A method for causing a short message service, enhanced SMS, or multimedia SMS message, to be displayed on user media equipment, the method comprising: receiving the message at the user media equipment, wherein the message includes: control information that includes: (i) information relating to the sender of the message, (ii) a recipient of the message, (iii) a time and date when the message was sent, (iv) information identifying a first triggering event for causing the message to be displayed, and (v) decoding information for reconstituting the message; a data flag that indicates that the control information should not be displayed by the user media equipment; and content to be displayed by the user media equipment; storing the message until occurrence of the triggering event; detecting the occurrence of the triggering event; and in response to detecting the occurrence of the triggering event, causing the message to be displayed on at least a portion of a display; wherein: the triggering event includes an action taken by the recipient of the message on the user media equipment, the action comprising one or more of: a user action selecting a specified program to be displayed on the user media equipment; a user action setting a reminder on the user media equipment; a user action starting the user media equipment; a user action starting an application on the user media equipment; a user action providing user-identifying information to the user media equipment. receiving the message at the user media equipment, wherein the message includes: control information that includes: (i) information relating to the sender of the message, (ii) a recipient of the message, (iii) a time and date when the message was sent, (iv) information identifying a first triggering event for causing the message to be displayed, and (v) decoding information for reconstituting the message; a data flag that indicates that the control information should not be displayed by the user media equipment; and content to be displayed by the user media equipment; control information that includes: (i) information relating to the sender of the message, (ii) a recipient of the message, (iii) a time and date when the message was sent, (iv) information identifying a first triggering event for causing the message to be displayed, and (v) decoding information for reconstituting the message; a data flag that indicates that the control information should not be displayed by the user media equipment; and content to be displayed by the user media equipment; storing the message until occurrence of the triggering event; detecting the occurrence of the triggering event; and in response to detecting the occurrence of the triggering event, causing the message to be displayed on at least a portion of a display; wherein: the triggering event includes an action taken by the recipient of the message on the user media equipment, the action comprising one or more of: a user action selecting a specified program to be displayed on the user media equipment; a user action setting a reminder on the user media equipment; a user action starting the user media equipment; a user action starting an application on the user media equipment; a user action providing user-identifying information to the user media equipment. a user action selecting a specified program to be displayed on the user media equipment; a user action setting a reminder on the user media equipment; a user action starting the user media equipment; a user action starting an application on the user media equipment; a user action providing user-identifying information to the user media equipment.