Wireless messaging services, such as text messaging, allow users to generate and send messages to other users within a wireless communications network. Typically, a text message is sent to a Short Message Service Center (SMSC) that stores the text message and attempts to send the message to the recipient. If the recipient is not available, the SMSC queues the message for a later retry attempt. This type of delivery system is commonly referred to as a store-and-forward delivery system.
Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) allows users to exchange multimedia communications between capable mobile phones and other devices. MMS is an extension of the SMS protocol that defines a way to send and receive messages that include images, audio, and video in addition to text.
Voicemail systems allow a caller to leave a voice message if the desired recipient is unavailable. When a called line with voicemail functionality does not answer or is busy, a call can be forwarded to a voicemail system. When a call is forwarded to a voicemail system, the voicemail system can play one or more recordings and/or announcements for the calling party or a generic message and can prompt the calling party to leave a message, for example, a spoken message. The voicemail system can record the calling party's message and store the message, for example, as audio data in a storage device. Call data associated with the message, for example, the calling party's telephone number, the date and time of the call, and the like, can also be stored by the voicemail system and associated with the stored message. Some voicemail systems also allow calling parties to leave alphanumeric messages for a called party. In any event, the voicemail system can store the message or data and associated call data.