Importance

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Abstract

A network-based telecommunications system and method that restricts the dial-in access to a resource of a subscriber to only a communication from an authorized user of the resource. A switch receives a communication directed to a subscriber from a calling party. Prior to connecting the communication to the terminating equipment associated with the subscriber, the switch requests processing information. An authentication unit determines whether the calling party is an authorized user by checking whether a passcode provided by the calling party corresponds to a passcode being held by the authentication unit. If the passcode corresponds, then the authentication unit identifies the calling party as an authorized user, and the communication then may be connected to the terminating equipment of the subscriber. If the passcode fails to correspond, then the authentication unit fails to identify the calling party as an authorized user. The communication is not connected to the terminating equipment of the subscriber.

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First Claim