Yes, there are multiple moments where they have to get to a landline to get out. if they could extract via cellphone then there wouldn’t be any tension around them needing to extract.
I vaguely remember Tank of Morpheus saying something to Neo when they were teaching him to say for certain. But that’s the whole basis of Trinity’s opening scene.
They communicated with that phone. That they can do anywhere. They communicated through Neo’s computer, suggestion, and many other ways.
They could not extract someone plugged in from a cell phone. Had to be a landline.
Did they actually establish that as a rule?
Yes, there are multiple moments where they have to get to a landline to get out. if they could extract via cellphone then there wouldn’t be any tension around them needing to extract.
I vaguely remember Tank of Morpheus saying something to Neo when they were teaching him to say for certain. But that’s the whole basis of Trinity’s opening scene.