Abstract: A method wherein a first user obtains an identifier for a desired destination user, makes a request to a server for a data communication with that desired destination user, retrieves a computer network address from a directory entry for that desired destination user, retrieves the source computer network address from the request packet from the first user, and sends requests to the computers of both users for return of respective stored unique identifiers. When these respective unique identifiers are received at the server, a check is made to see that they correspond to only one respective entry in a database, and the server then sends a message to one of the computers to make a data call to the other computer. Users register initially and download a helper application which stores the user's respective unique identifier together with, in a preferred embodiment, a unique password, which is also stored in the respective entry in the database.

Abstract: A telecommunications data conferencing platform has a secure zone and a partly secure zone connected by a secure firewall. The secure zone contains a master data server, a billing system a reservation system and an audio bridge connected to the firewall. The partly secure zone contains a pair of slave data servers. The first slave data server can be connected through a public firewall to the public Internet. The first slave data server can receive incoming calls from the public switched telecommunications network via a bank of modems. The secure firewall restricts the passage of messages from the partly secure zone to the secure zone to messages which originate directly in the partly secure zone but allows the passage of conference data. Thus, unauthorised parties are unable to gain access to the reservation system or the master data server. In order to establish a conference, the reservation system creates a conference on the master data server.