Method and apparatus for pricing calculation

1. A method comprising:

receiving billing data, wherein

the billing data is obtained from a bill for a service,

the service is utilized by a user, and

the billing data comprises information regarding

a provider of the service,

a location of the service, and

a total bill amount of a single billing period for the service;

annualizing the service usage by converting the total bill amount into an annualized billing amount, wherein

the annualizing the service usage is performed over all billing periods in a year, the converting comprises

calculating the annualized billing amount by adjusting the total bill amount using a statistically-determined multiplier,

the statistically-determined multiplier is an inverse of a ratio,

the ratio represents a statistical relationship between

a plurality of bill amounts, and

a plurality of annual bill amounts,

each of the bill amounts is for utilization of the service by a corresponding one of a plurality of other users during the single billing period,

each of the annual bill amounts is for utilization of the service by the corresponding one of the other users during all billing periods in a year,

the service utilized by each of the other users is in a geographical region comprising the location of the service, and

the each of the other users is other than the user;

determining a usage pattern, wherein

the determining uses the annualized billing amount;

calculating a competitive bid, wherein

the competitive bid is calculated using

the usage pattern, and

a pricing structure of the provider; and

generating an administrative report, wherein

the administrative report comprises a value representing a number of other users having changed from a previous provider to a current provider, and

the administrative report comprises a listing of the previous provider and the current provider for each of the other users.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining comprises:

calculating an annual usage, wherein

the calculating uses the annualized billing amount and the pricing structure of the provider; and

calculating the usage pattern based on the calculated annual usage.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein

the calculating the annual usage includes using the pricing structure provided by the user or automatically determined from the billing data received from the user.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein

the competitive bid comprises

a like-for-like product, and

the like-for-like product matches current preferences of the user.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

sequencing a plurality of alternative competitive bids, wherein

the alternative competitive bids comprise the competitive bid,

each of the alternative competitive bids has a plurality of parameters, and

the parameters of the each of the alternative competitive bids and the parameters of another of the alternative competitive bids differ from one another;

presenting the alternative competitive bids to the user; and

permitting the user to select from among the alternative competitive bids.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

receiving a selection from the user, wherein

the selection identifies a selected bid of the alternative competitive bids; and

passing the selected bid to an order management system.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

removing any tax amount included in the total bill amount prior to converting the total bill amount into the annualized billing amount.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein

the converting the total bill amount further comprises performing at least one of the following as part of the calculating the annualized billing amount:

determining whether the total bill amount is computed after applying a discount, and, upon determining in an affirmative, adding the discount back to the total bill amount, and

determining whether the total bill amount includes a non-usage dependent charge, and, upon determining in an affirmative, deducting the non-usage dependent charge from the total bill amount.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a user interface, wherein

the user interface is configured to receive billing data,

the billing data is obtained from a bill for a service,

the service is utilized by a user, and

the billing data comprises

a location of the service,

information of a provider of the service, and

a total bill amount of a single billing period for the service;

an annualized bill calculator, wherein

the annualized bill calculator is configured to annualize the service usage by virtue of being configured to convert the total bill amount into an annualized billing amount,

the service usage is annualized over all billing periods in a year,

the annualized bill calculator is configured to convert the total bill amount into the annualized billing amount by virtue of being configured to adjust the total bill amount using a statistically-determined multiplier,

the statistically-determined multiplier is an inverse of a ratio,

the ratio represents a statistical relationship between

a plurality of bill amounts, and

a plurality of annual bill amounts,

each of the bill amounts is for utilization of the service by a corresponding one of a plurality of other users during the single billing period,

each of the annual bill amounts is for utilization of the service by the corresponding one of the other users during all billing periods in a year,

the service utilized by each of the other users is in a geographical region comprising the location of the service, and

the each of the other users is other than the user;

an annual use calculator, wherein

the annual use calculator is configured to calculate a usage pattern based on the annualized billing amount;

a rate calculator, wherein

the rate calculator is configured to calculate a competitive bid, and

the competitive bid is calculated using

the usage pattern, and

a pricing structure of the provider; and

an administrative report generator, wherein

the administrative report generator is configured to output an administrative report,

the administrative report comprises a value representing a number of other users having changed from a previous provider to a current provider, and

the administrative report comprises a listing of the previous provider and the current provider for each of the other users.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein

the annual use calculator is configured to

calculate an annual usage based on the annualized billing amount and the pricing structure of the provider, and

calculate the usage pattern based on the calculated annual usage.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein

the annual usage is calculated using at least one of

the pricing structure provided by the user, and

an automatically-determined pricing structure determined from the billing data.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising:

offer ordering logic configured to identify a like-for-like product, wherein

the like-for-like product matches current preferences of the user.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , further comprising:

output logic configured to

sequence a plurality of competitive bids, and

present the competitive bids, wherein

the competitive bids comprise the competitive bid,

each of the competitive bids has varying parameters and

the user interface is configured to permit the user to select from among the competitive bids.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising:

an order management system, wherein

the order management system is configured to receive a selection from the user and to complete the ordering process.

15. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein

the annualized bill calculator is configured to calculate the annualized billing amount by being further configured to adjust the total bill amount by adding back to the total bill amount any discount present in the total bill amount, and by deducting from the total bill amount any non-usage dependent charge present in the total bill amount.

16. An apparatus comprising:

a pricing engine, wherein the pricing engine is configured to calculate a plurality of competitive bids by virtue of being configured to use:

billing information, wherein

the billing information is received from the customer for a service utilized by the customer, and

the billing information comprises

a location of the service,

information of a provider of the service, and

a total bill amount of a single billing period for the service,

an annualized billing amount, wherein

the annualized billing amount is calculated by converting the total bill amount,

the annualized billing amount is calculated over all billing periods in a year,

the annualized billing amount is calculated by adjusting the total bill amount using a statistically-determined multiplier,

the statistically-determined multiplier an inverse of a ratio,

the ratio represents a statistical relationship between

a plurality of bill amounts, and

a plurality of annual bill amounts,

each of the bill amounts is for utilization of the service by a corresponding one of a plurality of other users during the single billing period,

each of the annual bill amounts is for utilization of the service by the corresponding one of the other users during all billing periods in a year,

the service utilized by each of the other users is in a geographical region comprising the location of the service, and

the each of the other users is other than the user,

a usage pattern, wherein the usage pattern is calculated based on the annualized billing amount, and

a competitive bid calculated for the customer based on the usage pattern and a pricing structure of the provider;

a web interface, wherein

the web interface is configured to provide the customer with access to the pricing engine, and

the web interface is configured to permit entry of the billing information by the customer;

a call center interface, wherein

the call center interface is configured to provide a customer service representative with access to the pricing engine, and

the access is provided such that the customer receives identical information from the customer service representative and the web interface; and

an administrative interface, wherein

the administrative interface is configured to provide an administrative report,

the administrative report comprises a value representing a number of other users having changed from a previous provider to a current provider, and

the administrative report comprises a listing of the previous provider and the current provider for each of the other users.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , further comprising:

a reporting front-end to provide reports of usage of the pricing engine, including success of various competitive bids presented to customers.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 , further comprising:

an administrative front end configured to permit entry of the pricing structure of the provider, wherein

the pricing structure of the provider is used by the pricing engine to calculate the usage pattern of the customer, and

the usage pattern is used by the pricing engine to calculate a competitive bid.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein

the administrative front end is further permitting editing of rate plans used to create competitive bids offered to users.

20. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein

the annualized billing amount is calculated by further adjusting the total bill amount by adding back to the total bill amount any discount present in the total bill amount, and by deducting from the total bill amount any non-usage dependent charge present in the total bill amount.