Spark has just announced it will switch off New Zealand’s paging network in March 2017.
Pagers pre-date mobile phones but are still a popular means of contacting workers. About 1000 organisations still use pagers. They are still well used by such as the emergency services (Fire, Police and Ambulance), government workers in remote areas and courier companies.
Spark has been talking to existing pager customers for some time. One of the primary solutions proposed is to migrate from the paging network to their mobile network and mobile applications. This approach may suit some customers but not necessarily those using paging for critical services. Depending on your usage, there are other options available.
There is still some 20 months to go so no immediate cause for concern. But there are still strategic decisions to be made and options to be considered.
In a breaking announcement, Spark has said it is willing to sell its pager network, as doubts remain over whether emergency services will be able to find a suitable replacement for the system. They have not yet found a buyer but remain open to approaches.
Over the next month or so we will examine this issue in greater detail as information becomes available. We are already discussing this with some of our clients and would be happy to help any of you that have concerns or just wish to understand your options.
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