Patent ID: 8244285

Claim:
A method for implementing a mobile phone network based text messaging service comprising the steps of: receiving a first communication message including a text message from a first communication device possessed by a sender subscriber by way of a first mobile phone network, the text message identifying the intended recipient as a second communication device; checking whether at least a telecommunications identifier of the second communication device is included on a list of communication devices associated with the first communication device, wherein the list is determined and maintained by the messaging service to record associations of the sender subscriber; if so included, sending the text message to the second communication device by way of a second mobile phone network; if not so included: sending a second communication message to the second communication device by way of the second mobile phone network informing the second communication device of the existence of the text message; seeking authorisation from a possessor of the second communication device to associate the second communication device with the first communication device; and if such authorisation is given: including the second communication device on the list of communication devices associated with the first communication device; and sending the text message to the second communication device by way of the second mobile phone network.