Pagers

Guide to Buying Pagers on eBay

Pagers are useful communication devices as they serve important functions for doctors, nurses, and people who travel in remote areas without cell data reception. You can find all types of vintage units on eBay. Here are a few things to consider when buying a new, used, or pre-owned pager online.

There are several variations of pagers. Some vintage devices offer only a signal beep while others offer a caller ID. Some even provide a line or two of an optional text message. Almost all pagers feature the iconic belt clip or belt clip holster. The older the pager is, the less of these features it will have. The original units were created in the 1920s and offered only a simple two-tone signal beep.

Some pager brands that are still being used, purchased, and even manufactured include Apollo, J-TECH, Motorola, Namiki, NEC, Panasonic, PerComm, Philips, RadioShack, Telecom, TIVDIO, Unication, Uniden, and Valcom.

You can find brand-new pagers on eBay from several brands. Apollo, PerComm, and Unication manufacture new ones every year. Since 2003, Motorola has ceased production of new units, although there are still new and open-box Motorola units for sale on eBay. As Motorola no longer makes new pagers, though, their old pagers may be valuable as collectors' items.

Vintage pagers for sale are great for a collector, for decoration, or for use as a costume accessory. They offer a sense of nostalgia whether they are able to be programmed or not. If you are looking for an old-school pager on eBay, here are a few things you should look for:

• Year: What year was the pager manufactured? The older the pager for sale, the fewer functions it is likely to have, and the more nostalgic it will be. Older units fit the vintage collection better than the more recently manufactured models.
• Functionality: Does the retro pager still power on? Does it have a working display screen? Is it a two-way pager with working buttons?
• Service provider: What service provider can be used to activate service for the pager if desired? What was the original service provider for the device?
• Aesthetic: Does the pager have that vintage look, or does its design take away from the antique aesthetic? Older models will suit your eye if you're a collector looking for vintage pagers.