Patent ID: 6721400
Filing Date: 2004-04-13
Classification: G06Q,G07F,H04L,H04M

Abstract:
A vending machine for vending telecommunications channel access to a customer, said vending machine comprising:a payment mechanism for obtaining information from the customer to initiate a vending transaction; a customer interface for indicating the status of said vending machine; an electronic circuit for determining when the vending transaction is completed; a telecommunications channel access circuit adapted to be connected to at least one external telecommunications channel for enabling access to the at least one external telecommunications channel at the beginning of a vending transaction and disabling access at the end of the vending transaction; a telecommunications channel access connector connected to said telecommunications channel access circuit for enabling connection to an external telecommunications device of the customer; and a control unit having a device for receiving payment information from the customer and for controlling said electronic circuit and said telecommunications channel access circuit.