Method and system for routing of short messages in a telecommunication system

In a telecommunication system for transmitting short messages between mobile communication systems and which includes a first mobile communication system based on a first mobile communication standard, a first short message service centre connected to the first mobile communication system, a second mobile communication system based on a second mobile communication standard, a second short message service centre connected to the second mobile communication system, a home location register connected to the second mobile communication system, a mobile services switching centre connected to the second mobile communication system, and a gateway for communicating with the first and second mobile communication systems, in which telecommunication system a routing component initiates a routing data query from the first short message service centre in connection with a short message received by the first short message service centre from a user of the first mobile communication system, and the received short message is transmitted, based on a response to the routing data query received by the first short message service centre, to the second mobile communication system for delivery to an intended recipient of the short message, the improvement comprising:

• a pointer for addressing the routing data query for short messages directed by the user to a predetermined numerical address space to the gateway;
• and
• a query returner for returning from the gateway to the first short message service centre, in response to the routing data query, an address of the gateway.