Erik Malund, regarding Craig's idea of a nuisance rate billing system, wrote

If I could, i would for that idea nominate you for the inventor of the year award.

I would second the nomination.

On the other hand, it would require a phased in implementation of new generation mobile units with nuisance rate billing enabled. And for once I suspect that everyone would activly resist getting the latest and greatest equipment.

As for active jamming, which is to say transmitting a signal to impede the transceiver, I suspect it would too often be the case that interior coverage was not quite complete, or the coverage extended out of the intended area. Presumably one would not want people who were curteous enough to get up and step out into the lobby to be inconvenienced. Moreover, you definitely would not want to interfere with the cell phones of people walking by on the sidewalk.

About the GPS solution, there would be a real problem getting signal penetration inside a building. However, it does bring up an idea that would use Craigs basic suggestion without the need for specially equipped transceivers. What if a cellular provider worked with a theater or cafe owner to install a set of triangulating receivers. Could those fixed position receivers triangulate the relative location of a cell phone and send special billing data to the cellular provider? Would such a system be precise enough to accurately discriminate between someone at the top of the aisle inside the theater, and someone who actually stepped out into the antehall or lobby? And most importantly, could it be done with a '51?

It occurs to me that if this could be done, it would not require violating any law forbidding the intentional interfering with cellular signals. Neither would it require the expense of remodeling a room to incorporate a faraday cage. So just how expensive would such an approach be?