There are plans for certain sections of the London Underground to have mobile in time for the 2012 Olympics, and brilliant maniac Boris Johnson has promised: “Every lamppost and every bus stop will one day very soon, and before the 2012 Olympics, be Wi-Fi enabled.” A bold claim indeed.
But regardless of whether or not those ambitious plans come to fruition, it appears that you might have to leave your mobile phone at the door if you attend the Olympics.
A document unearthed by Big Brother Watch suggests the following junk won’t be permitted inside: “food, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, liquids in containers of greater than 100ml in size, umbrellas, horns, whistles, drums, rattles, musical instruments, or any other devices that in the opinion of Locog may disturb a Session (including mobile telephones), flasks, thermoses and in general any material that Locog may deem dangerous or that may cause damage or disruption to a Session.”
It’s almost as if the organisers didn’t appreciate the incessant noise coming from those vuvuzelas at the 2010 World Cup.
It’s not clear if mobiles will be banned from all events, or just those where silence is deemed necessary. Imagine the logistical nightmare of collecting and cataloguing thousands of phones. "Erm, this isn't my phone. I gave you an iPhone 6. This is an Orange San Francisco."
Time will tell, mes amis. We’ve still got over a year for these little quirks to be ironed out.