Abstract: Systems and methods provide communication between a user-friendly terminal, such as a "home terminal" shaped to resemble a conventional telephone, and a number of service provider computers such as financial institutions. The system's application software transforms simple user commands into commands understood by the service provider computers. The network host computer supplies messages to the terminal for generating prompts needed to solicit required information from the user, and communicates with the service computers according to their respective protocols. The invention provides a packet assembler and disassembler (PAD) element within the home terminal itself, allowing fast response time for the customer at the home terminal while retaining the benefits of data error entry error correction and data transmission error correction.