Method of relaying an electronic message to a handheld electronic device beyond the coverage area of a wireless network

A method for sending a message from a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) access point to a first wireless communication device, and wherein the first wireless communication device is not within communication range of the WLAN access point and is configured to communicate over a WLAN and over a second wireless network, and wherein a second wireless communication device is configured to communicate over the WLAN and over the second wireless network and is within communication range of the WLAN access point, the method comprising:

• registering the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device with the WLAN access point, wherein by registering with the WLAN access point the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device are each assigned a unique identifier, and wherein the message includes the unique identifier that corresponds to the first wireless communication device;
• attempting to send the message from the WLAN access point to the first wireless communication device;
• sending the message from the WLAN access point to the second wireless communication device;
• in response to the second wireless device being within communication range, over the second wireless network, of the first wireless device and the first wireless device having the unique identifier included in the message, sending only the message having the unique identifier from the second wireless communication device over the second wireless network to the first wireless communication device;
• and
• after receipt of the message by the first wireless communication device, sending a signal from the first wireless communication device over the second wireless network to all peer wireless communication devices within communication range of the first communication device within the second wireless network, the signal instructing the peer wireless communication devices to delete the message from memories on the peer wireless communication devices.