Pagers in the TAS Industry

By Ted McNaught

The telephone answering service industry has long used paging technology to deliver messages to clients, especially for those who need to be reached in emergencies. The messaging options available are expanding with SMS and smartphone paging apps that promise the same fast, reliable service as pagers. However, if your clients require absolute reliability in your ability to reach them with critical messages, it’s important to understand the differences between traditional paging technology and SMS or paging apps.

Messages using SMS or a smartphone paging app are delivered on cellular systems, which are known for dead zones, dropped calls, and poor in-building coverage. Cellular systems were not designed for the delivery of critical text messages. In fact, most cellular carriers provide a disclaimer and caution users not to rely on their system for critical messaging.

During almost every major U.S. disaster over the past decade, including the recent Joplin tornado and Hurricane Irene, local cellular systems were either overloaded or disabled. Anyone who relied on those cellular systems for SMS or used a smartphone paging app was likely unreachable. Additionally, unexpected heavy call volume, like during the East Coast earthquake in August, can quickly cause cellular networks to become jammed.

Unlike a cellular network that sends a message from only one site at a time, a paging network sends the message over every transmitter in the network at the same time. This simulcast technology is unique to paging and is more reliable than the cellular networks used by smartphones.

Paging also outperforms cellular systems when it comes to broadcast power. Paging systems have up to seven times the power of cellular networks, translating into more reliable message delivery. A single paging transmitter site typically covers 176 square miles, while a typical cell site covers only ten to fifteen square miles.

If your clients think that receiving critical messages via SMS or on a smartphone paging app will offer more convenience, ask them to think again. SMS is only as reliable as the system it is delivered over, and the smartphone paging apps compete with emails, streaming video, and other network data. Also, after upgrading smartphone software, some messaging apps may not continue to work as they did before. And don’t forget that smartphones are also vulnerable to malware and virus attacks. 

When reliable, immediate communication is paramount between your TAS and your clients, encourage them to consider all the facts before they trade in their pager for a smartphone app or SMS.

Ted McNaught is president of Critical Alert Systems, the third largest paging carrier in the United States. Ted has worked in the paging industry since 1986, was the founding president of the American Association of Paging Carriers, and currently serves on the executive committee, as well the Enterprise Wireless Association’s board of directors.

[download issue]