Some people will tell you that two way pagers are better and more convenient than cell phones. This may seem hard to believe, especially if you haven't owned a pager in a while. But, the truth is that the latest models offer great features at a reasonable price, and this is what's making them competitive with cell phones.

The Old Days

To understand how far along these tools have come, let's go back to the dark ages ... a couple of years ago!

Beepers, as we used to call them, could only receive messages. That means that pager would display someone calling you, but you couldn't use it to call anybody.

They also displayed only numbers. This meant that your beeper would go off, and it would give you a series of numbers with no name or anything. Then, you had to go to a phone and call back the person, who you may not even be sure of.

That Was Then, This Is Now

Now, we have two way pagers and alpha-numeric pagers. "Two way" means that you can send messages as well as receive them. Alpha-numeric means that you can use text as well as numbers.

Different styles have different text features. For example, they usually only allow you to send short messages, although there are modles out there that have expanded character length.

Different models have different ways of inputting text. Most have a tiny QWERTY keyboard that you can use with a couple of fingers to enter text. Some of the best models that have come out in the last few years have been those that flip open like a modern cell. This way, they can be kept compact.

The best state-of-the-art text messaging models have Internet capabilities. This means that you are effectively carrying a tiny computer around in your pocket. The features are usually a little limited, but you can still get news reports, e-mail, and surf some regular websites.

The Price Is Right

One reason why these are now competitive with mobile telephones is the price. Even the fanciest versions are still cheaper than most cell phones. Options like nationwide paging, which allow you to get and send messages virtually anywhere, are often better deals than mobile network roaming rates. Pagers usually have better range and reception, as well.

In many situations, pagers are more convenient to use. For example, those who use a cell phone for their business might find that a pager works just as well without the extra features they don't need. They can also knock a few bucks off the price. With the cost lower than cell phones, a small business owner can afford to equip all their employees with these communication tools.

Better Reception

The claims that the reception is better than that of cellular service is true. This is because pagers operate on a regular, simple radio frequency. They do not have as much information to transmit. On the other hand, mobile phones need to be used where there are towers to pick up the signal.

We've all had problems with our cellular reception. It seems like no matter how they improve technology, your conversations still turn into Swiss cheese when you go under a bridge. Pagers don't have this problem.

It's more important than ever to be reachable no matter where you are. Before you head out and buy a cell phone, you should check out what the paging industry has to offer. Text messaging pagers can save you money and trouble.