In the 1990s and early 2000s, pagers were a popular way to send and receive short messages. Often used by doctors, emergency services, and businesses, pagers provided a way to contact someone when they were away from a landline phone. However, with the rapid advancement of cell phone technology in the 2000s, pagers were quickly replaced by cell phones with text messaging capabilities. So what exactly replaced the pager?
The Rise of Cell Phones
The main technology that replaced pagers was cellular phones with text messaging features. While pagers could only receive messages, cell phones allowed two-way communication via text. The first text message was sent in 1992, but text messaging did not become widely used until the early 2000s when it was included in cell phone plans and more phones had QWERTY keyboards. As cell phones became more affordable and text messaging grew in popularity, pagers quickly became obsolete.
There were several key advantages cell phones had over pagers:
- Two-way communication – Cell phones allowed recipients to respond to messages, rather than just receiving them one-way like a pager.
- More information – Text messages on cell phones did not have the same character limitations as pager messages, allowing more information to be conveyed.
- Mobile connectivity – Cell phones allowed users to send and receive messages anywhere they had service, without needing to find a payphone.
- Advanced features – Cell phones offered features like contact lists, email, cameras and internet access that made them much more versatile than basic pagers.
As cell phone ownership skyrocketed in the early 2000s, text messaging quickly emerged as a preferred way of communicating on the go. The chart below shows the rapid decline of pagers compared to the adoption of cell phones in the United States:
| Year | Pager Subscriptions | Cell Phone Subscriptions |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 61 million | 16 million |
| 2000 | 43 million | 109 million |
| 2005 | 8 million | 207 million |
This increase in cell phone ownership, combined with the greater capabilities of text messaging compared to pagers, led to the rapid phase out of pager technology in the early 2000s.
The Blackberry and QWERTY Keyboard Phones
While text messaging was taking off in the early 2000s, some specific mobile devices also contributed to the decline of the pager. One influential device was the BlackBerry, launched in 1999. The BlackBerry offered advanced email capabilities in a mobile phone with a full QWERTY keyboard, ideal for typing out messages.
Other cell phones with QWERTY keyboards, such as those made by Palm and Nokia, also made texting much quicker and easier compared to non-QWERTY “number pad” style phones. This factor increased the convenience and use of text messaging compared to limited pager messages. By 2005, most major cell phone providers offered multiple options for QWERTY keyboard phones with text messaging plans, cementing texting as the way of the future and pagers as relics of the past.
The Prevalence of Cell Phone Plans with Text Messaging
Another key factor in the decline of the pager was the inclusion of text messaging in standard cell phone plans. Previously, text messaging was an added cost per message. But in the early 2000s, more cell providers started offering packages that included a set number of text messages per month.
Some key moments in the rise of text messaging plans:
- 2002 – Verizon introduces free texts between subscribers as part of cell plans.
- 2004 – Sprint begins offering a text messaging plan for $10 per month.
- 2005 – Verizon offers unlimited text messaging plans.
- 2007 – Apple introduces the first iPhone with built-in text messaging functions.
As texting became more affordable through monthly plans, usage exploded. Teenagers quickly adopted texting as their primary way of communicating with friends. Between 2000 and 2008, the number of monthly texts sent in the U.S. rose from 14 billion to over 110 billion. With texting now ubiquitous on cell phone plans, the pager was done.
The Decline of Pager Technology
As cell phone adoption grew in the early 2000s, the use of pagers rapidly declined. Pagers were mostly one-way communication devices, while text messaging allowed back-and-forth conversations. Some key moments signifying the death of the pager:
- 2001 – Number of pagers in use peaks at 61 million.
- 2003 – PageNet, one of the biggest pager companies, shuts down.
- 2004 – Number of pagers in use drops under 50 million.
- 2005 – Arch Wireless, the largest remaining pager company, declares bankruptcy.
- 2007 – Number of pagers in use hits 16 million.
- 2009 – Number of pagers in use drops below 10 million.
By 2010, pagers were obsolete technology only used in a few niche applications. Hospitals continued to use some pagers into the 2010s, before transitioning fully to cell phones and messaging apps. While pagers dominated the 90s, they were no match for the unstoppable tide of mobile messaging that was texting.
Pagers Today
While pagers are no longer widely used, they have not disappeared completely. Some limited applications still exist:
- Hospitals – Some hospital staff still use pagers because they work well within buildings where cell signals can be weak. But these legacy systems are fading.
- Emergency responders – Firefighters, EMTs and police officers may still carry pagers as a backup to radio communications and cell phones.
- Industrial sites – Pagers are used in some factories, power plants, and other industrial locations where radio signals are preferable over cell networks.
- Emergency situations – Local authorities may use pagers to communicate information in disasters where cell towers are down.
However, these are niche uses. For most individuals and businesses, text messaging on cell phones have entirely replaced pagers and two-way pagers for on-the-go communication.
The Future of Mobile Messaging
While text messaging took over mobile messaging in the 2000s, new technologies have emerged that offer even more options for communication. Modern messaging apps like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Snapchat and others have become dominant, especially among younger users. Texting directly between cell phone numbers is now seen as somewhat outdated by many.
Messaging apps offer features like:
- Multimedia – Send photos, videos, gifs, voice messages
- Chat rooms – Group conversations with friends or teams
- Read receipts – See if your message has been viewed
- Online presence – View when contacts are online and available
Messaging apps are increasingly popular, with WhatsApp alone having over 1.5 billion users as of 2019. For businesses, messaging apps are becoming essential tools for customer service and building relationships. Apps like WhatsApp and WeChat lead the way with business profiles and messaging tools.
Artificial intelligence is also coming to messaging through chatbots and virtual assistants. Facebook Messenger, Slack, and other platforms allow users to communicate with AI bots for customer service, information and entertainment.
Messaging looks likely to keep advancing as an essential communication method alongside smartphone technology. While texting brought the decline of the pager, messaging apps are now shaping the future of mobile communication.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the pager was ultimately replaced by the unstoppable advance of cell phone technology in the early 2000s. Text messaging capabilities turned cell phones into two-way mobile communication devices that were vastly superior to one-way pagers. As texting took off, became more affordable through cell phone plans, and was made easier by QWERTY keyboards, pagers simply could not compete. By 2010, the pager was obsolete and text messaging was king. While pagers are now relics, text messaging gave way to messaging apps as the future of mobile communication. The story of the pager shows how quickly new technology can disrupt old tools, even those that once seemed essential.