Extending the Reach of the Internet Through Paging

Abstract

This paper describes a technique implemented for the integration of paging networks with the Internet through electronic mail. Pager subscribers are assigned standard Internet e-mail addresses. When a message is received for such a subscriber, he/she is immediately informed via the pager by a concise radio message. The actual e-mail message remains at the e-mail server until the subscriber retrieves it. The growth of the Internet and that of the paging industry has been rapid and widespread, though independent of each other. Also, different communities have come to be served by each. With the technique described herein, a small, cheap pager receiver will not only be part of a global network, but it will also extend the reach of the Internet to an entirely new community.