Editing Pager (section)

== Operation ==
[[File:NumericPager.jpg|thumb|The top of a Motorola "Bravo" numeric pager]]

Paging systems are operated by commercial carriers, often as a subscription service and they are also operated directly by end users as private systems. Commercial carrier systems tend to cover a larger geographical area than private systems, while private systems tend to cover their limited area more thoroughly and deliver messages faster than commercial systems. In all systems, clients send messages to pagers, an activity commonly referred to as ''paging''. System operators often assign unique phone numbers or email addresses to pagers (and pre-defined groups of pagers), enabling clients to page by telephone call, [[Email|e-mail]] and SMS. Paging systems also support various types of direct connection protocols, which sacrifice global addressing and accessibility for a dedicated communications link. Automated monitoring and escalation software clients, often used in hospitals, IT departments and alarm companies, tend to prefer direct connections because of the increased reliability. Small paging systems, such as those used in restaurant and retail establishments, often integrate a keyboard and paging system into a single box, reducing both cost and complexity.

Paging systems support several popular direct connection protocols, including [[Telelocator Alphanumeric Protocol|TAP]], TNPP, [[Simple Network Paging Protocol|SNPP]] and [[Wireless Communications Transfer Protocol|WCTP]], as well as proprietary modem- and socket-based protocols. Additionally, organizations often integrate paging systems with their [[Voice-mail]] and [[private branch exchange|PBX]] systems, conceptually attaching pagers to a telephone extension and set up [[web portal]]s to integrate pagers into other parts of their enterprise. A paging system alerts a pager (or group of pagers) by transmitting information over an RF channel, including an address and message information. This information is formatted using a paging protocol, such as 2-tone, 5/6-tone, GOLAY, [[POCSAG]], [[FLEX (protocol)|FLEX]], [[ERMES]], or NTT. Two-way pagers and response pagers typically use the [[ReFLEX]] protocol.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sagharbor.com/files/127838779.pdf |title=The Future of Mobile Data |publisher=SAG Harbor Group |date=2002-02-01 |accessdate=2023-07-31}}</ref>

Modern paging systems typically use multiple base transmitters to modulate the same signal on the same RF channel, a design approach called ''[[simulcast]]''. This type of design enables pagers to select the strongest signal from several candidate transmitters using [[Capture effect|FM capture]], thereby improving overall system performance. Simulcast systems often use satellite to distribute identical information to multiple transmitters and GPS at each transmitter to precisely time its modulation relative to other transmitters. The coverage overlap, combined with use of satellite communications, can make paging systems more reliable than terrestrial based cellular networks in some cases, including during natural and human-made disaster.<ref name="fcc-katrina"/> This resilience has led public safety agencies to adopt pagers over cellular and other commercial services for critical messaging.<ref name="london ambulance procedure"/><ref name="nfpa-1221"/>