Messaging services in a wireless communications network

1. A method for use in a first wireless device capable of transmitting messages via a packet switched network and via a short message service (SMS) bearer via a cellular core network, the method comprising:

receiving a numeric destination address associated with a second wireless device from a message being composed on the first wireless device;

sending, via the packet switched network and the Internet, the numeric destination address associated with the second wireless device to a server, wherein the server is not a component of the cellular core network;

receiving, from the server via the Internet and the packet switched network, an indication of whether the second wireless device is associated with a subscriber of a message service for receiving the message being composed via a packet switched bearer;

displaying a result of the indication of whether the second wireless device is associated with a subscriber of the message service for receiving the message being composed via a packet switched bearer;

transmitting the message to the second wireless device via the packet switched network on a condition that the indication indicates that the second wireless device is associated with a subscriber of the message service for receiving the message being composed via a packet switched bearer;

transmitting the message to the second wireless device via the SMS bearer via the cellular core network on a condition that the indication indicates that the second wireless device is not associated with a subscriber of the message service for receiving the message being composed via a packet switched bearer; and

on a condition that the second wireless device is associated with a subscriber of the message service for receiving the message being composed via a packet switched bearer, receiving a delivery confirmation message indicating the message is successfully delivered to the second wireless device, and displaying a delivery indication based on the delivery confirmation message.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the numeric destination address associated with a second wireless device is a phone number of the second wireless device.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

on a condition that the second wireless device is associated with a subscriber of the message service for receiving the message being composed via a packet switched bearer, receiving presence information associated with the second wireless device; and

displaying the presence information associated with the second wireless device.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

displaying sent messages and received messages, wherein sent messages are displayed with a first characteristic and received messages are displayed with a second different characteristic to enable the sent messages to be distinguished from the received messages.

5. A first wireless device capable of transmitting messages via a packet switched network and via a short message service (SMS) bearer via a cellular core network, the first wireless device comprising:

a messaging client configured to receive a numeric destination address associated with a second wireless device from a message being composed on the first wireless device;

a transceiver configured to send, via the packet switched network and the Internet, the numeric destination address associated with the second wireless device to a server, wherein the server is not a component of the cellular core network, and to receive, from the server via the Internet and the packet switched network, an indication of whether the second wireless device is associated with a subscriber of a message service for receiving the message being composed via a packet switched bearer;

a display configured to display a result of the indication of whether the second wireless device is associated with a subscriber of the message service for receiving the message being composed via a packet switched bearer,

wherein the transceiver is further configured to transmit the message to the second wireless device via the packet switched network on a condition that the indication indicates that the second wireless device is associated with a subscriber of the message service for receiving the message being composed via a packet switched bearer; and

a cellular transceiver configured to transmit the message to the second wireless device via the SMS bearer via the cellular core network on a condition that the indication indicates that the second wireless device is not associated with a subscriber of the message service for receiving the message being composed via a packet switched bearer,

wherein the transceiver is further configured to receive, on a condition that the second wireless device is associated with a subscriber of a message service for receiving the message being composed via a packet switched bearer, a delivery confirmation message indicating the message is successfully delivered to the second wireless device, and the display is further configured to display a delivery indication based on the delivery confirmation message.

6. The first wireless device of claim 5 , wherein the numeric destination address associated with a second wireless device is a phone number of the second wireless device.

7. The first wireless device of claim 5 , wherein the packet switched network is a wireless local area network (WLAN).

8. The first wireless device of claim 5 , further comprising:

on a condition that the second wireless device is associated with a subscriber of a message service for receiving the message being composed via a packet switched bearer, the transceiver configured to receive presence information associated with the second wireless device, and the display is configured to display the presence information associated with the second wireless device.

9. The first wireless device of claim 5 , wherein the display is further configured to display sent messages and received messages, wherein sent messages are displayed with a first characteristic and received message are displayed with a second characteristic to enable the sent messages to be distinguished from the received messages.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a set of instructions for execution by a first wireless device capable of transmitting messages via a packet switched network or via a short message service (SMS) bearer via a cellular core network, the set of instructions comprising:

a first code segment for receiving a numeric destination address associated with a second wireless device from a message being composed on the first wireless device;

a second code segment for sending, via the packet switched network and the Internet, the numeric destination address associated with the second wireless device to a server, wherein the server is not a component of the cellular core network;

a third code segment for receiving, from the server via the Internet and the packet switched network, an indication of whether the second wireless device is associated with a subscriber of a message service for receiving the message being composed via a packet switched bearer;

a fourth code segment for displaying a result of the indication of whether the second wireless device is associated with a subscriber of the message service for receiving the message being composed via a packet switched bearer;

a fifth code segment for transmitting the message to the second wireless device via the packet switched network on a condition that the indication indicates that the second wireless device is associated with a subscriber of the message service for receiving the message being composed via a packet switched bearer, and for transmitting the message to the second wireless device via the SMS bearer via the cellular core network on a condition that the indication indicates that the second wireless device is not associated with a subscriber of the message service for receiving the message being composed via the packet switched bearer; and

a delivery confirmation code segment for, on a condition that the second wireless device is associated with a subscriber of the message service for receiving the message being composed via a packet switched bearer, receiving a delivery confirmation message indicating the message is successfully delivered to the second wireless device, and for displaying a delivery indication based on the delivery confirmation message.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the numeric destination address associated with a second wireless device is a phone number of the second wireless device.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the packet switched network is a wireless local area network (WLAN).

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , further comprising:

a seventh code segment for, on a condition that the second wireless device is associated with a subscriber of the message service for receiving the message being composed via a packet switched bearer, receiving presence information associated with the second wireless device, and for displaying the presence information associated with the second wireless device.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , further comprising:

a ninth code segment for displaying sent messages and received messages, wherein sent messages are displayed with a first characteristic and received messages are displayed with a second different characteristic to enable the sent messages to be distinguished from the received messages.

15. A method for use in a server coupled to the Internet and not a component of a cellular core network, the method comprising:

storing at least one numeric destination address associated with a wireless device and associated with a subscriber of a message service;

receiving, by the server, via the Internet and a packet switched network, from a first wireless device, a numeric destination address associated with a second wireless device and associated with a message being composed on the first wireless device;

determining, by the server, whether the received numeric destination address associated with the second wireless device matches the at least one stored numeric destination address;

sending, by the server via the Internet and the packet switched network, an indication, based on the determination, of whether the second wireless device is associated with a subscriber of the message service for receiving the message being composed via a packet switched bearer, to enable the first wireless device to display a result of the indication, to transmit the message being composed to the second wireless device via a packet switched bearer when the indication indicates that the second wireless device is associated with a subscriber of the message service for receiving the message being composed via a packet switched bearer, and to transmit the message being composed to the second wireless device via an SMS bearer via the cellular core network on a condition that the indication indicates that the second wireless device is not associated with a subscriber of the message service for receiving the message being composed via a packet switched bearer; and

sending, on a condition that the second wireless device is associated with a subscriber of the message service for receiving the message being composed via a packet switched bearer, a delivery confirmation message to the first wireless device indicating the message is successfully delivered to the second wireless device to enable the first wireless device to display a delivery indication based on the delivery confirmation message.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the numeric destination address associated with a second wireless device is a phone number of the second wireless device.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

on a condition that the second wireless device is associated with a subscriber of the message service for receiving the message being composed via a packet switched bearer, sending to the first wireless device presence information associated with the second wireless device to enable the first wireless device to display the presence information.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the message service is independent of the cellular core network.