A presence aware communications system including messaging means for receiving, storing, and providing messages to subscribers, presence server means for receiving messages regarding addresses of available communication devices of subscribers and providing one or more of the addresses to the messaging means, presence information database means for storing the addresses, and characterized in that the messaging means performs at least one of the following operations: (a) when a notification is received that the subscriber's communication device is available, provide the subscriber's communication device with a text message containing information regarding one or more messages for the subscriber received by the messaging means; and (b) provide the subscriber's communication device with a text message relating to a voice message for the subscriber received by the messaging means from a third party.