71 South Shepherd St.,
Sonora, CA 95370
Mother Lode Answering Service
GOT PAGERS? YES WE DO...
Mother Lode Answering Service
Why are millions of pagers in the USA still in use?
We've seen the articles declaring the death of the pager since 1999, and we hear it all day long...
"Do they still make those things?" "Pagers are dinosaurs." "Pagers are old school." "Who uses pagers anymore?" "Pagers went the way of Pong." And last but not least, "Why would anyone use a pager when they can have a cellphone?"
With over 2 million pagers in use today (as of 2024), let us be the first to tell you that pagers are not only alive and well, but they are the backup communication source relied upon by people who absolutely must be accessible. Not everyone needs a pager these days, but specific applications as well as industries find pagers irreplaceable as an alternative form of wireless communication.
These words sum up the reason why pagers are still in use: reliability, privacy, urgency, security, economy, and priority.
Reliability:
Pagers are both reliable and cost-effective. While we would never claim that a pager can replace a cellphone—much like how a motorcycle cannot replace a car—they serve a valuable role as a steadfast wireless communication tool. When paired with a cellphone, you not only gain a reliable backup communication option but also enjoy peace of mind.
Despite their simplicity, pagers seldom encounter the congestion that often plagues cellphone networks. Recent events have demonstrated that pagers remain functional even during natural disasters, while cellphones may be busy, yield dead air, or display signals indicating all circuits are occupied. Moreover, pagers feature a unique capability for Group Calling, allowing large numbers of pagers to be alerted simultaneously. Numerous customers in the healthcare sector have reported that cellular reception in certain hospitals can be unreliable, whereas pagers consistently maintain a signal.
Privacy:
Pagers provide a way of getting in touch without the intrusiveness of a cellphone. Many of our paging customers prefer to shut off their cell phones at night and leave their pager turned on just in case of an urgent matter. The same is true for executives in important meetings, professionals meeting with clients, and doctors with patients. By having their own separate phone number, pagers can provide a "barrier" to strangers calling and having "too much" access.
With tracking becoming a major concern in 2020, some people want to be "off the grid." Traditional 2-way pagers do not have any GPS or Bluetooth capability, and since they do not depend on cellphone transmitters, there is no triangulation. 1-way pagers cannot be tracked in this manner.
Solution to Robo Calls:
Are robocalls driving you up the wall? Here’s a modern solution to a widespread problem: the newest feature on cell phones lets you filter calls to only those from your contacts, known as "Known Callers." This functionality is available on both Android and iOS systems, enabling you to configure your device to accept calls solely from the individuals and businesses stored in your contacts list. While this is a significant step towards combating robocalls, it may lead to missed calls that you would have preferred to answer.
Fortunately, these calls will be redirected to your voicemail, allowing you to save the number for future reference. Some contacts might need to reach you using different numbers due to work or school constraints. In such cases, consider providing your pager number and instructing callers to only page you if 1. it’s urgent, 2. it’s from a number other than their usual home, work, or mobile phone, and 3. in emergencies when you can’t answer your phone. Since only a limited number of people will have your pager number, which is also less prone to spam calls, this approach has proven effective. When people ask why you still use a pager in 2020, it all makes sense.
Urgency:
Pagers stand out above the crowd of ringtones, text message alerts, and phone calls to alert you of urgent matters. With the barrage of alerts coming from smartphones, such as texts, emails, social media, and news, the sounds have almost become background noise and often go unnoticed. A pager can serve as your priority alert that will get the attention required for critical messaging. Need to get in touch with a team of people all at once? A pager and/or pager app can be group paged if programmed to do so. This means you can send out one page, and in an instant, all of the pagers or pager apps can be alerted simultaneously. This is especially handy during emergencies or urgent matters where time is of the essence, as it would take too long to text or email people individually.
Escalation:
I.T. teams have found that having one unified phone number and email address to reach multiple people is not only efficient but critical when there’s an issue at hand. Imagine calling one number or sending one email to alert the first person on the list; if they don't respond within a preset period, the next person on the list can automatically be alerted, and so on, until the last person on the escalation list is notified. If a computer system goes down at 3 AM, escalation using the Zipit Confirm Smartphone app can be the answer you need.
Security:
Many secure facilities do not allow cell phones for various reasons. Government buildings, prisons, and other high-security locations need to protect their property, and cell phones are prohibited. Today, many performers, such as comedians and live bands, do not want their current acts recorded and uploaded to sites like YouTube. They will eject patrons that fail to adhere to their strict no cellphone policies. But what if you need to be accessible by your loved ones or business associates while at one of these events? Pagers fit the bill for these types of situations.
Economy:
Let's face it; money is tight these days. The cost of cellphone plans can be a small fortune. If you have 50 employees and just need to be able to get a hold of them, a pager on their belt can be the difference between spending thousands of dollars or hundreds of dollars each month. Two real-life examples are property maintenance companies and landscapers. One lost phone in a 2-year contract can cost hundreds of dollars to replace, whereas a pager can cost as low as $20.
Not everyone is so important that they need backup communication, but when your burglar alarm goes off, your patient needs you, or your kids need a ride home and your cellphone is in a dead spot, keep in mind that for under $12/month, you too can have an alternative communication solution for the people who rely on you, rather than just missing out on important calls.
Entire industries rely on paging as a cost-effective way to manage urgent and critical alerts and messaging. Healthcare, I.T. server alerts, alarm systems, building automation systems, real estate management and maintenance, landscaping, snow removal, towing services, automated car wash equipment, casinos and hospitality resorts, parking attendants, security, law enforcement, secure government facilities, and prisons are just a few of the industries that need an urgent notification system that stands apart from text alerts on cellphones.
Priority:
When your perception of paging changes from an "antiquated technology from the past" to an additional tool in your arsenal of wireless communication options—or as we like to call it, a personal hotline—your important friends, family, and clients will be able to reach you for matters that count. The solutions that a pager service can offer shed new light on the possibilities.
For example, there have been circumstances for many of our clients where a caller trying to reach someone for an important "time-sensitive" matter just couldn't get through for various reasons. Perhaps the recipient was on another phone call, or just didn’t hear the phone ring, or a text slipped through while the phone was on vibrate mode, and the voicemail notification went unnoticed. A pager or pager app can be used as a priority messaging tool to get the attention needed for a callback. Our example of robocall blocking technology is a perfect example of how a separate pager phone number that is not susceptible to robocalls/spam phone calls can enable a caller to get in touch when you aren't responding to phone calls or texts, taking priority messaging to a whole new level.
Finding the Right Solution for Your Communication Needs.
While companies focused solely on pager apps may tout their advantages and label physical pagers as outdated, Mother Lode Answering Service proudly provides both physical pagers and the leading pager apps on the market. Each option serves its purpose depending on our clients' unique needs. Don’t let one-sided articles and websites influence your decision. Contact us, and we’ll be happy to discuss the benefits and drawbacks of both pagers and pager apps so you can choose wisely based on your individual requirements.
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