| Some people will tell you that two way pagers | | | | effectively carrying a tiny computer around in |
| are better and more convenient than cell phones. | | | | your pocket. The features are usually a little |
| This may seem hard to believe, especially if you | | | | limited, but you can still get news reports, e-mail, |
| haven't owned a pager in a while. But, the truth is | | | | and surf some regular websites. |
| that the latest models offer great features at a | | | | The Price Is Right |
| reasonable price, and this is what's making them | | | | One reason why these are now competitive with |
| competitive with cell phones. | | | | mobile telephones is the price. Even the fanciest |
| The Old Days | | | | versions are still cheaper than most cell phones. |
| To understand how far along these tools have | | | | Options like nationwide paging, which allow you to |
| come, let's go back to the dark ages ... a couple | | | | get and send messages virtually anywhere, are |
| of years ago! | | | | often better deals than mobile network roaming |
| Beepers, as we used to call them, could only | | | | rates. Pagers usually have better range and |
| receive messages. That means that pager would | | | | reception, as well. |
| display someone calling you, but you couldn't use it | | | | In many situations, pagers are more convenient |
| to call anybody. | | | | to use. For example, those who use a cell phone |
| They also displayed only numbers. This meant | | | | for their business might find that a pager works |
| that your beeper would go off, and it would give | | | | just as well without the extra features they don't |
| you a series of numbers with no name or | | | | need. They can also knock a few bucks off the |
| anything. Then, you had to go to a phone and call | | | | price. With the cost lower than cell phones, a small |
| back the person, who you may not even be sure | | | | business owner can afford to equip all their |
| of. | | | | employees with these communication tools. |
| That Was Then, This Is Now | | | | Better Reception |
| Now, we have two way pagers and alpha-numeric | | | | The claims that the reception is better than that |
| pagers. "Two way" means that you can send | | | | of cellular service is true. This is because pagers |
| messages as well as receive them. Alpha-numeric | | | | operate on a regular, simple radio frequency. |
| means that you can use text as well as numbers. | | | | They do not have as much information to |
| Different styles have different text features. For | | | | transmit. On the other hand, mobile phones need |
| example, they usually only allow you to send | | | | to be used where there are towers to pick up |
| short messages, although there are modles out | | | | the signal. |
| there that have expanded character length. | | | | We've all had problems with our cellular reception. |
| Different models have different ways of inputting | | | | It seems like no matter how they improve |
| text. Most have a tiny QWERTY keyboard that | | | | technology, your conversations still turn into Swiss |
| you can use with a couple of fingers to enter | | | | cheese when you go under a bridge. Pagers don't |
| text. Some of the best models that have come | | | | have this problem. |
| out in the last few years have been those that | | | | It's more important than ever to be reachable no |
| flip open like a modern cell. This way, they can be | | | | matter where you are. Before you head out and |
| kept compact. | | | | buy a cell phone, you should check out what the |
| The best state-of-the-art text messaging models | | | | paging industry has to offer. Text messaging |
| have Internet capabilities. This means that you are | | | | pagers can save you money and trouble. |