View source for Engineering:ReFLEX

'''ReFLEX''' is a wireless protocol developed by [[Company:Motorola|Motorola]], used for two-way paging, messaging, and low-bandwidth data.  It is based on the [[FLEX (protocol)|FLEX]] one-way paging protocol, adding capabilities for multiple forward channels, multiple return channels, and roaming.  It originally came in two variants, '''ReFLEX25''' and '''ReFLEX50'''. ''ReFLEX50'' was originally developed to support a messaging service launched by MTEL in the mid 1990s,<ref>[http://www.thefreelibrary.com/MTEL's+Destineer+Corp.+demonstrates+two-way+messaging+technology+to...-a016118531 ''Pocket MTEL's Destineer Corp. demonstrates two-way messaging technology to financial analysts.'', Jan. 19, 1995, Business Wire]</ref> while ''ReFLEX25'' was developed several years later to provide an upgrade path for traditional one-way paging carriers.<ref>[http://www.twice.com/computing/computing/weblink-readies-new-2-way-pagers/65681 ''WebLink Readies New 2-Way Pagers.'', Jul 7, 2003, Joseph Palenchar]</ref>  The ''50'' and ''25'' signified ''50 kHz'' and ''25kHz'' channel spacing, although in reality both variants supported flexible channel configurations.  The two variants were unified into a single protocol with version 2.7, which was released simply as '''ReFLEX 2.7'''. Devices compliant with ''ReFLEX 2.7'' are backwards compatible with both ''ReFLEX25'' and ''ReFLEX50'' networks, with several new features to improve roaming, performance, and interoperability between different networks.  ''ReFLEX'' systems support forward channel speeds of 1600, 3200, and 6400 bits per second, and return channel speeds of 800, 1600, 6400, and 9600 bits per second.  Like [[FLEX (protocol)|FLEX]], ''ReFLEX'' is synchronous, based on 1.875 second frames and 4-level FSK modulation.
The Motorola PageWriter released in 1996 was one of the first devices to use the ReFLEX network protocol.  Although ReFLEX now has limited viability in the commercial market, it is finding new uses in Automatic Meter Reading, public safety, and low cost/bandwidth [[Machine to machine|M2M]] applications.

==See also==
* [[Engineering:DataTAC|DataTAC]]
* Mobitex
* [[Engineering:Communication Linking Protocol|Communication Linking Protocol]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161206133636/http://content.arch.com/whitepaper/reflexwhitepaper.pdf |date=6 December 2016 |title=ReFLEX White Paper}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20071120062555/http://rysavy.com/Articles/twoway.htm Two Way Paging Article]
* [http://www.leapforum.org/published/internetworkMobility/split/node115.html#SECTION001432100000000000000 Article]
* {{cite web|url=http://www.usamobility.com/pdf/reflexwhitepaper.pdf|title=ReFLEX Rules: The Role of Pervasive Low-Cost Networks and Devices in the Future of Mobile Data Messaging whitepaper|year=2001|publisher=Sag Harbor Group}}
* [http://www.skytel.com Skytel ReFLEX Two-Way Paging Service Provider]

{{Mobile telecommunications standards}}

[[Category:Mobile technology]]



{{Sourceattribution|ReFLEX}}