Text Alerts

SMS High Bill Alerts AMI are text messages sent through the mobile channel to inform customers when they are on track for a high bill or high energy use. SMS alerts are only delivered if the SMS alert type is turned on in a customer's account settings, and if the customer meets the minimum eligibility criteria to receive the SMS alert type. A dual fuel customer receives a single, combined fuel text message.

Design

The following image shows an example of a High Bill Alert AMI text message.

This image shows an example of the text alert.

Configuration Options

For each element listed in the table, indicate the desired configuration in the Input Value column. If you do not provide an input for optional configurations, the default will be used.

Configuration Option	Input Value
Utility Name Both the name itself and the name length are configurable up to 45 characters. Four characters or less is recommended. Note: SMS scripts are designed with character number requirements (160 maximum) in mind to ensure that they fit within a single message. It is strongly recommended that a short utility name of four characters or less is used to ensure that alerts stay within a single message.	Required Provide the utility name to include in text alerts.
Opt-Out Message or Tip Due to space limitations, an opt-out message and a tip cannot be included in the text message at the same time. Default: Do not include opt-out message.	Required Choose one of the following: Do not include an opt-out message. (Default) Include an opt-out message.
Enable Forecast Range Specify whether the projected amount is displayed as a range rather than as a specific amount. Default: Display a single amount	Optional Choose one of these options: Display single amount. (Default) Display a range.
Include Account Number Specify whether to include the account number in the text message. The number of characters that are displayed in the message is determined by the configuration setting used to mask characters in the High Bill Alert AMI Email. If including the account number, it might be necessary to alter the text in the message to conform to the recommended 160 character limit. Default: Do not include the account number.	Optional Choose one of these options: Do not include the account number. (Default) Include the account number.

Configuration Option

Input Value

Utility Name

Both the name itself and the name length are configurable up to 45 characters. Four characters or less is recommended.

Note: SMS scripts are designed with character number requirements (160 maximum) in mind to ensure that they fit within a single message. It is strongly recommended that a short utility name of four characters or less is used to ensure that alerts stay within a single message.

Required

Provide the utility name to include in text alerts.

Opt-Out Message or Tip

Due to space limitations, an opt-out message and a tip cannot be included in the text message at the same time.

Default: Do not include opt-out message.

Required

Choose one of the following:

Do not include an opt-out message. (Default)

Include an opt-out message.

Enable Forecast Range

Specify whether the projected amount is displayed as a range rather than as a specific amount.

Default: Display a single amount

Optional

Choose one of these options:

Display single amount. (Default)

Display a range.

Include Account Number

Specify whether to include the account number in the text message. The number of characters that are displayed in the message is determined by the configuration setting used to mask characters in the High Bill Alert AMI Email.

If including the account number, it might be necessary to alter the text in the message to conform to the recommended 160 character limit.

Default: Do not include the account number.

Optional

Choose one of these options:

Do not include the account number. (Default)

Include the account number.

User Experience Variations

This text shows an example of a High Bill Alert AMI SMS message:

UTILCO: Your energy use may be 38% higher than usual & above your alert threshold Up to 4msg/mo Msg&Data rates may apply Reply STOP to optout or HELP for info

The following example text is for a customer without rates modeled or who is on budget billing:

UTILCO: Your electricity use may be 15% higher than usual & above your alert threshold.

The following example text is for a customer whose rate plan has been modeled by Oracle Utilities. In this case, a dollar amount is used instead of a percentage:

UTILCO: Based on your electricity use, your next bill may be $100.00 & above your alert threshold.