Abstract: When a subscriber's phone is sent a SMS message from any other Public Switch Telephone Network user, a voice call to the subscriber's phone is placed, and upon answering, the SMS message is translated into speech. A jargon translator is employed to convert SMS language into corresponding words. Once the message has been played, the subscriber receiving it may verbally request the opportunity to send a reply to the message by audibly speaking a response. The response is matched against an internal phrasebook to accurately transcribe the message. Transcription performance is improved by allowing each subscriber to provide a personal phrasebook which is combined with the internal one. However, if the spoken message is complex or not recognized, the message can be automatically relayed to a human agent for manual transcription.