Apparatus and method for handling messaging service message adaptation

1. A method comprising:

receiving an original message from an originating communication device, the original message based on a wireless communication message protocol, the original message being of a first message type;

modifying the original message according to preferences of a message recipient communication device to generate a second message of a second message type;

sending the second message to the message recipient communication device; and

sending the original message to an alternate message recipient based on: the original message being modified; and a preference location set in the message recipient communication device, the preference location including at least one of an e-mail address, Internet Protocol (IP) address and telephone number.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising providing an option to the originating communication device to have the original message sent to the alternate message recipient based on the original message being modified.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising providing an option to the message recipient communication device to have the original message sent to the alternate message recipient based on the original message being modified.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein preferences of the message recipient communication device comprise capabilities of the recipient communication device.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the original message comprises a multimedia messaging service message, wherein the message recipient communication device comprises a cellular communication device, and wherein the alternate message recipient is based on the e-mail address.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein modifying the original message further comprises transcoding the original message based on a mismatch between the content of the original message and the preferences of the message recipient communication device.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein transcoding the message comprises one selected from the group of converting a video message to a multiple picture message, removal of video altogether, converting audio from one format to another, conversion of a high resolution media to a low resolution media.

8. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

sending a message waiting notification to the message recipient communication device; and

receiving a retrieval message from the message recipient communication device, the retrieval message including information indicating the preferences of the message recipient communication device.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the information indicating the preferences of the message recipient communication device comprises directions to a preferences location, the preferences location including preferences of the message recipient communication device.

10. A wireless network controller comprising:

a multimedia service center configured to receive an original message from an originating communication device, the original message based on a wireless communication message protocol, the message being of a first message type; and

a transcoder coupled to the multimedia service center, the transcoder configured to modify the original message according to preferences of a message recipient communication device to generate a second message of a second message type,

wherein the multimedia service center is further configured to send the second message to the message recipient communication device and send the original message to an alternate message recipient based on: the original message being modified; and a preference location set in the message recipient communication device, the preference location including at least one of an e-mail address, Internet Protocol (IP) address and telephone number.

11. The wireless network controller according to claim 10 , wherein the multimedia service center is further configured to provide an option to the originating communication device to have the original message sent to the alternate message recipient based on the original message being modified.

12. The wireless network controller according to claim 10 , wherein the multimedia service center is further configured to provide an option to the message recipient communication device to have the original message sent to the alternate message recipient based on the original message being modified.

13. The wireless network controller according to claim 10 , wherein preferences of the message recipient communication device comprise capabilities of the recipient communication device.

14. The wireless network controller according to claim 10 , wherein the original message comprises a multimedia messaging service message, wherein the message recipient communication device comprises a cellular communication device, and wherein the alternate message recipient is based on the e-mail address.

15. The wireless network controller according to claim 10 , wherein modifying the original message further comprises transcoding the original message based on a mismatch between the content of the original message and the preferences of the message recipient communication device.

16. The wireless network controller according to claim 15 , wherein transcoding the original message comprises one selected from the group of converting a video message to a slideshow message, converting an audio format to a message attachment, and deleting multimedia content from a multimedia message while retaining text in the original message.

17. The wireless network controller according to claim 10 , wherein the multimedia service center is further configured to send a message waiting notification to the message recipient communication device and receive a retrieval message from the message recipient communication device, the retrieval message including information indicating the preferences of the message recipient communication device.

18. The wireless network controller according to claim 17 , wherein the information indicating the preferences of the message recipient communication device comprises directions to a preferences location, the preferences location including preferences of the message recipient communication device.

19. A method comprising:

receiving a multimedia messaging service message from an originating communication device, the multimedia messaging service message based on a wireless communication message protocol, the multimedia messaging service message being of a multimedia messaging service message type;

sending a message waiting notification to a message recipient communication device;

receiving a retrieval message from the message recipient communication device in response to sending the message waiting notification, the retrieval message including information indicating capabilities of the message recipient communication device;

transcoding the multimedia messaging service message according to the capabilities of the message recipient communication device to generate a second message of a second message type;

sending the second message to the message recipient communication device; and

sending the multimedia messaging service message to an alternate message recipient based on: the multimedia messaging service message being modified; and a preference location set in the message recipient communication device, the preference location including at least one of an e-mail address, Internet Protocol (IP) address and telephone number.

20. The method according to claim 19 , wherein transcoding the multimedia messaging service message further comprises transcoding the multimedia messaging service message based on a mismatch between the content of the multimedia messaging service message and the capabilities of the message recipient communication device.