METHOD FOR PROVIDING CALLED SERVICE PROVIDER CONTROL OF CALLER ACCESS TO PAY SERVICES

A method for providing called service provider control of caller access to pay services provides for the establishment of service provider criteria controlling whether a particular call to a pay service provider is blocked or passed through a toll network to the pay service provider. For example, an undesirable ANI table is established for all callers who are undesirable for one reason or another, for example, if they have not paid for previously ordered products or pay for information service calls. Moreover, a pay service provider may establish a minimum call score and a caller score table whereby a caller having a good payment history may accumulate a high caller score. The caller score is compared with the minimum call score and the call blocked if the minimum call score is not exceeded. Moreover, by providing the method of pay service processing as close to call origination as possible, required preamble and other announcements are provided from this origination point rather than from the service provider location.