Abstract: A communication system (100) providing analog message re-transmission on demand comprises a base station (114) and at least one portable communication transceiver (118). The base station (114) transmits an address (414) identifying the portable communication transceiver (118) to which a voice message is directed, and a session number (415) modulated in a first modulation format and a compressed analog message (418) representing the voice message modulated in a second modulation format. When the signal quality of the voice message played back in the portable communication transceiver (118) is perceived by the user to be unintelligible, the user can receive from the base station (114) a re-transmission of the compressed analog message (418) by generating a request for re-transmission of the compressed analog message (418).