Paging
Critical comms: getting themessage across
Guaranteeing resilience for critical communications can be a major challenge. Nigel Gray outlines how developments in paging and messaging are helping
S
ignifi cant advances in communications devices, networks and software are en- suring technology remains well placed
to meet the requirements of both the public and private sector in a period of continuous transition. In fact, paging is a prime example of a proven technology that has been continu- ously developed and improved. Synonymous with reliability, speed and resilience, paging has already proven its value as a communications tool in the most demanding of environments; a trusted form of messaging when people need to know now. But what does the future hold for paging and critical communications? Extensive coverage, robust broadcast capa-
bilities and long battery life are some of the more compelling benefi ts of paging and are the reasons why it remains a key enabler of com- munications within an emergency situation. Manufacturers continue to develop services and functionality as a result of customer and market feedback, as well as investing in devel- oping and refi ning innovations.
Two-way paging T e emergence of two-way paging has un- doubtedly closed the loop on traditional broadcast messaging, providing users with ac- cess to vital information in order to make more informed and intelligent decisions. T e ability to know whether a message has been received and read, as well as confi rmation of attendance to an incident, or registration of a user’s cur- rent work availability has transformed commu- nications. Command and Control Centres are
About the author
Nigel Gray is a director at PageOne Communications
now able to manage resources more eff ectively, mobilising the most appropriate resource at the right time to the right location. Meanwhile, the development of dual fre-
quency paging has also enabled emergency organisations to consolidate devices and re- duce network costs. A dual frequency pager can simultaneously scan two paging channels to extend coverage while providing resilience against local system failures. It allows organisa- tions such as fi re authorities and NHS Trusts to continue to utilise their own local paging sys- tem as a primary communications channel and be augmented by a national paging network. As well as extending coverage without any fur- ther infrastructure costs, a dual-frequency ap- proach also provides inherent resilience against local system failures. T e latest innovation has been adding to
the dual-frequency pager with an SMS fall- back facility that is used when both primary and secondary paging routes become unavail- able. When the device loses the paging signal, it communicates to a messaging gateway which then automatically re-routes pager messages to the device via SMS. Post-incident inquiries into events such as the 7/7 terrorist bombings in London highlighted the risks of relying on any one single form of communication, partic- ularly public mobile networks. Dual frequency paging, combined with SMS fall-back delivers a triple layer of resilience to maximise message delivery for critical messages.
Paging to a smartphone Not all organisations can justify the expense of having a dedicated critical messaging device and that is why we see ‘paging to a smartphone’ as a smart solution. T is off ers resilient closed- user group messaging for organisations looking to improve operational effi ciency. An app can ensure important messages and alerts reach smartphone users quickly and securely and are separated from normal SMS or email alerts. With distinctive pop-up and audible alert-
ing, a separate inbox and two-way reply op- tions, a smartphone app can ensure important
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An iPhone running the Responder app from PageOne Communications
real-time operational and emergency messages rise above the clutter of everyday email and SMS. Users can also be sure messages are de- livered, read and responded to by individuals or large groups. T is service can be extended to include location, job management and lone worker features to improve fi eld resource man- agement. Messaging and communications continues
to evolve and in all its various forms paging re- mains as relevant as ever. T ese are interesting times as we continue to face up to the econom- ic reality of having to improve service delivery and response times against a backdrop of ac- cess to fewer resources. It will not be easy and there will be challenges along the way. How- ever, whether the information is delivered to a dedicated device, an augmented smartphone or a combination of the two, paging can help to increase resilience and deliver operational ben- efi ts that can bring substantial savings.
LAND mobile August 2013
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