Mexico City, Mexico, Sep 22, 2004 / 22:00 pm
The constant interruptions from cell phones during Masses and the lack of cooperation by some of the faithful to shut their phones off in church has led several parishes in Mexico to install blocking devices that make it impossible for cell phones to acquire a signal from inside the church building.
Four parishes in Monterrey are using technology developed by Netline Communications of Israel in order to block cell phone signals during Mass.
“Before we had this equipment it was very uncomfortable to hear calls coming in during the celebration of the Mass. Now it is about 95% better,” Bulmaro Carranza, sacristan of Sacred Heart Parish, told Reuters.
The equipment consists of two small boxes placed near the altar and at the entrance of the church.
The system is turned on before Mass begins and causes the message “No Service” to appear on cell phone display screens.
“I think we were the first church in Mexico to use this technology. And we are receiving calls from all over the place about how to use it,” Carranza added.
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