Pagers

Pagers, what are they and how does a pager work?

Pagers are also known as 'beepers', they are widely used in healthcare, construction and security as a quick, and for the environment, unobtrusive call from a person. But how do they actually work and why are they still used?

Semaphore – the basics

Pager is a communication service that allows people to be called quickly without using a network. In the beginning, pagers were simple; they used a tone to indicate that the person was being called. With the latest technologies, pagers became more advanced and today they can receive full text messages and even record voicemail messages.

Functionality and use of a pager

Most pagers were originally simple, with three lights that could be used to code different calls. Later, they could receive phone numbers or specific codes. Today, they can receive full text messages, making them extremely useful in situations where rapid communication is essential, such as healthcare, security, and construction.

One way traffic

An important feature of a pager is that communication is essentially one-way. When a person receives a call on his/her/the pager, he, she or it must take action, for example by calling the caller back. Although pagers are still widely used in certain sectors such as healthcare and construction, the rise of GSM and SMS has reduced their popularity among the general public.

What do you use a pager for?

Pagers offer several advantages, especially in environments where instant, reliable communication is essential. They are network independent, meaning they can operate even in areas with limited mobile coverage, and they are easy to use and have a long battery life, making them ideal for long shifts in security, healthcare or construction.

Although pagers are less common today than they used to be, they remain an important communication tool in industries where fast and reliable communication is essential. Due to their simplicity, reliability and independence from networks, pagers remain a valuable tool for professionals in healthcare, security, construction, etc.