A method of indicating the availability of communication services, comprising the steps of: at a handheld communication device determining communication modes that are currently available to the handheld communication device, wherein the communication modes comprise at least one of wireless cellular networks and wireless local area networks; the method characterised by the steps of: the handheld communication device transmitting at least one service information request each requesting an indication of availability of a respective communication service (800, 900) at the handheld communication device, wherein the communication services comprise at least one of e-mail services, internet services, telephony services, text messaging services, virtual private network services, and global positioning system -mapping services, the handheld communication device transmitting each said service information request to a provider of the respective communication service over a non-traffic channel of one of the available communication modes; the handheld communication device, in response to the service information requests, receiving service indications each indicating an availability of a respective one of the requested communication services (800, 900) to the communication device, the communication device receiving each said service indication from the provider of the respective communication service via the wireless non-traffic channel of the one available wireless communication mode (219, 221); and the communication device providing a user-indication of the communication service availabilities in accordance with the received service indications, the user-indication comprising a text information screen depicting a table that identifies the available communication services and the wireless communication mode (219, 221) over which each said communication service (800, 900) is currently available to the communication device. at a handheld communication device determining communication modes that are currently available to the handheld communication device, wherein the communication modes comprise at least one of wireless cellular networks and wireless local area networks; the method characterised by the steps of: the handheld communication device transmitting at least one service information request each requesting an indication of availability of a respective communication service (800, 900) at the handheld communication device, wherein the communication services comprise at least one of e-mail services, internet services, telephony services, text messaging services, virtual private network services, and global positioning system -mapping services, the handheld communication device transmitting each said service information request to a provider of the respective communication service over a non-traffic channel of one of the available communication modes; the handheld communication device, in response to the service information requests, receiving service indications each indicating an availability of a respective one of the requested communication services (800, 900) to the communication device, the communication device receiving each said service indication from the provider of the respective communication service via the wireless non-traffic channel of the one available wireless communication mode (219, 221); and the communication device providing a user-indication of the communication service availabilities in accordance with the received service indications, the user-indication comprising a text information screen depicting a table that identifies the available communication services and the wireless communication mode (219, 221) over which each said communication service (800, 900) is currently available to the communication device. the handheld communication device transmitting at least one service information request each requesting an indication of availability of a respective communication service (800, 900) at the handheld communication device, wherein the communication services comprise at least one of e-mail services, internet services, telephony services, text messaging services, virtual private network services, and global positioning system -mapping services, the handheld communication device transmitting each said service information request to a provider of the respective communication service over a non-traffic channel of one of the available communication modes; the handheld communication device, in response to the service information requests, receiving service indications each indicating an availability of a respective one of the requested communication services (800, 900) to the communication device, the communication device receiving each said service indication from the provider of the respective communication service via the wireless non-traffic channel of the one available wireless communication mode (219, 221); and the communication device providing a user-indication of the communication service availabilities in accordance with the received service indications, the user-indication comprising a text information screen depicting a table that identifies the available communication services and the wireless communication mode (219, 221) over which each said communication service (800, 900) is currently available to the communication device.