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Invention of the Pagers
Invented in 1921, pagers (also known as beepers) were used by the Detroit Police Department when they successfully put a radio-equipped police car into service. -
First Practical Paging Services
The first telephone pager system was patented in 1949 by Alfred J. Gross. One of the first practical paging services was launched in 1950 for physicians in the New York City area. -
Motorola Pager
The term “pager” was coined by Motorola -
Pagers with Numerical Display
Numeric display pagers were introduced and helped keep hospitals quiet because messages weren’t played aloud. Instead, the numeric display showed a number on top of the device that served as either the extension to call or an internal code for a predetermined action. You could also initiate pages through a telephone. -
Alphanumeric Pagers
Circa 1985, alphanumeric display pagers were introduced. They could send a text message through a digital network and initiate in various ways, including operator dispatch, IXO (a device used for sending alphanumeric pages via Telelocator Alphanumeric Protocol (TAP)), and computer. -
Two-way Pagers
Motorola introduced the world’s first two-way pager, the Tango two-way personal messaging pager. It allowed users to receive text messages and e-mail, and reply with a standard response. It also could be connected to a computer to download long messages. -
Inter@active Pager
Research In Motion (now known as BlackBerry) introduced the Inter@active Pager, which allowed users to receive and send messages thanks to its full keyboard and graphical display. -
Motorola Leaves pager Manufacturing
Motorola and Glenayre, the dominant paging equipment manufacturers, began to exit the paging space. -
USA Mobility was Formed
USA Mobility was formed from the merger of Arch Wireless, Inc. and Metrocall Holdings, Inc., combining the two leading independent paging and wireless messaging companies in the United States. -
Replacement of Aging Equipment and Software
USA Mobility took action on behalf of customers to ensure service continuity to replace the aging Glenayre products. USA Mobility led development of new software based on the Glenayre source code and introduced off-the-shelf server hardware and Open Systems Linux OS. -
HIPPA Compliant Encrypted Devices
Spok introduced the T5, an alphanumeric pager with an encrypted paging option. A year later, the T52 pager was unveiled, a two-way pager with encrypted capabilities. With the enabled encryption service from Spok, the T52 was the only two-way pager on the market to support secure messaging and help healthcare organizations meet HIPAA compliance requirements. -
The Pager is the Preferred Tech Among Clinicians
The Journal of Hospital Medicine reported pagers remain the technology most commonly used by clinicians, and few hospitals have fully implemented secure mobile messaging. -
ReadyCall Text Waiting Room Pager
Spok releases its ReadyCall® Text waiting room pager to help increase patient engagement by enabling waiting room and on-site communication for patients or visitors. The HIPAA-compliant device sends text messages with instructions or information between patients and providers, allowing staff to engage with patient families easily. This means families have more real-time information about the care of their loved ones, and staff have more time to attend to their patients’ immediate needs. -
GenA Pager, the Next Generation
Spok expands the next generation of paging with the launch of its GenA™ pager. The one-way alphanumeric encrypted pager empowers the future of paging with its high-resolution e-Paper display, intuitive modern user interface, advanced encryption and security features, over-the-air remote programming, and antimicrobial housing.