ISDN credit checking

Apparatus for providing a communication channel to validate credit information from a customer, the apparatus being comprised of:

• a stored-program-control switch;
• a premise telephone system;
• and
• an ISDN facility for providing communication between the stored program control switch and the premise telephone system, the facility being comprised of a plurality of B-channels and a D-channel, the D-channel being used for a) sending the credit information in a first D-channel signaling message from the premise telephone system to the stored-program-control switch and for b) sending a result of the validation of the credit information from the stored-program-control switch to the premise telephone system in a second D-channel signaling message.

Apparatus for validating information from a customer, the apparatus being comprised of:

• a telecommunications network;
• a credit data base for receiving the information from the telecommunications network and for validating the information and for providing a result of the validation to the telecommunications network;
• a premise telephone system;
• and
• an ISDN facility for providing communication between the telecommunications network and the premise telephone system, the facility being comprised of a plurality of B-channels and a D-channel, the D-channel being used for a) sending the information in a first D-channel signaling message from the premise telephone system to the telecommunications network and for b) sending a result of the validation of the information in a second D-channel signaling message from the telecommunications network to the premise telephone system.