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This article discusses various issues related to a systematic approach for closer integration of cellular and Internet services. The road to fourth-generation (4G) cellular networks runs through 3G, 2G, and 2.5G networks. Until 3G is deployed ubiquitously, 2-2.5G networks and endpoints will dominate. Because of their widespread deployment and adoption, these endpoints can help ease the transition to an all-Internet 3G/4G network. The article authors describe a standards-based service architecture and its implementation that allows 2-2.5G endpoints to participate as active actors in realizing Internet services like presence and instant messaging without the endpoints themselves being connected to the Internet. The architecture also demonstrates service migration, wherein a successful 2G service such as short messaging service morphs transparently into its Internet equivalent, an instant message. The Internet and cellular systems have been designed and implemented by people with different backgrounds in computers and communications, respectively, so their integration will not be an easy task. Such integration, however, can be considered a first step toward next-generation networks, where heterogeneous networks must work together in order to provide differentiated services to users in a seamless and transparent manner.