Ok, I see where my confusion on your "its perfectly clear" routine is. You didn't tell us where that information is being stated.
If we start in the section in the Matrix chapter that details the effects of Noise, we get this:
To figure out how noise is affecting you, start with the noise level from real-world distance to your target and add the noise level from any other applicable situations, then subtract any noise reduction you are using. Any positive noise level you have left over is a negative dice pool modifier to your actions. Noise never applies to defense or resistance tests.
So far, no mention of any loss of wireless anything. Just a penalty on actions.
Go forward to the Gear chapter, and Noise isn't mentioned at all under the heading "Wireless functionality" but is noted in the next section "Wireless Bonuses" which is where adzling's first quote is from. And you cut off the sentences preceding it which heavily influence the context of the statement. The paragraph you cut that from is describing Wireless bonuses, referring to them as the "wireless functionality" Here is the FULL quote:
When an item has additional functionality when connected to the Matrix, it’s described under the “Wireless” entry in the item’s description. This functionality only applies when the device has access to the Matrix, which is most of the time unless your gamemaster says otherwise, like if you’ve entered a wireless static zone. If there is a Noise Rating from a situation that is greater than the item’s Device Rating, not including distance, the item temporarily loses its wireless functionality (see Noise, p. 230).
Reading the
entire context, we see that the implication is that by "wireless functionality" it is referring specifically to the Wireless bonus entry in the gear listings. That first sentence is defining it that way. And that is why many people say that Noise only negates the wireless bonus. Notably, it also says "see Noise" which (once again) only states that it applies a dice penalty on Matrix actions.
Based purely on the Noise rules for Spam and Static zones, I don't see the intent being that commlinks are rendered completely useless if the Noise exceeds the device rating. I mean, take a look at the Spam and Static Zones chart on page 231. Simply being in a downtown sprawl is a Noise Rating of 2, and going into the commercial area of said sprawl ramps it up to Noise 5. If this knocked out
all use of commlinks, 90+% of people wouldn't be able to go shopping! Grid-guide for cars wouldn't function, transactions wouldn't work unless you had one of the most expensive commlinks on the market. The rule of thumb I still go by is that most average NPCs probably have around a Rating 3 commlink, which just would cease to function in a highly populated area, which is ludicrous. I would expect connectivity issues, like losing access to special features, penalties to actions, but not complete loss of basic functions.
Notably, I would accept that Jammers and the Jam signals action might apply an additional effect while also appying Noise. If Jammers created Noise
and added the effect that Noise can completely shut off matrix connection, that would be cool. I'm also willing to accept the idea that Static zones might be enough to cause connection problems (ala your device doesn't have a strong enough signal to connect correctly to the Matrix where you are). But I also note that Static Zones are strangely tied to Distance penalties when they probably shouldn't be. Rating 5 Static mentions "remote area with satellite access only", while a Satellite link specifically limits Noise
due to distance to -5. Those two things don't seem to jive right to me...
My comment from earlier still holds, I feel that the different things that cause Noise should have more precise effects and remedies. Lumping everything together into one giant Noise rating limits the functionality of the rule and brings us to this ridiculous idea that when enough commlinks are in the same area together they all stop working.
