A method for a virtual mobile equipment "VME" of a wireless communication network for use in forwarding short messages for a wireless communication device, the method comprising: in response to receiving, at the virtual mobile equipment, a message forwarding enable message which is provided with the address of the wireless communication device: causing the address of the wireless communication device to be assigned to the virtual mobile equipment; sending a registration message which includes the address for registering a location of the virtual mobile equipment in the wireless communication network with respect to the address, after the wireless communication device deregisters its location from the wireless communication network with respect to the address; maintaining access to storage of an association between the address and an alternate address of an alternate communication device; receiving, at the virtual mobile equipment, a short message having a destination address that matches the address; in response to receiving the short message: causing the short message to be sent to the alternate address for delivery to the alternate communication device based on the stored association between the address and the alternate address; in response to receiving, at the virtual mobile equipment, a message forwarding disable message which is provided with the address: sending a deregistration message for deregistering the location of the virtual mobile equipment from the wireless communication network with respect to the address, before the wireless communication device registers its location with respect to the address; and causing the address of the wireless communication device to be deassigned from the virtual mobile equipment, so that the wireless communication device receives short messages having destination addresses that match the address. in response to receiving, at the virtual mobile equipment, a message forwarding enable message which is provided with the address of the wireless communication device: causing the address of the wireless communication device to be assigned to the virtual mobile equipment; sending a registration message which includes the address for registering a location of the virtual mobile equipment in the wireless communication network with respect to the address, after the wireless communication device deregisters its location from the wireless communication network with respect to the address; maintaining access to storage of an association between the address and an alternate address of an alternate communication device; causing the address of the wireless communication device to be assigned to the virtual mobile equipment; sending a registration message which includes the address for registering a location of the virtual mobile equipment in the wireless communication network with respect to the address, after the wireless communication device deregisters its location from the wireless communication network with respect to the address; maintaining access to storage of an association between the address and an alternate address of an alternate communication device; receiving, at the virtual mobile equipment, a short message having a destination address that matches the address; in response to receiving the short message: causing the short message to be sent to the alternate address for delivery to the alternate communication device based on the stored association between the address and the alternate address; in response to receiving, at the virtual mobile equipment, a message forwarding disable message which is provided with the address: sending a deregistration message for deregistering the location of the virtual mobile equipment from the wireless communication network with respect to the address, before the wireless communication device registers its location with respect to the address; and causing the address of the wireless communication device to be deassigned from the virtual mobile equipment, so that the wireless communication device receives short messages having destination addresses that match the address. sending a deregistration message for deregistering the location of the virtual mobile equipment from the wireless communication network with respect to the address, before the wireless communication device registers its location with respect to the address; and causing the address of the wireless communication device to be deassigned from the virtual mobile equipment, so that the wireless communication device receives short messages having destination addresses that match the address.