Pager services to end Tuesday in Japan after 50 years

Ahh the old pagers, nostalgic memories! Getting paged by the office, then making the excuses that I could find a pay phone, when I was out goofing off!

10.406:

Had to use one for years for my work then one of those first mobile phone the size and weight of a brick. Didn't realise the pagers were still running.

Puri Kura and those HS girl call centers. Hated the loose sock movement though.

What is "HS girl call centres"?

"Pager"? I think the phrase is "Pocket Bell".

"Pager"? I think the phrase is "Pocket Bell".

In the US, the official term has always been "pager".

The slang term was "beeper". Where did they use "pocket bell"?

Where did they use "pocket bell"?

They were called that in Japan. Maybe before your time.

Some of the older technologies need to be kept in service like FAX and SW radio. What happens in a major disaster and there's no mobile or internets services but still have landlines then FAX is needed. Just like SW radio broadcasts on what is happening when people are cut off.

Even Morse Code is still used today.

Some of the older technologies need to be kept in service like FAX and SW radio... Even Morse Code is still used today.

Apparently, pagers are still in widespread use in the medical professions in both the US and UK.

Apparently, pagers are still in widespread use in the medical professions in both the US and UK.

I think only within the hospital and its grounds. Still a good use there for them.

I've been here long enough to remember that the origin of the practice of enjo kosai (compensated dating, i.e., teenage prostitiution) was traced to the DialQ2 service offered by NTT.

Ah, the pager - the sign of coolness in school that you're important enough that people would page you, lol

I've been here long enough to remember that the origin of the practice of enjo kosai (compensated dating, i.e., teenage prostitiution) was traced to the DialQ2 service offered by NTT.

Ah, someone else remember calling it

"In the US, the official term has always been "pager".

The official term (snicker)... we are not in America!

"Pager"? I think the phrase is "Pocket Bell".

In the US, it’s Pager.

Big mistake. Since Smart phones such as iPhones dont have a concept of Urgent messages that need attention and responding to.

Smartphones have instant notifications also smart watches.

@zichi - being an "iPhone" owner, I can tell you with 100% certainty, that urgent messages can slip by unnoticed.

And as a former pager holder, ... those pager alerts were not something that you could miss (unless you were not carrying your pager).

mmwkdw

just what important notifications and how many do you actually get that need the instant attention. The smartphone makes a ringtone and when you open your iPhone your notifications are on the screen. Or you can access from the screen.

Last time I had a pager was when I was working in London in the early 1990's has an office building engineer for BT. The problem with the pager is that you had to go and find a phone to need with the pager.

With a smartphone you don't need to do that.

iPhone/smartphone better than a pager.

I'm surprised that it has continued until now. Still, it is nostalgic. I remember pagers fondly.

Some physicians in the US still use pagers.

Not sure why...

Why hospitals still use pagers. https://www.thehealthy.com/healthcare/doctors/hospital-pagers/

Ethnocentrically speaking, yes, they're called "pager" in the US.

In Japan, they were called ポケベル。

Good ol' 90s. Better safe Method.

But too bad there isn't Great Japanese Innovation anymore, since last 20 years.

@BackpackingNepal

Here we go again with the same damn "Japan doesn't innovate no more" thing...

50 years later ???.

End of an era..

Hmm. I just signed for another two years. Should I ask for refund?

kokoro7

Ethnocentrically speaking, yes, they're called "pager" in the US.

In Japan, they were called ポケベル。

They are called pagers in Japan, as well. At least by the company providing the service that is mentioned in the above article: http://www.teleme.co.jp/

You'll notice they refer to the devices as ページャー. Perhaps "pocket bell" was the slang term, much like "beeper" in the US?