Abstract: The charge and collect-call functions of a public telephone are arranged automatically by a microcomputer system preferably connected on customer premises between the phone terminal instrument and the local loop, wherein control of said instrument, network signaling and call placement voice prompting of the call parties, recognition of responses from the parties and the network, call detail records of numbers and timings, and data communications with other computers are accomplished by the microcompter system without requiring human operator assistance or the transmission of calls over excessive distances to reach such an operator.