I am not sure what the situation is or has been in other parts of the
world, but until recently in Australia we had a choice of two types
of mobile phone service: digital, and the now discontinued CDMA
(which ran digital phone signals over the existing analogue network -
a stop-gap measure I suspect until the 3G digital network grew
sufficiently).
Many audio people here, myself included, switched to phones that used
the CDMA network because they didn't induce anywhere near as much
interference into our audio gear as the digital network phones. The
CDMA-induced interference was practically inaudible, if audible at
all, while the digital systems rendered that part of the recording
useless. This was particularly important for those working in
recording studios, where mobile phones would be absent-mindedly
placed within reach on the surface of the mixing console! (Asking for
trouble, really...)
Mobile phone technology is a wonderful thing that has penetrated
society all around the world, turning up in the most unlikely of
pockets (sic). I've trekked with jungle guides in Nepal who carry
mobile phones, so I have to remember to request it is turned it off
while I'm recording. Fortunately the CDMA network is used there, so
the only cell phone interference in my recordings is that captured
acoustically.
Doh, nonetheless.
- Greg Simmons
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