Abstract: A virtual private network service provider is used to transfer data over a data network to a final destination, with third-party billing. The method comprises the steps of: prompting the user at a data terminal to select a destination, password, and call type; sending a set-up message to the data network; selecting a virtual private network provider through the data network; the virtual private network provider giving an encryption key to the user, and then prompting the user for a password and a user identification; encrypting the password, and sending the user identification and the encrypted password to the virtual private network provider; the virtual private network provider decrypting the encrypted password, and verifying the password; the virtual private network provider providing an authorization code; and the data terminal transferring the data through the data network to the final destination, using the authorization code.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for e-mail address portability are provided. A service control point on the Internet comprises an e-mail address database and a transaction processing object. The e-mail address database has at least a well-known-address field for storing a well-known address value and a literal address field for storing a literal address value that corresponds to the well-known-address value. The transaction processing object, when called with an address translation request, accesses the e-mail address database. The address translation request has a well-known address value which is translated to the corresponding literal address value. After the translation, the transaction processing object returns the corresponding literal address value to the calling routine.

Abstract: A virtual private network service provider is used to transfer data over a data network to a final destination, with third-party billing. The method comprises the steps of: prompting the user at a data terminal to select a destination, password, and call type; sending a set-up message to the data network; selecting a virtual private network provider through the data network; the virtual private network provider giving an encryption key to the user, and then prompting the user for a password and a user identification; encrypting the password, and sending the user identification and the encrypted password to the virtual private network provider; the virtual private network provider decrypting the encrypted password, and verifying the password; the virtual private network provider providing an authorization code; and the data terminal transferring the data through the data network to the final destination, using the authorization code.