If you didn't have a pager you were nobody! I knew a guy who wore one on his belt but didn't have service. He just wanted everyone to think he was so important he couldn't be out of reach. I never had one...for the same reason I hate my cellphone.
As soon as everyone had email on their Blackberry in 2003 every pompous administrative twit in my company started sending emails to everyone running all over the country asking for reports, updates, confirmations etc. Totally useless.