1. A method of operating a portable communications device to perform an update operation, the method comprising: receiving an SMS message including a header portion and a message body portion; determining if the message body portion of the SMS message includes an indicator used to indicate that the message is an update message; and if the SMS message is an update message, performing an update operation as a function of the content of the body portion of said received SMS message without displaying the full content of the body portion of said SMS message, said performing an update operation including performing an operation indicated by a command included in said message body portion; if said SMS message body portion is determined not to include said indicator, displaying a text message included in said received SMS message to a user of said device; wherein said portable communication device is a cell phone; and wherein said message body portion includes service data in addition to said command.