Abstract: The present invention is a point-of-presence device installed in a merchant establishment as an interface between a retail information system and a transaction card authorization network. By using a simple message data format between the retail information system and the device, the device insulates the retail information system from changes to local communication access methods and changes to point-of-sale compliance requirements initiated by the card processor. The device first establishes a dial-up telephone connection to the authorization network and then interleaves both financial data messages and non-financial messages over the same telephone line to the authorization network. The device provides authorization response times that substantially equal response times provided by leased line connections to the authorization network. In addition, the present invention provides improved diagnostic and draft capture capability for the retail information system.