Abstract: The invention comprises a method and apparatus for providing secure access to a restricted access device, associated with a telephone answering unit at a first location from a second location across a telephone system. The method comprises the steps of at the first location, automatically responding to a telephone call to the first location from the second location to automatically generate and deliver a request signal requiring a coded response to the second location across the telephone system, at the second location, automatically responding to the request signal to automatically generate and deliver a coded transmit signal to the first location across the telephone system, and, at the first location, automatically responding to the coded transmit signal to automatically establish communication connection between the first and second locations across the telephone system.