[OT] restaurant shielding(was Re: hot spot management)

[Bill Freeman]

Neil Joseph Schelly writes:
 > Something he may not consider though about that paint - 100MHz to 5GHz will 
 > also block out all cellular frequencies.  I know I'd be an annoyed patron of 
 > the restaurant if my cell phone went out of signal every time I entered.  
 > With something like this, he may lose far more business than the hot spot 
 > would attract.

	I, on the other hand, would usually be willing to give up cell
phone connectivity to not have to listen to others use theirs while I
eat.

	I don't even consider my personal connectivity loss to be an
unblemished negative, since I don't really like receiving calls when
I'm eating, whether it be from telemarketers at home, or from a boss
while I'm trying to have a quiet conversation with a dinner partner.
If the call was important, I'll return the message when I get out of
the restaurant.

	If I really must be available for a call, and I can't leave
the restaurant's phone number with a secretary, then, indeed, I'd
choose a different restaurant.  Otherwise a small notice saying
"your cell phone probably won't work in here" would be an attractant
to me.

	Are there more potential customers like me, or more like you?
I contend that the answer isn't obvious.  One data point, however, is
that cell coverage is lousy (at least with Verizon) in the
Peterborough Diner (an old metal diner), yet it's always hopping with
business when I'm there.

							Bill