A method and apparatus wirelessly transmits messages from a first messaging service such as the Short Messaging Service (SMS) on a on a second messaging service such as a channel established by the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP). An original text message is encoded into a Short Messaging Service format of the first messaging service to produce a first encoded message. The first encoded message is encoded into a Session Initiation Protocol format of the second messaging service to produce a second encoded message, transmitted on a radio protocol. The second encoded message is received and decoded to produce the first encoded message. The first encoded message can be delivered to a server and decoded to produce the original text message.