A messaging method and apparatus for sending and receiving messages in a client server environment over multiple wireless and wireline networks

A messaging system, method, and computer program product is disclosed, including a client device (112a, 112b, 112c) having stored therein a client application, which is adapted to be executed by the client device; a server (142) having stored therein a server application, which is adpated to be executed by the server; a plurality of wireless networks, each of which is adapted to communicate messages bewteen the client device (112a, 112b, 112c) and the server (142); and support one or more wireless network protocols; a protocol gateway (116a, 116b, 116c) encapsulating a fundamental network protocol, which underlies each of the one or more wireless network protocols; and means for communicating a message between the client application and the server application, over a selected wireless network protocol through the protocol gateway (116a, 116b, 116c), independent of the selected wireless network protocol. The system can further include a message router (124) for routing the message between the protocol gateway (116a, 116b, 116c) and the server (142). The message router (124) can further include means for authenticating an origin of the message. The present invention can also include a multi-network transport programming interface, a software development toolkit (SDK), or a simple network transport layer (SNTL) that can enable client/server applications to be written easily, where such applications can allow client devices (112a, 112b, 112c) to communicate messages with server applications across multiple wireless and wire-line networks. Moreover, the present invention features methods of communicating such messages over wireless networks efficiently, without requiring significant bandwidth, a valuable resource in wireless networks.