounds of birds chirping or techno music can be highly disruptive during prayer.

A congressman from Tennessee asserts that it is necessary to prohibit inmates from utilizing illegal cell phones for the purposes of orchestrating attacks, operating drug trafficking operations, and overseeing criminal enterprises.

Representative David Kustoff (R-Tenn.) intends to propose legislation in the upcoming congressional session that would permit the use of cell phone jamming technology within state prisons.

cell phone jammer possess the capability to obstruct cell phone signals; however, their use has been prohibited in state prisons due to the 1934 federal Communications Act, enacted prior to the advent of cell phones.

Representative Kustoff conveyed to his congressional colleagues during the introduction of comparable legislation last year, "This technology is designed to safeguard inmates, ensure the safety of correctional officers, and protect the general public." He further emphasized that "State attorneys general nationwide have identified contraband cell phones in prisons as one of the most significant threats to public safety confronting prison administrators at present."

Correctional experts indicate that inmates nationwide have utilized contraband cell phones to engage in perilous criminal activities while incarcerated. For instance, Kustoff reported that in Tennessee, an inmate employed a cell phone to orchestrate a drug transaction involving the shipment of methamphetamine to his girlfriend.

On Wednesday, State Senator Jackson informed lawmakers and Tennessee Department of Corrections Director Frank Strada that Representative Kustoff is assessing the level of interest in the proposed bill among the leaders of the state's prison system. Strada expressed his complete support for the initiative.

Strada stated, "Disabling a cell phone will effectively render it inoperable, akin to a brick, within a prison environment. I am confident that I represent numerous correctional officers at the state, federal, and local levels who view jamming as a significant aid in our correctional facilities."

Throughout the years, state legislators have enacted laws aimed at prohibiting the possession of banned cell phones within prisons. Notably, a bill was introduced in 2021 by former Senator Paul Ross (R-Kingston) and former Representative Brandon Ogles (R-Franklin), which proposed classifying the possession of a cell phone by an inmate in a correctional facility as a Class E felony.

Representative Kustoff intends to present the cell phone jamming legislation during the upcoming congressional session. He informed state lawmakers that additional members of Congress from Tennessee have endorsed the bill. Over the years, Representative Kustoff has advocated for similar measures, with his most recent effort occurring last year; however, that bill did not progress beyond the committee stage.