Paging Systems
To many people, pagers are synonymous with the 1980s and 1990s. There was a time, before the advent of cell phones and email, that many people across the world carried pagers and used them every day. Pagers are fairly simple devices to use. Sending signals in a manner similar to email, pagers are limited to simple text and number based messages. This simplicity is actually one of the biggest advantages of pagers today as is provides increased security. Since pagers only receive messages and cannot send them, a pager cannot be tracked like a cell phone. Pagers do not store information they receive either, making them a non-target for hacking.
While the invention of more sophisticated mobile communications technology did render pagers obsolete for the average Joe, there is still a market for pagers today. Several industries still make use of these aged pieces of technology and none of them are as niche as you may think. Some of the most critical professions to maintaining the well-being of society would not be possible without pagers there to back them up.
Who Still Uses Pagers?
The first industry that still uses pagers is one of the most important: the medical field. Many hospitals cannot use cell phones due to interference with hospital equipment, making pagers the next best choice. This extends to other emergency workers as well, namely EMTs and firefighters. Nuclear engineers are another group that uses pagers since their signals are able to penetrate walls equipped to block radiation, unlike the signals used by cell phones. The features provided by pagers even make them useful to birdwatching enthusiasts. But what exactly are all these valuable features?
As mentioned above, pagers do not store information. This is a key feature for hospitals and other medical facilities in order to stay in line with HIPAA by preventing data theft. Secondly, pagers transmit signals via satellite instead of cell towers. In the event of a natural disaster like a tornado, pagers can still work while cell phones may be out for days while service is restored. Pagers also have the benefit of being extremely cost-effective. The average cell phone costs over 5x more than a pager to operate, not to mention the pager itself and associated equipment like signal boosters also have much lower start-up costs.
Pre-Installation Tasks
Every installation project, including the installation of paging systems, begins with a site survey. This is the planning phase of the project where professionals will examine blueprints, floor plans, and any other charts or diagrams that detail the layout of the building as well as any existing infrastructure that will be nearby and/or directly interact with the paging system. For simple, small-scale projects, these documents may be all that is required to prep an installation plan. For larger facilities, it may be necessary for a surveyor to examine the site and take notes in person.
After the site survey is wrapped up, the information will be compiled into an installation plan. Factors such as the size of the building, signal strength needed to penetrate rooms with shielding or thick walls, and existing wiring that will interface with the paging system will all be taken into account. Prior to the installation, materials needed to complete the install can be shipped to the job site directly. These materials typically include wall mounts, brackets, speaker wire, and related equipment needed to implement the paging system. On the day of the installation, make sure that someone is present to let the installer onto the premises or there is some other way for the installer to access the facility.
Completing the Installation
With the work materials shipped to the site ahead of time, the installer will begin work upon arriving. The first step will be prep work such as running cables through the walls and installing mounts and any other necessary framework. Once those components are in place, the paging system itself can be installed and tested. After the settings are configured and the new paging system is confirmed to be up and running, the installation will be complete.
At INC, we perform paging system installations for all manners of facilities across America. Communications will never be disrupted with the implementation of a proper paging system. If you have additional questions about this process, you can reach INC directly at 888-519-9525 or request a quote here. Our team is ready to help you prepare your custom installation project today.
