On-site Paging Systems Are Still Alive!
It's surprising how many different people think that on-site paging is dead and no longer being used in business today, and one of those 'myths' that many potential users do ask us from time to time about.
While many think that pagers are only used for medical communications in hospitals, from our first hand experience at LRS you might be shocked at just how pagers and paging systems have survived and are flourishing here in 2024. Examine the internet and you will see many posts and entries in blogs that are based on less than perfect data or even guess work, and often writers do make assumptions that paging technology has long ago returned to the annals of history.
But nothing could be further than the truth about those opinions, and as an inventor of the coaster or customer pager since 1993 LRS with many offices worldwide supplying paging systems for on-site communications we should know! So where do these pieces of poor non-factual based information come from? It's not too difficult to figure out, especially when you have the data available to base our opinion on.
Think about it? There are today in 2024 many competitors selling 'alternative' communications equipment that claim other technology easily beats the 'old' pager system, but does it? We don't think so, here's why.
Every solution generally available has one issue or another and even a quick analysis shows where the alternatives often fall apart in use. Let's examine a few examples:
Mobile Cell Phones
Cell phones have revolutionized everything since their start of take up back in the end of the 1980's and technology certainly has come a long way. The proliferation of mobile phones is quite incredible in fact. But the one thing that could, and is often, is the dependence on a service provider that may or may not have coverage at the site that you might want to use mobile phones for in a business situation. Sadly, the variable service quality let's this technology down somewhat and the paging systems easily outperform mobile phones for on-site use.
Wireless Based Pager Systems
While many readers might assume that a 'pager is a pager', truthfully, they are not all equal. And some underlying technologies have issues that are not often discussed. For example, while wireless (WiFi) based paging can sometimes be effective, the reliability of wireless WiFi systems on-site again can be variable and even dependent on the number of personnel or other objects in the transmission space. It can make for a system that might not operate well when you need it most. Extending the range can also be problematic especially outdoors.
Low Cost Paging Systems
Investigation about RF technology and paging equipment can reveal the good and the bad aspects of where some paging systems are not quite what they seem. For example, OFCOM allocate a frequency of 433 MHz for use with (as one example) a car remote. Those types of products operating at that frequency have a limitation of power under UK law, and because of that have a very short range. And at the 433 MHz frequency you don't find any kind of booster available. While the 'good' aspect for a buyer is often the purchase price, the less good aspect relates to short range (100 metres typically) and no expandability available.
So What's the Difference With LRS Pagers?
Bearing in mind the above systems and solutions and the inherent problems that are inherent in the underlying technologies, here are a few vital pieces of information that show exactly why that even in 2024 paging systems are still the best choice for on-site communications:
- The correct allocation frequency at least in the UK
(in general) as indicated by OFCOM is 459.100 MHz or thereabouts
for paging systems. Importantly this frequency allocation allows
for up to 2 Watts of output power that allows these paging
systems to transmit for up to 2 miles in open air!
- Because of the power available, factually, paging systems
have by far the best uncompromised signal available on-site
against any other solution that ensures paging systems have an
ultra-reliable communication from transmitter to pager. This is
a key reason why business users buy paging systems for on-site
use.
- The RF frequency allocated by OFCOM allows for signal boost repeaters that can relay signals with up to 2 Watts of power - extending the range much further than most alternatives.
What makes the on-site paging system still greatly in demand today, is what made it in demand in the past! A reliable robust communications system that can be extended and used for multiple applications while remaining a relatively low cost.
LRS UK is still continually selling and supporting literally thousands of pager systems each year and even at this stage in 2024 we can see from real sales figures that pagers are far from a 'thing of the past'. Our UK office alone sells millions of pounds of paging equipment each year and LRS overall worldwide sells substantially more.
It might be rather premature to think that on-site paging systems are anything but 'still alive and kicking' in this age of technology, who would have thought that? Next time you need reliable communications that can be easily operated and expanded, don't just write off pagers as some archaic technology relegated to history, you could be far off the mark.
Anthony Mckenzie is Managing Director of Long Range Systems UK Ltd (c) LRS UK 1989-2026