Authentication method and system for a telecommunications system

An authentication method for a telecommunications system comprising a computer network and a telephone network, the method comprising:

• in a user registration process for a user:
• establishing by said telephone network a registration telephone call from an Authentication System to a telephone device using a telephone number associated with the user;
• creating, during said registration telephone call, a user password using said telephone device;
• sending, during said registration telephone call, said user password created using said telephone device from said telephone device to said Authentication System;
• receiving, at said Authentication System during said registration telephone call, said user password from the telephone device;
• storing said user password created using said telephone device and received during the registration telephone call in association with said telephone number;
• and
• in a user authentication process:
• receiving, at said Authentication System across said computer network, data indicative of an authentication request associated with said user,
• in response to receiving said data indicative of said authentication request, establishing by said telephone network an authentication telephone call from said Authentication System to said telephone device, or to another telephone device, using said telephone number associated with said user or another telephone number associated with said user;
• entering, during said authentication telephone call, a password for authentication using the telephone device with which the authentication call is established;
• receiving, at said Authentication System during said authentication telephone call the entered password for authentication;
• determining at said Authentication System if the entered password for authentication received during said authentication telephone call matches the user password received during said registration call and stored by said user registration process for said user;
• and
• authenticating said authentication request if said password for authentication received during said authentication call is determined to match the user password stored by said user registration process for said user.

An Authentication System for a telecommunications system comprising a computer network and a telephone network, the Authentication System being configured to support a user registration process and a user authentication process, wherein in said user registration process said authentication system is configured to:

• establish by said telephone network a registration telephone call to a telephone device using a telephone number associated with a user;
• receive, from said telephone device during said registration telephone call of said user registration process, a user password created using said telephone device;
• store said user password created using said telephone device during said registration call and received from said telephone device during said registration call in association with said telephone number,
• and wherein in said user authentication process said authentication system is configured to:
• receive, across said computer network, data indicative of an authentication request associated with said user,
• establish, in response to receiving said data indicative of said authentication request, by said telephone network an authentication telephone call to said telephone device, or to another telephone device, using said telephone number associated with said user or another telephone number associated with said user;
• receive during said authentication telephone call of said user authentication process, a password for authentication entered using the telephone device with which the authentication call is established;
• determine if the password for authentication received during the authentication call of said user authentication process matches said user password received during said registration call and stored by said user registration process for said user;
• and
• authenticate said authentication request if said password for authentication received during the authentication call of said user authentication process is determined to match the user password stored by said user registration process for said user.