Patent ID: 6999944

Claim:
A method for operating an interface computer system to provide an interface between a financial bank card network and a communications system that provides a communications service to a customer with a customer account in the financial bank card network, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a plurality of communications service events from the communications system; for each of the plurality of communications service events, determining if a communications service event is complete, if the communications service event is not complete, then the method includes determining an estimated cost of the communications service event, formatting a pre-authorization and hold request for the estimated cost, and processing the pre-authorization and hold request over the financial bank card network, and if the communications service event is complete, then the method includes determining an actual cost of the communications service event, formatting a first forced post request for the actual cost, and processing the first forced post request over the financial bank card network to charge the customer for the communications service event; accumulating the plurality of communications service events and associated costs over a billing period for the customer; determining whether the customer is due a credit or assessed a surcharge; and formatting a second forced post request for the credit or the surcharge, and processing the second forced post request over the financial bank card network.