| With the huge growth of mobile phone use in the | | | | holder is. |
| 1990s and early 2000s, you might assume that mobile | | | | Pagers do not interfere with sensitive medical |
| pagers have become obsolete. In fact, one might | | | | equipment, so they are used to summon medical |
| imagine that any use for a pager not replaced making | | | | staff members. |
| a phone call on a cell phone would surely be | | | | Emergency services such as police, coast guard, and |
| supplanted by text messaging. However, pagers and | | | | local governments use pagers as a back-up method |
| beepers still have a significant role in today's society. | | | | to notify others when mobile transmitters become |
| There are different types of pagers utilized today. | | | | unavailable. |
| The "one-way" system will receive only a few | | | | Pagers are a necessity in the IT world. When cellular |
| numbers for the receiver to call, while the | | | | networks become interrupted, on-call technicians will |
| "alpha-numeric" and "two-way" pagers can send and | | | | make use of the pager to notify engineers in an |
| receive e-mail, give numeric messages, and complete | | | | emergency. |
| SMS messaging. The largest market for pagers today | | | | In some situations, Construction and mining personnel |
| are those in need of "critical messaging" support. Fire | | | | will use a pager to notify someone as it will not |
| fighters, paramedics, IT support staff, nurses, and | | | | trigger an explosion as a mobile device is capable of |
| other medical personnel frequently use pagers. | | | | doing. |
| Even today, pagers are relied on for quick personal | | | | Deaf people obviously have no use for a cell phone, |
| or group messaging. Many groups cannot function | | | | but can make fine use of a pager. |
| properly when they experience the "network | | | | Railway staffs have been known to use pagers to |
| overload" associated with heavily trafficked cellular | | | | supplement mobile phone usage. |
| networks. This congestion is not an issue with pagers | | | | Pagers are used in corporate and high security |
| that receive messages via satellites, as well as many | | | | locations. |
| terrestrial networks that use different frequencies | | | | Ironically, rare bird chasers in Britain will make use of |
| than cell phones. So despite the fact that the U.S. | | | | a pager by paying specific companies to message |
| paging industry reported a decline in revenue | | | | them with rare bird sightings. |
| generated in 2003 ($6.2 billion) to 2008 ($2.1 billion), | | | | The United States utilizes a two-way paging system |
| emergency staff members will most likely continue | | | | with other countries for power control meter |
| the need for paging devices within future markets. | | | | readings. |
| Examples of Pager Use Today | | | | Some irrigation control systems and traffic signals are |
| Pagers are used to notify emergency personnel such | | | | controlled by paging network systems. |
| as lifeboat crews and on-duty firefighters. | | | | Probably one of the most popular uses for a pager is |
| Security services, including global security use pagers | | | | the "restaurant pager," as it will notify a ravenous |
| as there is no way of tracking where the pager | | | | group that their table is ready. |