Methods and apparatus for facilitating the delivery of e-mail messages
from a mobile communication device are disclosed. In one disclosed
example, an end user of the mobile device enters e-mail message
information corresponding to a new e-mail message through a user
interface. Preferably, the user interface is an e-mail graphical user
interface (GUI) provided by the mobile device. The mobile device
identifies whether a packet data service (e.g. GPRS) for communicating
e-mail messages is available to it. If the packet data service is
available, the mobile device causes the e-mail message information to be
sent via the packet data service. If the packet data service is
unavailable, however, the mobile device causes the e-mail message
information to be sent in a short message service (SMS) message via an
SMS-to-Email service. Advantageously, a common GUI interface which does
not change depending on the availability of the packet data service is
utilized and service-specific formatting for SMS-to-Email by the end user
is not required.