A method for providing a service function in a telecommunications network is described. The method comprises receiving a message (32) addressed to an addressee subscriber (20) of the telecommunications network. The received message may be an MMS message or an SMS message in a mobile terminated (MT) format and/or may come from a subscriber of a different network. The method further comprises determining whether the body of the received message conforms to a predefined criterion, and, if so, selectively providing the service function. In one example the predefined criterion is a specific syntax for the body of the received message. The processing function may comprise sending a response message to the sender of the received message providing information previously specified by the addressee subscriber. Thus a sending user can obtain the information previously specified by the addressee subscriber by simply sending him a message conforming to the predefined criterion. The received message might not be forwarded on to the addressee subscriber so that he is not disturbed when messages are received to request the relevant information.