Wireless Communications

For Dummies

1. What are Wireless Communications?

Wireless Communications are devices such as Pagers, Cellular Phones and Personal Communication Systems (PCS).

Personal communication systems and cellular phones are basically phones you can carry with you.

Pager: Any electronic device that sends or receives an electronic signal, or beep, esp. a small portable receiver used to contact people for messages.

In other words, you get a small electronic device (about the size of a small wallet) that makes a noise when someone calls the phone number for your pager. A screen display shows the number of the person who called you.

Cellular Phone System: A computer controlled communication system that connects the telephone system to a network of mobile radiotelephones: A service area is divided into small cells, with each having a seperate low power transmitter. Cellular phones operate on 800-900 MHz. (Analog)

A phone you can bring with you almost anywhere as long as it can receive a signal. When you buy one, they can show you a map of where your phone will work.

Personal Communication System: A computer controlled communication system that connects the telephone system to a network of mobile digital telephones. Digital phones operate on 900 Mhz - 1.2 GHz (Digital)

This is a phone too. Phones are made by many companies like Nokia, Qualcomm and Sony. The service for the phone is through a different company like Sprint PCS. (Just like your phone at home. Your cordless might be a Sony model but your long distance service is Sprint.) So when you get a PCS phone, you also need to purchase a monthly service from Sprint so it will work.

2. How do I choose a pager that is right for me?

Choosing a good pager depends upon several issues like Style, Pager Functions, Coverage Area and Price.

Style: There are many styles to choose from. Pagers come in many different colors, different sizes and shapes.

Pager Functions: There are various functions on each pager.

Alarm Clock is a great function just like your alarm clock at home. Traveling? Just use your pager for a wake-up call!

Time and Date can be set on your pager. Most pager screens display the current time. When you receive a page, the pager will note the time of that page.

Memory is how many pages the pager can hold. When you scroll through your pages, the last page will show first, followed by previous pages. This helps you remember who paged and allows you to keep their phone numbers for awhile.

Alerts are the different sounds the pager makes when someone calls you. Some are musical, beeps or vibrations.

Like VCRs, pagers are becoming more and more complex with many more functions. Fortunately, there is a little manual you can get for your pager that tells you all about your pager functions.

Coverage Area: Coverage Areas differ from company to company. Choosing a company that is right for you depends on how far you need your pager to be able to receive a page in the state of Minnesota.

Price:

3. To have Voice Mail or not to have Voice Mail

Voice Mail works just like voice mail (also called voice messaging) on your phone at home. It is nothing more than an electronic answering machine. If your pager has voice mail then you can choose to put a 60 second "custom greeting" on the pager or leave the "system standard greeting."

Custom Greeting: You can record your own greeting that people will hear when they dial your pager number. For example you could say, "Hey, this is Jill. Leave a message or punch in your number after the beep and I'll get right back to you."

Or, if your name isn't Jill you can use your own name.

The System Standard Greeting: The system standard greeting says "Please enter your voice or numeric message after the beep" People can either leave you a 60 second message or punch in a telephone number. Your pager will beep and your pager screen will display the number of the caller or your own pager number. Your own pager number appears when you have a voice mail message.

This all may seem a bit confusing, but you get a little manual to go with your pager that you can use for reference.

Mini-Mail:

Mini mail is exactly the same thing as Voice Mail except that it is usually cheaper with a 30 second greeting and takes up to 30 second messages.

4. How do I choose a phone?

Analog (or Cellular Phones) are the older technology. They are not as clear sounding as Digital (or PCS) phones.

Digital phones are newer technology and have a sharper, clearer sound and use less power to operate resulting in longer talk-time on your Digital phone.

Like pagers, cellular and PCS phones come in various shapes, sizes and colors. They have the capability of voice mail and also have many of the functions listed above under pagers.