Efficiency of Response Pagers vs P25 Radios for Critical Alert Messaging
When your mission is critical alert messaging, which communication device is the most efficient, cost-effective — and ensures the delivery and acknowledgement of your important message? The answer is hands-down – a response pager! When you want to ensure your responders will receive your critical messages, at all times and in all situations, you need a communication device that is small, discrete and easily carried. Therefore, you can be assured that your responders will have the device with them at all times.
A response pager is about 1/20 of the cost of a P25 radio, so you can get this device into more responders’ hands, especially if you have a large volunteer force. A pager is better for recall and can store critical messages for later review. Also important is the battery life differential between a radio and a pager. Most P25 radios have a battery life of only eight hours, meaning your responders must continually remember to recharge them. A response pager’s battery life is two weeks; therefore, your responders are more likely to have a live device to receive your critical alert when the need arises. When all things are considered, the bottom line is — a response pager is a far better communication device for critical alert messaging than a P25 radio.