I am designing a device that I want send a pager signal to.  This
device will have one board with the pager unit installed.  What are
the base components of a pager that allows a signal to be received? 
When should we use FLEX protocol and when should we use POCSAG
protocol.  Please provide a list of pager manufacturers.  I wish to
purchase ?10,000 pager units with programming interface (and the
ability to modify the software)? in my first year of operation, and
hopefully larger volumes in subsequent years.  What is the approximate
cost per unit for these volumes?

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Request for Question Clarification by jbf777-ga on 04 Jan 2005 11:30 PST

Hello ronel -

Thank you for your question.

Can you tell me, is this for a local paging application?  I.e.,
on-site?  Or will these units be paged through a long range
wide-area-network-type setup?

Thank you,

jbf777
Researcher
Google Answers

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Clarification of Question by ronel-ga on 04 Jan 2005 12:59 PST

They are for a wide-area-network-type setup. We will use these pagers
with a paging provider network in North America for now and Europe in
the near future. If you have any other question or clarification
please let me know, thanks.

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Request for Question Clarification by jbf777-ga on 05 Jan 2005 13:55 PST

Hello -
  
After doing quite a bit of preliminary research on this, I'm going to
make a recommendation.
  
I have found one company that I feel would be a perfect answer to your
question.  They function as a 3-fold entity in manufacturing,
sourcing, and consulting for this very type of project.  An American
company, their own manufacturing facility is in China, where you will
realize huge savings in manufacturing costs (an America-based
manufacturer quoted me at 3-4 times their price).  In addition to
this, they are well-versed in both POCSAG and FLEX technologies, being
able to accommodate and recommend either, tailoring something to your
exact requirements.  In addition to their own manufacturing and
consulting, they are in connection with literally dozens of other
similar, but separate, independent companies in China who can also
meet your needs.  So if they feel, for whatever reason, that it would
be best for another company to handle your project, they would act as
a sourcing agent to refer you to the most appropriate firm for the
job.  They are more than willing to freely discuss all of these
options with you.

Additionally, the representative I spoke to gave me some preliminary
ballpark quotes on a 10,000 quoantity order, which I would also supply
with the answer.

I am confident that the contact information to this company would
certainly address all your needs as required.  Please let me know if I
should post it as an answer.
 
Thank you,
 
jbf777

Hello ronel -
 
I did some more research today and am posting the following as an
answer.  If you have any questions or need any clarification, please
don't hesitate to ask.  Thank you.
 
 
o When should we use FLEX protocol and when should we use POCSAG
  protocol.  
 
FLEX is the new standard.  Most of the large carriers have moved or
are moving to FLEX.  POCSAG is still in use by some, however.  What
you should use is dependent upon what your carrier of choice supports.
 FLEX is a significantly faster protocol.  However, I'm told by more
than one person that it's not quite as efficient as POCSAG, but this
might not even be noticeable.  POCSAG may be cheaper to implement. 
The people at ATI Wireless (the company I mentioned in my
clarification request earlier) will be able to help you decide which
carrier and technology to go with (see below).
 
 
o What are the base components of a pager that allows a signal to be received?
 
In most pagers, there are three principal component "sections": the
receiver and two additional processors.  The receiver electronics
actually receive the signal.  The signal is then passed to a processor
that decodes the signal's format and does some error correction,
amongst other things.  Another processor interfaces this information
to the unit.
 
Here's a page with pictures that describes some of the internal
components of a typical restaurant pager, which is just like a
wide-area-network pager.  ATI tells me that most restaurant pagers are
POCSAG format:
 
http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/restaurant-pager3.htm
  
 
o Please provide a list of pager manufacturers.  What is the approximate
cost per unit for these volumes?
 
ATI Wireless, a point of contact for dozens of Asian manufacturers (in
addition to their own manufacturing), quoted me around $17-$20 for
FLEX/POCSAG units; this price reflects their own Asian-based
manufacturing:
 
ATI Wireless
7106 Crossroads Blvd., Suite 215
Brentwood, TN. 37027
Office (615) 846-2370
Fax (615) 846-2374
John McGrath x205
 
--
 
Here are additional Asian-based companies that can supply and
manufacture pagers to custom specifications:
 
Prod-Art
http://www.prodart.com.hk/flashindex.html?pagerlist.html
Unit 04-05, 12/F, Eastern Centre
No. 1065 King's Road,
Quarry Bay, Hong Kong
Hong Kong SAR 
Tel:  (852 ) 23343311 /  (852 ) 27662011 
Fax:  (852 ) 23301540 /  (852 ) 23634050 
prodart@prodart.com.hk
 
Key Mark Technology Co Ltd
http://www.keymark.com.tw/
10F, No. 123-1
Shing De Road
San Chung City
Taipei
Taiwan 241
Tel:  (886 2) 85110580  Ext : 21 
Fax:  (886 2) 85110551 
inquiry@keymark.com.tw
 
Mars Technology Development Ltd
http://www.marstkt.com/english/gsjj.htm
Rm.1401, Cambridge House
26-28 Cameron Road
Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
Hong Kong SAR 
Tel:  (852 755) 83975812 /  (852 ) 30593018 
Fax:  (852 755) 83975813 /  (852 ) 23167418 
mars@marstkt.com
 
Abell
Bldg.14, 2nd Floor
Zhongxing Industrial City
Nanyou, Nanshan Dist.
Shenzhen
Guangdong
China  
Tel:  (86 755) 26074311 /  (86 755) 26521000  Ext : 16 
Fax:  (86 755) 26404666 
abell@globalsources.com
  
 
For primarily America-based companies, try Radio Design Group or
Commtech Wireless, but be prepared to spend 3-4x the price.  Most
pagers are made in Asia today.
  
Radio Design Group
(800) 343-9600, or (541) 471-1100, or FAX: (541) 471-3489, or e-mail
designinfo@radiodesign.com.
http://www.radiodesign.com/legacy/pager.htm
xJim - 541-226-6101
 
Commtech Wireless
5900 Phillips Highway, Suite #26 and 27
Jacksonville, FL 32216
904-281-0073
  
 
 
Select search strategy:
pager manufacturers
made phone calls
   
Global Sources (to find additional Asian suppliers)
http://www.globalsources.com/GeneralManager?pointview=on&suplrview=off&prodview=on&artview=off&copyfrom=&point_search=on&search_what=1&product_search=on&supplier_search=&article_search=&query=pager&copyto=&type=new&action=GetPoint&action=DoFreeTextSearch&page=search%2FProductSearchResults&point_id=3000000149681&catalog_id=2000000003844&design=clean&language=en&country_filt=&state_filt=

Thank you very much for your answer. I'm sorry it has taken so long
for me to follow up. I read the answer and everything seems fine; I
will proceed to contact these companies.