While numeric pagers can only display numbers, alphanumeric pagers are capable of displaying both numeric and text messages. Some systems provide users with latest news headlines, sports scores and even traffic and weather information. In order to display text or numeric messages entered by the sender or operator, a computer-modem combination or a custom page-entry device designed to enter alphanumeric pages is used.

Alphanumeric pagers have a number of advantages because users receive not just a number, but also a complete text message. They also eliminate the need for phone calls to receive messages.

Alphanumeric pagers can be of various ranges, from beepers with a big storage space for receipt of e-mails or faxes to pagers that can display a single sentence. Voice pagers are closely related to alphanumeric pagers and are capable of displaying a phone number and playing a short voice message.

Unlike its numeric counterpart, alphanumeric pagers use a wide screen capable of displaying both letters and numbers. The alphanumeric pager can receive messages up to 80 characters long. Some models of pagers can store up to 20 messages in their memory.

The alphanumeric pagers technology can be applied for miniature computers. Alphanumeric pagers, as we know now, can function as portable email receivers and fax machines.

Their designs becoming trendier by the day, pagers are now a big business, and new products and new technological advances have kept the market expanding. The pager is in a constant state of development, with even the alphanumeric pager a fairly recent invention.

Interestingly, pagers have a great advantage, as they are compatible with other technologies. It is, therefore, highly unlikely that pagers will lose their popularity in a hurry. The more likely scenario is that they will be combined with other communication technologies to create better devices for the future.