An apparatus for providing electronically mailable call credits and call
connections to be charged thereto is purchased by a customer for a
recipient through the Internet and sent via email to the recipient. The
recipient requests a call by activating an icon associated with the
email. An application server receives the request and sends a call
request message via the Internet to a virtual switching point associated
with a switched telephone network. The virtual switching point initiates
actions in the switched telephone network to set up a telephone
communication between the recipient and a party to be called.
