<PAGE>


                                                                    EXHIBIT 25.1




                      SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            WASHINGTON, D. C. 20549
                                  __________
                                   FORM T-1

                           STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY
            UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939, AS AMENDED, OF A
                   CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

                     CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE
                     ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO
                              SECTION 305-(b) (2)
                                   _________
                      IBJ WHITEHALL BANK & TRUST COMPANY
              (Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)

                New York                                         13-5375195
        (State of Incorporation                               (I.R.S. Employer
      if not a U.S. national bank)                           Identification No.)

  One State Street, New York, New York                              10004
(Address of principal executive offices)                          (Zip code)

                   Terence Rawlins, Assistant Vice President
                      IBJ Whitehall Bank & Trust Company
                               One State Street
                           New York, New York 10004
                                (212) 858-2000
           (Name, Address and Telephone Number of Agent for Service)

                        ARCH COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION
          (Exact name of each registrant as specified in its charter)


              Delaware                                         04-3462318
      (State or jurisdiction of                             (I.R.S. Employer
    incorporation or organization)                         Identification No.)

    1800 West Park Drive, Suite 250
            Westborough, MA                                       01581
(Address of principal executive office)                        (Zip code)

                         13-3/4% Senior Notes due 2008
                        (Title of Indenture Securities)

                                       1
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Item 1.    General information

               Furnish the following information as to the trustee:

      (a)      Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to
               which it is subject.

                    New York State Banking Department, Two Rector Street, New
                    York, New York

                    Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Washington, D.C.

                    Federal Reserve Bank of New York Second District,
                    33 Liberty Street, New York, New York

      (b)      Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate
               trust powers.

                                 Yes

Item 2.    Affiliations with the Obligors.

               If the obligors are an affiliate of the trustee, describe each
               such affiliation.

               The obligors are not an affiliate of the trustee.

                                       2
<PAGE>

Item 13.       Defaults by the Obligors.


          (a)  State whether there is or has been a default with respect to the
               securities under this indenture.  Explain the nature of any such
               default.

                                 None

          (b)  If the trustee is a trustee under another indenture under which
               any other securities, or certificates of interest or
               participation in any other securities, of the obligors are
               outstanding, or is trustee for more than one outstanding series
               of securities under the indenture, state whether there has been a
               default under any such indenture or series, identify the
               indenture or series affected, and explain the nature of any such
               default.

                                 None

Item 16.       List of exhibits.

               List below all exhibits filed as part of this statement of
               eligibility.

     *1.       A copy of the Charter of IBJ Whitehall Bank & Trust Company as
               amended to date.  (See Exhibit 1A to Form T-1, Securities and
               Exchange Commission File No. 22-18460 & 333-46849).

     *2.       A copy of the Certificate of Authority of the trustee to Commence
               Business (Included in Exhibit 1 above).

     *3.       A copy of the Authorization of the trustee to exercise corporate
               trust powers, as amended to date (See Exhibit 4 to Form T-1,
               Securities and Exchange Commission File No. 22-19146).

                                       3
<PAGE>

    *4.        A copy of the existing By-Laws of the trustee, as amended to date
               (See Exhibit 4 to Form T-1, Securities and Exchange Commission
               File No. 333-46849).

     5.        Not Applicable

     6.        The consent of United States institutional trustee required by
               Section 321(b) of the Act.

     7.        A copy of the latest report of condition of the trustee published
               pursuant to law or the requirements of its supervising or
               examining authority.

*    The Exhibits thus designated are incorporated herein by reference as
     exhibits hereto.  Following the description of such Exhibits is a reference
     to the copy of the Exhibit heretofore filed with the Securities and
     Exchange Commission, to which there have been no amendments or changes.


                                     NOTE
                                     ----

     In answering any item in this Statement of Eligibility which relates to
     matters peculiarly within the knowledge of the obligors and its directors
     or officers, the trustee has relied upon information furnished to it by the
     obligors.

     Inasmuch as this Form T-1 is filed prior to the ascertainment by the
     trustee of all facts on which to base responsive answers to Item 2, the
     answer to said Item is based on incomplete information.

     Item 2, may, however, be considered as correct unless amended by an
     amendment to this Form T-1.

     Pursuant to General Instruction B, the trustee has responded to Items 1, 2
     and 16 of this form since to the best knowledge of the trustee as indicated
     in Item 13, the obligors are not in default under any indenture under which
     the applicant is trustee.

                                       4
<PAGE>

                                   SIGNATURE
                                   ---------

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, the
     trustee, IBJ Whitehall Bank & Trust Company, a corporation organized and
     existing under the laws of the State of New York, has duly caused this
     statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned,
     thereunto duly authorized, all in the City of New York, and State of New
     York, on the 5th day of August, 1999.


                         IBJ WHITEHALL BANK & TRUST COMPANY



                         By:/s/ Terence Rawlins
                            __________________________________________
                                Terence Rawlins
                                Assistant Vice President

                                       6

<PAGE>

                                   Exhibit 6

                              CONSENT OF TRUSTEE



          Pursuant to the requirements of Section 321(b) of the Trust Indenture
     Act of 1939, as amended, in connection with the issue by Arch
     Communications Corporation, of it's 13 3/4% Senior Notes due 2008, we
     hereby consent that reports of examinations by Federal, State, Territorial,
     or District authorities may be furnished by such authorities to the
     Securities and Exchange Commission upon request therefor.


                    IBJ WHITEHALL BANK & TRUST COMPANY



                    By:  /s/Terence Rawlins
                        -----------------------------------------------
                            Terence Rawlins
                            Assistant Vice President



Dated: August 5, 1999

                                       7
<PAGE>

                                   EXHIBIT 7

                      CONSOLIDATED REPORT OF CONDITION OF
                      IBJ WHITEHALL BANK & TRUST COMPANY
                             of New York, New York
                     And Foreign and Domestic Subsidiaries

                          Report as of March 31, 1999
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                           Dollar Amounts
                                                                            in Thousands
                                                                          ----------------
                                     ASSETS
                                     ------


<S>                                                                          <C>
1.      Cash and balance due from depository institutions:
  a.    Non-interest-bearing balances and currency and coin..................$   21,794
  b.    Interest-bearing balances............................................$   24,039

2.      Securities:
  a.    Held-to-maturity securities..........................................$      -0-
  b.    Available-for-sale securities........................................$  192,664

3.      Federal funds sold and securities purchased under
        agreements to resell in domestic offices of the bank
        and of its Edge and Agreement subsidiaries and in IBFs

        Federal Funds sold and Securities purchased under
          agreements to resell...............................................$   90,207

4.      Loans and lease financing receivables:
        a.    Loans and leases, net of unearned income..............$2,045,440
        b.    LESS: Allowance for loan and lease losses.............$   64,777
        c.    LESS: Allocated transfer risk reserve.................$      -0-
        d.    Loans and leases, net of unearned income, allowance,
               and reserve...................................................$1,980,663

5.      Trading assets held in trading accounts..............................$      783

6.      Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized leases).............$    6,188

7.      Other real estate owned..............................................$      -0-

8.      Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and associated companies..$      -0-

9.      Customers' liability to this bank on acceptances outstanding.........$      615

10.     Intangible assets....................................................$   12,786

11.     Other assets.........................................................$   61,758

12.     TOTAL ASSETS.........................................................$2,391,497
</TABLE>

                                       9
<PAGE>

                                         LIABILITIES
                                         -----------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

<S>                                                                   <C>          <C>
13.     Deposits:
        a.   In domestic offices....................................                  $  722,967

        (1)  Noninterest-bearing....................................  $  155,445
        (2)  Interest-bearing.......................................  $  567,522

        b.   In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement subsidiaries,
             and IBFs...............................................                  $1,111,757

        (1)  Noninterest-bearing....................................  $   14,819
        (2)  Interest-bearing.......................................  $1,096,938
</TABLE>
<TABLE>

<S>                                                                               <C>
14.     Federal funds purchased and securities sold under
        agreements to repurchase in domestic offices of the bank and
        of its Edge and Agreement subsidiaries, and in IBFs:

        Federal Funds purchased and Securities sold under
        agreements to repurchase..................................................  $  105,000

15.     a.   Demand notes issued to the U.S. Treasury.............................  $    3,000

        b.   Trading Liabilities..................................................  $      468

16.     Other borrowed money:
        a.   With a remaining maturity of one year or less........................  $   25,002
        b.   With a remaining maturity of more than one year......................  $    1,375
        c.   With a remaining maturity of more than three years...................  $    3,550

17.     Not applicable.

18.     Bank's liability on acceptances executed and outstanding..................  $      615

19.     Subordinated notes and debentures.........................................  $  100,000

20.     Other liabilities.........................................................  $   68,528

21.     TOTAL LIABILITIES.........................................................  $2,142,262

22.     Limited-life preferred stock and related surplus..........................  $      N/A

                                         EQUITY CAPITAL

23.     Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus.............................  $      -0-

24.     Common stock..............................................................  $   28,958

25.     Surplus (exclude all surplus related to preferred stock)..................  $  210,319

26.     a.   Undivided profits and capital reserves...............................  $    9,707

        b.   Net unrealized gains (losses) on available-for-sale securities.......  $      251

        c.   Accumulated net gains (losses) on cash flow hedges...................  $      -0-

27.     Cumulative foreign currency translation adjustments.......................  $      -0-

</TABLE>

                                      10
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<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

<S>                                                                                <C>
28.   TOTAL EQUITY CAPITAL..........................................................$  249,235

29.   TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY CAPITAL..........................................$2,391,497

</TABLE>


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