Patent ID: 8121626

Claim:
A method of managing Short Messaging Service messages, the method comprising: receiving at an SMS relay first SMS message; providing a copy of the first SMS message to a telecommunications client associated with the user; and storing the first SMS message on a networked server accessible over a network by the user via the telecommunication client, wherein the telecommunications client includes a user interface via which the user can view the stored first SMS message from the networked server and (a) delete the first SMS message from the networked server, or (b) forward the first SMS message stored on the networked server, or (c) reply to the first SMS message stored on the networked server, or (d) edit an originating phone number associated with the first SMS message stored on the networked server, or (e) create a contact from the first SMS message stored on the networked server, or (f) originate a call to the originating mobile device via the first SMS message stored on the networked server, or any combination of (a), (b), (c), (d), (e) and (f); receiving at the SMS relay a second SMS message including a corresponding destination address associated with a device of an intended recipient; querying a Home Location Register (HLR) regarding a status of a device associated with the destination address of the intended recipient; receiving an indication from the HLR as to whether the device of the intended recipient of the second SMS message is available; at least partly in response to an indication from the HLR that the device of the intended recipient is not available to receive the second SMS message, causing at least in part an email to be transmitted to a forwarding email address associated with the intended recipient, wherein the forwarding email address is received from the HLR, the email including content of the second SMS message, a link to the second SMS message's content, or the second SMS message's content and the link to the message content of the second SMS message.