I investigated and found an absolute conspiracy!

Originally posted by Kram09
Why not look at reviews on the internet?

I'm not sure they would go to the extreme lengths of blocking phone signals just because of this.

The motivation for doing this? Not sure. But it is not going to extreme lengths, you can get cell blockers cheap or for a bit more you can get devices that block several different frequencies.

I 100% believe the poster, the signal is obviously blocked, motivation is the mystery here.

Originally posted by FoxfilesMulder
Stop being a government sponsored disinformation agent.

You may think my reply was the worst, but yours is certainly the saddest and an automatic response for those who don't have anything intelligent to say.

And I never disputed what you posted about the loss of signal, it makes perfect sense. You obviously assumed I was refering to the signal when I said "do some research" when in fact I was refering to researching DVDs before going into the store (like many others have said here).

Maybe you should re-read my post and consider my opinions about why stores would do this and how annoying it can be for those who don't rely on mobile gadgets to orchestrate their lives.

Like I said....happy shopping.

Cheers, your friendly (non)paid government disinfo agent.

I was in my local Asian grocery store the other day and some guy had crappy hip-hop blasting from his phone. Loud enough to be heard from a hundred feet or so. Absurdly irritating. Just to play devil's advocate for a moment.

I'd bet if the corporation did do this it is to keep the employees directly under their control. That's the corporate way.

I notice this in nearly every major supermarket here in the UK. Sometimes there is no signal, other times it is woefully poor within the walls of said store. I have always put this down to a jamming device of some sort, but there are other people who will walk right past us talking happily on their own mobile phones. Maybe the sheer volume of people trying to use cheaper service providers in the store at any one time causes extreme signal degradation to the point where it cuts out?

I think the qustion the OP is rasing here is legitamite in that the question is about the ethics of the store management and the legaility of these devices being used in this way. I think his original propistion is right in that by definition it is a plan on the part of the store to stop customers using their mobile phones in their store.

If they put up notices advising customers that phone jammers are inuse in the store then at least the customer is made aware of it. Indeed I believe if a store uses any kind of jamming device customers have a right to know.

Some people need to know when others are trying to contact them such as sick famaily members, doctors being contacted by hospitals etc

Applying this in reverse, does a customer have the right to use a phone or other electronic jamming device in a store or resturant etc so they dont have to put up with others forcing them to hear their phone conversaation which usually, in the cse of young and the not so young, involves a shouting and swearing competition with other party.

reply to post by FoxfilesMulder


Creepy, I think it’s silly marketing. Because I hate shopping , my husband or the girls go. but when he/they get to the shop they ring me from inside to ask me ifs it exactly what I'm after.

Just recently he went out to get a vacuum cleaner and I spoke to him the whole time while he was in Godfreys, we chose the vacuum together, with me at home on their web page and him in store. We think we did quite well.

He has also rang me up while shopping to ask for sizes and colour on items as well.

Now if he has to walk all the way out the shop to call me about a product, and just happens to pass another shop selling the same products, why would he bother going back to the first shop.

Another example how many times do you call someone when Christmas shopping for gifts. Allot right.
So I don’t know why the company would even bother blocking the signal, it’s stupid.

Cool thread Creepy, I wonder how many other stores do it. I’ll need to tell my husband to go to these ones first and ring from their opposition

I was in JB and EB just before xmas and my ancient mobile worked fine in both stores. I don't really see the point of jamming the signal when you can just walk outside the store and use it and walk back in, seems kind of pointless unless they are trying to stop their employees using their mobiles.

Originally posted by FoxfilesMulder

Also if you would care to click this link, it will show you just how easy it is for any shop to obtain the mobile phone jamming effect as mentioned above.

Cell phone jammers

In the reviews down the bottom it reads:

Mr. Roger: Thank you for your fast response. I used the cell phone mobile jammer in a restaurant and it certainly worked. Most surprised people who found their mobile did not work!!

Oh this sucks, you go out to a nice dinner, leave a babysitter with the kids and she can’t get hold of you.
I wonder if that makes the restaurant liable.

reply to post by Jewels2007


This has only happened within the last few weeks whereas before its worked perfectly.

I have checked five different stores with the same result.

My friend on the three network gets zero signal from within the store as does my 3G which boasts the best coverage of any network.

I go into the store not knowing what I want and choose when I see something. There is only so many times I would want to walk in and out just to use my phone.

People are unaware of what their phones problem is and don't walk outside. They check their phone, no signal, bud luck for me, put phone back in pocket.

Also, every store has a doorman from what looks to be a Pakistani or Indian nationality, so its added to my theory that the stores, even if they are all connected, are not even slightly independent and have a head somewhere that can make something happen within all stores with a single decision.

reply to post by FoxfilesMulder


nice catch man...

btw I can not believe the absolutely asinine responses to your thread..

can it be that the general population on these boards has an IQ that is dropping?

seriously.. if your sell a crappy product and your inventory shows its stuck on the shelf's collecting dust ...

you access your security camera's that are watching for theft ..but to your surprise its not that the consumers is stealing the products in question..

is that they are able to be better informed about the junk your hawking.. or selling at a ridiculous mark up rate. then they put it back ..

then they walk out.. find it elsewhere cheaper .. or whatever..

quick fix? keep them in the dark.. and block their personal communications device.. removing their option to make an informed decision....

dam corporate bastards..

reply to post by reeferman


Hey thanks pal!

Yeah it seems like that here sometimes.

Write some weird ramblings about being a gray alien in a past life that doesn't make sense at all (I was a Gray Alien in past life thread) and get over 1000 replies and 54 flags. Uncover a potentially genuine conspiracy and get 6 lol.

Ah well, ya win some and lose some....

Quick additional thought here, the supermarkets that I can never get a signal in have their own range of sim cards. Could a jammer be modified to allow only the signals of one companies sim and block all others? This would help to explain the few people in the stores who are getting signals.

Originally posted by FoxfilesMulder
I really wanted to name this store and I did when I first started writing this thread....but I had better be careful about this and just not.




so post a great big picture of the store AND its NAME...

Anyone who knows will spot it.........i think

edit on 6-3-2011 by grindhouzer because: (no reason given)

reply to post by grindhouzer


I didn't name the store!

I just posted a picture of the word HIFI

Its like if I take a picture of the word BANK, I'm not naming which bank.

Hahaha oh you are totally getting a star!!! I loved the photo with the big letters HIFI haha very nice you technically didnt name it.

Oooh I am going to think of the real reason why a store would want to use mobile jammers.
What other technology are they using that we arent aware of?
Is that gas I smell?

Firstly, why are you buying movies based on covers/whats on the back? Easy fix, try rental, check out the trailers, read imdb reviews etc.

As for myy phone worked fine but my phone with another provider got no reception. Funny the provider that worked, was the one they promote in store

So i doubt its a conspiracy, just a reception issue.

sounds like if there are jammers its for PROFITS.. (employee jacking it minimized)

In Australia it is illegal to supply, possess and operate a mobile phone jammer because they operate on a licensed part of the frequency band. Have a look here about half way down the page.

I very much doubt that JB HiFi would break federal laws simply to block mobile phone in its store so therefore I am leaning toward the buildings acting as a faraday cage. It is possible that their buildings are deliberately constructed this way but very unlikely to be a jammer.

Edit to add: Cell phone jammers are easily detected and triangulated on by mobile phone towers, depending on their strength.

The cage idea sounds interesting....

Nice to see a conspiracy about a company here in Australia (That I visit often LOL). Knowing what JB sell, I wonder if the amount of TV's etc they have running has something to do with this? Maybe we should see if the same thing happens when in other electronics stores?