Are Wi-Fi Based Pagers a Thing?

Did you know? Originally, pagers were based on Radio Frequency (RF) technology, but these days can also be Wi-Fi-based. If you would like to learn more about how and why this paradigm shift has occurred, read on! We might just have the information you’re looking for.

How Did We Get Here?

The history of pagers is a history of great American innovation. This tiny device, which was once the height of technology, is now an object of nostalgia for those who grew up in the 1980s and 1990s. The original pagers were typically small box-shaped devices with a numeric keypad and a display window that could only show one or two lines of text at a time. Users would dial the number they wanted to call, then press the buttons on the keypad to type in their message. When they finished typing, they pressed the “send” button, which would connect them to the person they were trying to reach via the recipient’s pager.

How Pagers Communicate, Historically

Radio Frequency technology in pagers is used to send and receive messages from a specific radio transmitter. This can be achieved by using the radio waves that are transmitted through the air or through cables, for example. These messages are sent as an electrical signal to a receiver, which converts it back into readable information.The primary advantage of using this technology is that there is no need for a telephone line or cable connection, so it can be used anywhere at any time without worrying about a dead battery. The downside is that these devices have shorter ranges compared to their wired counterparts: typically up to 100 meters (328 feet).RF-based pagers have been around for over 50 years and continue to be reliable in today's age of cell phones. The low cost, ease of use, and reliability make RF-based pagers a top choice for companies looking to stay connected with their employees.

Why Switch to Wi-Fi?

However, technology has evolved rapidly in the past decades. Tech used to be such a specialized field that only those who studied could understand it, but now anyone can have an idea and create their own app. Almost everyone has some sort of access to modern tech; it is completely integrated into our everyday lives. As a result, this means people have certain expectations about how their devices should work.Wi-Fi is now the standard mode of connection, and pagers haven't fallen behind. Wi-Fi-based pagers are a great way to keep in touch with your team. They provide a functional range of service and are a great solution to integrate the easily accessible tech of pagers into more modern setups. Pagers are a great way to keep your employees connected and productive. They're perfect for industries where it's important that workers be able to respond quickly and efficiently, such as healthcare, public safety, retail, or hospitality. Modern pagers now provide integration with apps, analytics, and more – making Wi-Fi-based technology a no-brainer. The wireless industry has definitely come a long way, especially since the release of the first iPhone in 2007. Given the swift advance of technology and innovation, it’s logical to expect integration with other advancements and increased functionality as time goes on.If you’ve made it this far, hopefully, we’ve taught you something new about the evolution of paging technology and given you some valuable insight into why today’s solutions are so much better than what came before. If there's anything else we can help with, check out our other articles and we might just have some answers for you!