Apparatus and method for an electronic telephone wallet

1. A method for making a payment by a user to a merchant, the method comprising:

storing payment identifier information of the user at a storage device in a central processing computer;

receiving from a wireless communication device of the user a payment command, the step of receiving being performed by the central processing computer;

enabling the user to cause a payment corresponding to the payment command to be made to the merchant for processing a transaction of a purchase of a good or service without storing the payment identifier information at the wireless communication device;

retrieving, in response to receiving the payment command by the central processing computer, the payment identifier information from the storage device in the central processing computer;

transmitting to a merchant computer of the merchant, by the central processing computer, the payment identifier information retrieved from the storage device in the central processing computer, wherein the user requests the central processing computer provide a pre-specified payment identifier to the merchant computer; and

consummating the transaction.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the processing computer does not receive the payment identifier information from the communication device.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising storing in the central processing computer payment identifier information for at least one account holder other than the user.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the payment identifier information comprises an account number of the user, the account number being selected from the group consisting of a credit account number and a debit account number.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the payment identifier information comprises expiration date of an account of the user.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the payment identifier information comprises confidential information used to verify identity of the user.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the confidential information comprises mother's maiden name of the user.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the confidential information comprises a password.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein each of the steps of receiving and transmitting is performed at least in part over the Internet.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein each of the steps of receiving and transmitting is performed at least in part over a satellite communication network.

11. The method of claim 6 , wherein each of the steps of receiving and transmitting is performed at least in part over a wireless communication network.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising storing at the central processing computer information regarding the merchant and at least one other merchant.

13. A processing computer comprising:

a storage device;

a transmitter;

a receiver; and

a processing device coupled to the storage device, the transmitter, and the receiver;

wherein the processing computer is configured to perform steps of a method for making a payment by a user to a merchant, the steps comprising:

storing payment identifier information of the user in the storage device;

receiving a payment command through the receiver, from a wireless communication device of a user;

enabling the user to cause a payment corresponding to the payment command to be made to the merchant for processing a transaction of a purchase of a good or service without storing the payment identifier information at the wireless communication device;

retrieving from the storage device, in response to the step of receiving, the payment identifier information;

transmitting to a merchant computer of the merchant, through the transmitter, the payment identifier information retrieved from the storage device, wherein the user requests the processing computer provide a pre-specified payment identifier to the merchant computer; and

consummating the transaction.

14. The processing computer of claim 13 , wherein the processing computer does not receive the payment identifier information from the communication device.

15. The processing computer of claim 13 , wherein the steps further comprise storing payment identifier information for an account holder other than the user.

16. The processing computer of claim 13 , wherein the payment identifier information comprises an account number of the user, the account number being selected from the group consisting of a credit account number and a debit account number.

17. The processing computer of claim 13 , wherein the payment identifier information comprises an expiration date of an account of the user.

18. The processing computer of claim 13 , wherein the payment identifier information comprises confidential information used to verify identity of the user.

19. The processing computer of claim 18 , wherein the confidential information comprises mother's maiden name of the user.

20. The processing computer of claim 18 , wherein the confidential information comprises a password.

21. The processing computer of claim 13 , wherein the receiver is configured to perform the step of receiving at least in part over a wireless communication network, and the transmitter is configured to perform the step of transmitting at least in part over the wireless communication network.

22. The processing computer of claim 13 , wherein the receiver is configured to perform the step of receiving at least in part over a satellite communication network, and the transmitter is configured to perform the step of transmitting at least in part over the satellite communication network.

23. The processing computer of claim 13 , wherein the receiver is configured to perform the step of receiving at least in part over the Internet, and the transmitter is configured to perform the step of transmitting at least in part over the Internet.

24. The processing computer of claim 13 , wherein the steps further comprise storing at the processing computer information regarding the merchant and at least one other merchant.

25. A non-transitory memory device storing software for performing steps comprising:

storing payment identifier information of a user at a storage device of a central processing computer;

receiving from a wireless communication device of the user a payment command, the step of receiving being performed by the central processing computer;

enabling the user to cause a payment corresponding to the payment command to be made to the merchant for processing a transaction of a purchase of a good or service without storing the payment identifier information at the wireless communication device;

retrieving, in response to receiving the payment command by the central processing computer, the payment identifier information from the storage device of the central processing computer;

transmitting to a merchant computer of the merchant, by the central processing computer, the payment identifier information retrieved from the storage device of the central processing computer, wherein the user requests the central processing computer provide a pre-specified payment identifier to the merchant computer; and

consummating the transaction.