A method for managing short messages in a mobile communications terminal
transmits either a previously stored message or a newly received message
to an e-mail address when a memory of the terminal is saturated. The
method includes allocating the terminal memory to have a basic capacity
portion and a reserve capacity portion, determining whether a newly
received message can be stored in the basic capacity portion, and storing
the newly received message in the reserve capacity portion when the basic
capacity portion is saturated. If at least one message stored in the
basic capacity portion has an "unread message" status, then that unread
message is transmitted to the e-mail address to make room for storage of
the newly received message. This method therefore ensures that no
previously stored "unread" or "stored" message is overwritten with a new
message when the terminal memory is filled to capacity.