Long before WhatsApp, and even the first cell phones and smartphones, the pager It was the main electronic device used to receive “instant messages” worldwide. In Brazil, he was also quite successful, but here it was Known as Bipe, or simply beep.
Experts indicate that in the early 1980s, there were approximately 3.2 million pager users worldwide. This number continued to grow until they became more accessible to the population, so the berled began to lose space and practically disappeared.
Although the device has reached its peak of popularity in the late 20th century, The first page was developed in the early 1920s.
What is a Pager (beep)
Simply, The Bip acts as a radio receiver that captures broadcasts via radio waves to display messages. In most cases, these devices only received messages – that is, it was not possible to send an answer by the device itself.
When receiving a message, The pager issued a characteristic sound, a “bipe”, to notify the user: They also vibrated. Generally, the devices had about half the size of a deck card and had a small screen to display the message. It is noteworthy that several models with different designs were launched.
However, it was not any type of message: Most pagers were numerical and displayed only one phone number to which the user should call. That is, you received only a notification with the number to be contacted to find out the reason for the message.
Then came the alphanumeric pages, which displayed small text messages. In the last years before the “extinction” of these devices, the most advanced models have come to the market, which could even send notifications to other devices.
In 2024, some in Lebanon, which resulted in the death of some people and thousands of injuries.
How they sent messages to pagers
Since most bipes only received messages, a recurring question is: How were these messages sent to the devices?
Like the phones, the pagers had their own number. To send a notification, Just call this number and type the phone to which the user should return.
With the evolution of technology, some models even allowed to send messages by .
BIP SECRET CODES
Since most pagers were numerical, who sent the message could convey only numbers to the owners of these devices. To facilitate communication without the need for connections, some users started using secret codes, with specific meanings.
These codes were numerical combinations that represented words or phrases. For example, When sending number 143, the message meant “I Love You” (1 letter to “i”, 4 for “love” and 3 for “you”), or “I love you” in Portuguese.
In addition to personal use, institutions and companies have also adopted this feature to create standardized codes. In hospitals, certain numbers indicated emergency situations.
The history of the pager, bipe or beep
Although it was not exactly the same technology, most studies point out that the first pager -like device was developed in 1921. At the time, it was used to assist in the so -called Detroit Police Department police officers in the United States.
Many years later, in 1949, the engineer Al Gross developed and patented in the United States one of the first devices Wireless for personal communication, considered a precursor of the pager.
In 1958, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) authorized the use of personal communication devices. The following year, in 1959, the American company Motorola developed the first device that was really known as Pager.
Unlike the similar devices that preceded it, this model was developed for the use of the general public. However, he only hit the market in 1964.
Just before, in 1962, Bell System’s Bellboy was released. The device had a similar functioning, but was aimed at doctors, salespeople and other professionals, only through a exclusive subscription service.
Called Pageboy Ithe pager released by Motorola in 1964 was a portable device that warned the user through a characteristic sound tone – the famous “Bipe”. By not showing messages, his job was simply to warn that someone was trying to get in touch.
This sound warning remained present in all models launched in the following decades; No wonder In the United States he was also called “Beeper”. In Brazil, the device was popularly known as “beep” or “beep”, precisely because of this characteristic sound.
Are there still pagers?
In 1994, records indicate that there was More than 61 million pagers in use in the worldbut this number began to fall with the turn of the century. In 2001, Motorola, one of the largest manufacturers of Pagers, announced the Production discontinuation.
In the following years, the, offering much more advanced features than the bipes. It is currently estimated that more than half of the world’s population uses some kind of smartphone.
In 2021, experts estimated that there were still approximately 2 million pagers in use. That is, some enthusiasts still use the devices.
