PROCESS FOR CONFIGURING CONSUMER SOURCE SELECTIONS IN DEREGULATED MARKETS

摘要

Some embodiments include novel methods for obtaining information regarding one or more deregulated utility markets, switching between utility providers in a deregulated utility market, and renewing utility contracts with existing utility providers in a deregulated utility market. In some embodiments, the deregulated utility market is one of an electricity market, a natural gas market, and a telecommunications service market. In some embodiments, the methods are implemented in one or more software applications that operate on a computing device (e.g., a mobile device such as a smartphone) that can connect to a network associated with the deregulated utility market.

主权项

1. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program which when executed by at least one processing unit of a mobile computing device enables a consumer to select a utility provider in a deregulated utility market, said program comprising sets of instructions for:
receiving a set of consumer registration data comprising a service address to use for utility service; receiving an image of consumer's utility bill; receiving a set of confidential consumer information used to validate the identity of the consumer; receiving a confirmation of consumer's authority to change utility providers; displaying a set of utility providers that provide utility service to the received service address; receiving a selection of a utility provider to provide utility service to the service address for the consumer, wherein said selection switches the utility provider of the service address; and sending a request to switch providers to the selected utility provider.