Don't miunderstand me here. I basically agree with your position.
> But didn't the more recent communications act render the
> Communications Act of 1934 obsolete?
Not as far as I know. The Communications Act of 1934 gets amended all the time, but it is still, as far as I know, the basis of radio regulation in this country (and, yes, television and cell phones are, physically, radio). Did it go away when I wasn't looking?
I do think that perhaps use of such jamming devices (if properly
> designed) might be useful in prisons where there is a problem with
> contraband cell phones running being used for drug deals and other
> problematic things. Of course, we'd have to address the issues and
> how to correctly make it legal for use (so that situations like you've
> described can be avoided).
Probably by amending the regulations.
Another thing that would be useful would be to have a "turn off cell phone" signal that all cell phones would be programmed to receive and obey. It could be transmitted periodically around hospitals, theaters, etc. The idea is that in a real emergency, you could still turn your cell phone on manually. Much safer than jamming. If cell phones are jammed in, say, a theater, you create an ideal place to take hostages.