Messaging services in a wireless communications network

1. A method for use in a message server, the method comprising:

receiving, from a wireless device of a sender via a packet switched wireless local area network (WLAN) base station, a request message including a destination address associated with a wireless device of a recipient, from a message client running on the wireless device of the sender, the message client capable of determining a delivery mode for sending an outgoing message to the wireless device of the recipient, wherein the wireless device of the sender is capable of sending, in a first delivery mode, messages via the packet switched WLAN base station or, alternatively, in a second delivery mode, via a short message service (SMS) bearer base station that is independent of the packet switched WLAN base station;

determining whether the destination address corresponds to a subscriber of a service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer; and

sending a response message, to the wireless device of the sender via the packet switched WLAN base station, indicating whether the destination address corresponds to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer,

wherein, if the destination address corresponds to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer, the response message provides an indication to the wireless device of the sender to send, in the first delivery mode, the outgoing message as one or more Internet protocol (IP) packets to the wireless device of the recipient via the packet switched WLAN base station,

wherein, if the destination address does not correspond to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer, the response message alternatively provides an indication to the wireless device of the sender to send, in the second delivery mode, the outgoing message as an SMS message to the wireless device of the recipient using the destination address via the SMS bearer base station, and

wherein the SMS bearer base station is associated with a cellular core network, and the request message received from the wireless device of the sender and the response message sent to the wireless device of the sender do not traverse the cellular core network associated with the SMS bearer base station.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the response message enables the wireless device of the sender to display an indication of whether the destination address corresponds to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the response message enables the wireless device of the sender to select at least one type of permissible attachment based on whether the destination address corresponds to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the response message enables the wireless device of the sender to deny any type of attachment when the destination address does not correspond to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the destination address is a mobile phone number.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, from the wireless device of the sender, the outgoing message via the packet switched WLAN base station; and

queuing the outgoing message for later delivery if the outgoing message cannot be delivered to the wireless device of the recipient.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

sending, to the wireless device of the sender via the packet switched WLAN base station, a delivery confirmation message if the outgoing message is successfully delivered to the wireless device of the recipient when the destination address corresponds to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer, to enable the wireless device of the sender to display an indication that the outgoing message was delivered.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

sending, to the wireless device of the sender via the packet switched WLAN base station, presence information associated with the wireless device of the recipient, when the destination address corresponds to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer, to enable the wireless device of the sender to display an indication of the presence of the wireless device of the recipient.

9. A method for use in a message server, the method comprising:

storing at least one destination address;

receiving, from a wireless device of a sender via a packet switched wireless local area network (WLAN) base station, a request message including a destination address associated with a wireless device of a recipient, from a message client running on the wireless device of the sender, the message client capable of determining a delivery mode for sending an outgoing message to the wireless device of the recipient, wherein the wireless device of the sender is capable of sending, in a first delivery mode, messages via the packet switched WLAN base station or, alternatively, in a second delivery mode, via a short message service (SMS) bearer base station that is independent of the packet switched WLAN base station;

determining whether the destination address corresponds to a subscriber of a service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer by comparing the received destination address associated with the wireless device of the recipient against the at least one stored destination address; and

sending a response message, to the wireless device of the sender via the packet switched WLAN base station, indicating whether the received destination address corresponds to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer,

wherein, if the received destination address corresponds to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer, the response message provides an indication to the wireless device of the sender to send, in the first delivery mode, the outgoing message as one or more Internet protocol (IP) packets to the wireless device of the recipient via the packet switched WLAN base station, and

wherein, if the received destination address does not correspond to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer, the response message alternatively provides an indication to the wireless device of the sender to send, in the second delivery mode, the outgoing message as an SMS message to the wireless device of the recipient using the destination address associated with a wireless device of the recipient via the SMS bearer base station.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

storing a list of a plurality of destination addresses, each of the plurality of destination addresses corresponding to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer, wherein the service is independent of a cellular core network associated with the SMS bearer base station,

wherein determining whether the received destination address corresponds to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer includes comparing the received destination address associated with the wireless device of the recipient against the list.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the SMS bearer base station is associated with a cellular core network, and the request message received from the wireless device of the sender and the response message sent to the wireless device of the sender do not traverse the cellular core network associated with the SMS bearer base station.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the response message enables the wireless device of the sender to display an indication of whether the received destination address corresponds to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

sending, to the wireless device of the sender via the packet switched WLAN base station, a delivery confirmation message if the outgoing message is successfully delivered to the wireless device of the recipient when the received destination address corresponds to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer, to enable the wireless device of the sender to display an indication that the outgoing message was delivered.

14. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

sending, to the wireless device of the sender via the packet switched WLAN base station, presence information associated with the wireless device of the recipient, when the received destination address corresponds to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer, to enable the wireless device of the sender to display an indication of the presence of the wireless device of the recipient.

15. A message server comprising:

a receiver configured to receive, from a wireless device of a sender via a packet switched wireless local area network (WLAN) base station, a request message including a destination address associated with a wireless device of a recipient, from a message client running on the wireless device of the sender, the message client capable of determining a delivery mode for sending an outgoing message from the wireless device of the sender, wherein the wireless device of the sender is capable of sending messages, in a first delivery mode, via the packet switched WLAN base station, or alternatively, in a second delivery mode, via a short message service (SMS) bearer base station that is independent of the packet switched WLAN base station;

a processor configured to determine whether the destination address corresponds to a subscriber of a service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer; and

a transmitter configured to send a response message, to the wireless device of the sender via the packet switched WLAN base station, indicating whether the destination address corresponds to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer,

wherein, if the destination address corresponds to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing messages via a packet switched bearer, the response message provides an indication to the wireless device of the sender to send, in the first delivery mode, the outgoing message as one or more Internet protocol (IP) packets to the wireless device of the recipient via the packet switched WLAN base station,

wherein, if the destination address does not correspond to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer, the response message alternatively provides an indication to the wireless device of the sender to send, in the second delivery mode, the outgoing message as an SMS message to the wireless device of the recipient using the destination address via the SMS bearer base station, and

wherein the SMS bearer base station is associated with a cellular core network, and the receiver is further configured to receive the request message from the wireless device of the sender without the request message traversing the cellular core network associated with the SMS bearer base station, and the transmitter is further configured to send the response message to wireless device of the sender without the response message traversing the cellular core network associated with the SMS bearer base station.

16. The message server of claim 15 , wherein the response message enables the wireless device of the sender to display an indication of whether the destination address corresponds to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer.

17. The message server of claim 15 , wherein the response message enables the wireless device of the sender to select at least one type of permissible attachment based on whether the destination address corresponds to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer.

18. The message server of claim 15 , wherein the response message enables the wireless device of the sender to deny any type of attachment when the destination address does not correspond to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer.

19. The message server of claim 15 , wherein the destination address is a mobile phone number.

20. The message server of claim 15 , wherein the receiver is further configured to receive, from the wireless device of the sender, the outgoing message via the packet switched WLAN base station, and the processor is further configured to queue the outgoing message for later delivery if the outgoing message cannot be delivered to the wireless device of the recipient.

21. The message server of claim 15 , wherein the transmitter is further configured to send, to the wireless device of the sender via the packet switched WLAN base station, a delivery confirmation message when the destination address corresponds to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer, to enable the wireless device of the sender to display an indication that the outgoing message was delivered.

22. The message server of claim 15 , wherein the transmitter is further configured to send presence information associated with the wireless device of the recipient, to the wireless device of the sender via the packet switched WLAN base station, when the destination address corresponds to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer, to enable the wireless device of the sender to display an indication of the presence of the wireless device of the recipient.

23. A message server comprising:

a storage configured to store at least one destination address;

a receiver configured to receive, from a wireless device of a sender via a packet switched wireless local area network (WLAN) base station, a request message including a destination address associated with a wireless device of a recipient, from a message client running on the wireless device of the sender, the message client capable of determining a delivery mode for sending an outgoing message from the wireless device of the sender, wherein the wireless device of the sender is capable of sending messages, in a first delivery mode, via the packet switched WLAN base station, or alternatively, in a second delivery mode, via a short message service (SMS) bearer base station that is independent of the packet switched WLAN base station;

a processor configured to determine whether the received destination address corresponds to a subscriber of a service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer by comparing the received destination address associated with the wireless device of the recipient against the at least one stored destination address; and

a transmitter configured to send a response message, to the wireless device of the sender via the packet switched WLAN base station, indicating whether the received destination address corresponds to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer,

wherein, if the received destination address corresponds to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing messages via a packet switched bearer, the response message provides an indication to the wireless device of the sender to send, in the first delivery mode, the outgoing message as one or more Internet protocol (IP) packets to the wireless device of the recipient via the packet switched WLAN base station, and

wherein, if the received destination address does not correspond to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer, the response message alternatively provides an indication to the wireless device of the sender to send, in the second delivery mode, the outgoing message as an SMS message to the wireless device of the recipient using the destination address associated with the wireless device of the recipient via the SMS bearer base station.

24. The message server of claim 23 ,

wherein the storage is configured to store the at least one destination address in a list of a plurality of destination addresses, each of the plurality of destination addresses corresponding to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer, wherein the service is independent of a cellular core network associated with the SMS bearer base station,

wherein the processor is configured to determine whether the received destination address corresponds to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer by comparing the received destination address associated with the wireless device of the recipient against the list.

25. The message server of claim 23 , wherein the SMS bearer base station is associated with a cellular core network, and the receiver is further configured to receive the request message from the wireless device of the sender without the request message traversing the cellular core network associated with the SMS bearer base station, and the transmitter is further configured to send the response message to wireless device of the sender without the response message traversing the cellular core network associated with the SMS bearer base station.

26. The message server of claim 23 , wherein the response message enables the wireless device of the sender to display an indication of whether the received destination address corresponds to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer.

27. The message server of claim 23 , wherein the transmitter is further configured to send, to the wireless device of the sender via the packet switched WLAN base station, a delivery confirmation message when the received destination address corresponds to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer, to enable the wireless device of the sender to display an indication that the outgoing message was delivered.

28. The message server of claim 23 , wherein the transmitter is further configured to send presence information associated with the wireless device of the recipient, to the wireless device of the sender via the packet switched WLAN base station, when the received destination address corresponds to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer, to enable the wireless device of the sender to display an indication of the presence of the wireless device of the recipient.