Enhanced communication platform and related communication method using the platform

Abstract

A method of providing pre-authorized communication services and/or transactions via a plurality of networks, including accepting and processing a request from a user to provide at least one of a communication service, a transaction and user account information via a plurality of networks of different types, verifying that the user is authorized to receive the at least one of the communication service, the transaction, and the user account information, and that an account associated with the user has a sufficient amount currently available for payment of the at least one of the communication service and the transaction and charging, in real time, an authorized account associated with the user as the at least one of the communication service and the transaction is provided. There is also included a telephony platform providing communication services to users, the telephony platform having an input receiver that receives, via a plurality of networks of different types, a personal identification number from a user, an enhanced communication service selection that the user selected from a plurality of enhanced communication services and a request for user account information, a storage device that stores an account value linked to the personal identification number, a verification module that authenticates the personal identification number sent by the input device and verifies that the stored account value has sufficient value to pay for the enhanced communication service and a processor that provides the user-selected enhanced communication service and/or the user-requested account information to the user.