FAQ

What is deregulation?

Deregulation is the opening of a market to competition in a previously regulated industry. Texas Senate Bill 7, on January 1, 2002, created a deregulated electricity industry in Texas, allowing many consumers the opportunity to buy electricity from any Retail Electricy Provider (REP) they choose. Many consumers no longer have only one option for electricity. They can shop around for the best plan and, in many cases, lower their electric bill. Not all of Texas was deregulated. Certain municipalities still have an entity that continues to provide their electric service, but approximately 75% of Texas is deregulated.

How does deregulation affect me? What changed?

The main change occurred when the large companies that previously had a monopoly on the electricity business were forced to split divisions into their specialties. They divided into three parts — Generation (making the electricity), Transmission and Distribution "TDSP" (transporting the electricity from the generator to the home or business) and Retail (buying wholesale electricity and selling and billing individual customers). Other companies were created at this time to also compete in the Retail portion of the electricity business as Retail Electric Providers (REPs). You now get to choose a REP who buys bulk electricity and sells to you — while the electricity is still delivered to you as reliably as ever, over the same wires you have always had.

Will I need new wires or a new meter?

No. Your electricity will always be delivered via the same wires and meter you have now.

How do I read my meter?

If you have a meter which has spinning visible discs (dial meter), you must read the dials. Write down the number that the pointer has just passed. This can be tricky as the dial pointers do not all travel in the same direction. The first, third and fifth dials are numbered clockwise, while the second and fourth dials are numbered counterclockwise. If a hand is directly on a number, look at the dial to its immediate right. If that dial's hand has just passed zero, write down the number that the left dial is pointing to. If the dial to the right has not passed zero yet, write down the last number that the dial on the left has passed. If you have a new "Smart Meter" with digital numbers, you simply read them as displayed.

What does my meter reading mean?

The current reading can be used to determine how much electricity you have used since your last bill. Simply subtract last month's reading from the reading you took from your meter. The result is the number of kilowatt-hours you have used since your last reading.

What do all the acronyms and terms mean?

When shopping for electricity, you will run across quite a few acronyms and terms. Here are a few more common ones. If you need more info, please feel free to call Frontier Customer Care at 1-866-926-8192.

Base Charge: A charge assessed during each billing cycle without regard to the customer's demand or energy consumption.
Demand Charge: A charge based on the rate at which electric energy is delivered to or by a system at a given instant, or averaged over a designated period, during the billing cycle.
EFL – Electricity Facts Label: A document provided with any product which clearly states the average rate at 500 kWH, 1000 kWh and 2000 kWH usages. The rates should include ALL recurring charges that you will incur.
Energy Charge: A charge based on the electric energy (kWh) consumed.
ERCOT – Electricity Reliability Council of Texas: ERCOT operates the huge electric grid and manages the deregulated market. They make sure there is ample energy in the grid at all times to supply demand.
ESI or ESIID – Electric Service Identifier ID: This is a number which identifies the service location. It never changes and will always identify that specific geographic location, even if a meter is changed or removed.
Late Payment Penalty: A charge assessed for late payment in accordance with Public Utility Commission rules.
kW: Kilowatt, the standard unit for measuring electricity demand, equal to 1,000 watts.
kWh – Kilowatt Hour: kWh – Kilowatt Hour Kilowatt-hour, the standard unit for measuring electricity energy consumption, equal to 1,000 watt-hours.
PUC or PUCT – Public Utility Commission of Texas: This is the governing body that makes electricity rules in the state of Texas. They have authority over everything from generation to retail.
REP – Retail Electric Provider: A REP sells electricity to retail customers in the areas of Texas that have been deregulated. A REP buys wholesale electricity, delivery service, and related services, prices electricity for customers, and sells electricity at retail.
TDSP – Transmission and Distribution Service Provider: The local wires and poles company that is responsible for making sure that you get power at your home or business. They are responsible for everything involving the wires, poles and your meter. For example, CenterPoint Energy is the TDSP in the Houston area — in Dallas it is Oncor).
TOS – Terms of Service: The TOS is a document outlining all the terms and conditions related to electricity service. These rules set out the rights and responsibilities of both Frontier and the customer.

Signing Up

What types of plans does Frontier offer?

Fixed Term or Guaranteed Plans: You pay a single rate for a specified amount of time. The rate will not go up or down for the length of the term.
Month-to-Month Variable Rate Plans: You are not locked into any long-term contract and your rate may vary from month to month.
Pay in Advance Plans: You are billed in advance of using electricity. To get started, you make a payment to cover the first month's usage and then are billed in advance of each proceeding month.
Pay As You Go Plans: Your purchase energy by the kilowatt hour at a set price. When your energy supply is nearing exhaustion, we'll send you a notification via email or text message to let you know how much electricity you have remaining.
What is a Green Plan?: A green plan is a renewable energy product that comes from a source that can be replenished in nature. Much of the electricity generation comes from coal or natural gas, but a green or renewable plan insures your electricity comes from a source such as wind, hydro, solar, etc. The most common renewable energy available in Texas is wind energy.

What are my deposit waiver options?

DEPOSIT WAIVER

What are my deposit waiver options?: If you do not meet the deposit exception requirement or demonstrate a satisfactory credit history, you may be required to pay a deposit in order for your service to start with Frontier.; However, you may be eligible for a deposit waiver. A deposit may be waived if:
1) You provide an acceptable Utility Credit History (Credit Reference) Letter: Please provide a copy of your Utility Credit History (Credit Reference) Letter with your previous electric provider indicating you have made not more than one (1) late payment in the last twelve (12) months.; Include your Frontier Utilities account number with the documentation.; Send to Frontier Utilities via fax to: 866-926-8193 or email to: lettersofcredit@frontierutilities.com.; Your request for service will be processed when your documents are received and approved by Frontier Utilities, which may take 24 – 48 hours from date of receipt.
2) You are 65 years of age or older and you are not currently delinquent in payment of any electric service account: Please provide a copy of your valid Driver’s License and your last month’s electricity bill from your current provider indicating that you are not currently past due.; Include your Frontier Utilities account number with the documentation.; Send to Frontier Utilities via fax to: 866-926-8193 or email to: lettersofcredit@frontierutilities.com.; Your request for service will be processed when your documents are received and approved by Frontier Utilities, which may take 24 – 48 hours from date of receipt.
3) You provide acceptable evidence you are a Victim of Family Violence: Please complete a Victim of Family Violence Form.; The Victim of Family Violence, as defined in the Texas Family Code section 71.004, must be completed by a certifying entity. The following are considered a “certifying entity”:; Family Violence Center
Treating Physician or Medical Personnel
Law Enforcement Personnel
Office of Texas District Attorney, County Attorney, the Attorney General
Grantee of the Texas Equal Access to Justice Foundation when you submit a certification letter from the Texas Council of Family Violence.; Include your Frontier Utilities account number with the documentation.; Send to Frontier Utilities via fax to: 866-926-8193 or email to: lettersofcredit@frontierutilities.com.; Your request for service will be processed when your documents are received and approved by Frontier Utilities, which may take 24 – 48 hours from date of receipt.

Deregulation and Electricity Business

How do I sign up with Frontier Utilities?

You can quickly and easily sign up online by clicking here.

Should I choose a move-in or a switch?

If you are just moving into a new property and the power is due to be newly in your name at this address, you should select Move-In. If the power is currently in your name at this address, with another provider, your options are Self Selected Switch or Standard Switch.

What is the difference in a Standard Switch and an Out of Cycle Switch?

A Standard Switch is your choice if you are not on a contract or if your current contract is about to expire in the next 10 days. This type of switch will typically occur within 24 hours and does not incur a fee.

An Out of Cycle Switch is what you need if you are in a contract with your current provider and would like to schedule a specific business day to schedule your switch. Please note that an Out of Cycle Switch date may not be scheduled for more than 30 calendar days in advance from date of enrollment request. Switch and Move-in fees for AMS meters are as follows. Non AMS meters may incur a different charge.

TDSP	Territory	Standard Switch fee	Self Selected Switch fee	Priority Move-In fee	Standard Move-In Fee
Move-In Fee
CenterPoint Energy	Houston Area	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00
Oncor	Dallas Area	$0.00	$1.90	$10.35	$3.20
Texas New Mexico Power	n/a	$0.00	$7.00	$26.00	$16.00
American Electric Power TCC	South Texas	$0.00	$4.00	$19.00	$11.00
American Electric Power TNC	West Texas	$0.00	$27.00	$27.00	$54.00

Will Frontier check my credit?

When enrolling, we do check your payment history with other utility providers and may check your credit score. These will only determine if a deposit amount, if any, is necessary.

What if I have always paid my bills on time and the website says I require a deposit?

If this happens, you should double check to make sure all your information was entered correctly. If it is all correct and we still require a deposit, perhaps your last utility did not report payment histories. You can easily correct this by requesting a Letter of Credit from your previous utility. They can usually mail, fax or email this to you. Once we receive this, we can use it for your history to determine any deposits necessary.

Where can I get a copy of the Frontier Terms of Service?

You will receive a copy of the Terms of Service in your new customer Welcome Pack. If you'd like to read them before you sign up, there is a link beside each product on the product selection page. Current customers can also call a Frontier Customer Care Representative to have one mailed or emailed to you.

Is there a cancellation fee?

It depends on the product you choose. Month-to-month products do not have a cancellation fee. A fixed term product most likely has a cancellation fee if you cancel your agreement before the term expires. Everything is included in your EFL and TOS.

Are there any additional fees that will appear on my invoice?

$20 one-time account maintenance fee for updating the communication preference on your account if you fail to maintain a valid email address on file or request to remove paperless communication from your account, while on a paperless product.

Can my price increase during my contract?

Your price may be adjusted to reflect changes in TDU charges; changes to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas or Texas Regional Entity administrative fees charged to loads; or changes resulting from federal, state or local laws or regulatory actions that impose new or modified fees or costs that are outside our control.

I am moving in to my new home in less than 3 business days, can I get power sooner?

When you request a new move in, we process that order and send it out for completion the same day (possibly the following business morning if your order was submitted late in the afternoon or out of hours). However, in order to physically come out and read/connect your meter, we have to make an appointment with your local metering company (your TDSP) and they require at least 3 business days’ notice to perform this task. Since the TDSP that services you is decided by where in Texas your meter is located, this timescale does not shorten regardless of which provider you choose (some other providers add their processing time to this 3 day window so they may quote a longer turn-around time).

Why do you need my Social Security Number (SSN)?

As mentioned at the beginning of this section, we use it to review your payment history with other providers and/or check your credit score. We use your SSN# as a unique reference to identify you in these records. Please be assured that once this is provided on our secure website, it is not visible to any Customer Service operator or visibly stored in your account information.

What is this Pass-Through Charge on my first invoice?

The Pass-Through charges you may see, typically on a first invoice are normally the connection fees from the local metering company. If you select a new move in when you enroll (where you are allowed to select your own service start date), you are requesting that the local metering company send out a representative on that day to read the meter and switch it on if needed. The Pass Through Charge is the fee that the metering company charges you for sending out that representative outside of the normal monthly schedule.

Frontier Utilities Electricity Plans

How do I sign up for an online account?

Click the "My Account" link. It will pull up a window that will allow you to either login or sign up. If you provided login details during enrollment, you can simply login. If not, you will be asked to create a login with your customer number and then you will have access.

How do I pay my bill online?

You login to My Account and there you will see a link to Pay Online.

What can I do with an online account?

You can do several things, including: Check your balance; pay your bill; pull up PDF images of your past invoices and setup and edit recurring payments.

What forms of payment do you accept?

You can pay by Visa, Mastercard, Discover, Diners Club, or Bank Card. Naturally, you can also mail us a check or money order.

Am I able to set up auto pay with my ACH (checking account)?

Frontier Utilities offers you the opportunity to set your account on auto draft using your debit/credit only.

Am I able to choose my own payment due date?

Frontier Utilities understands the importance of budgeting and acknowledges the need to be able to choose the date when your bills are due. Unfortunately, at this time we do not offer the ability to choose when your invoices are due since we are working with an automated billing system.

Can I go somewhere to make a payment in cash?

Yes. You can make a cash payment in any Ace Cash Express storefront. You will pay a convenience fee directly to Ace for this form of payment. To locate the Ace Cash Express Store nearest to you, click here

What is a CVV?

The CVV can be found on the back of your debit or credit card, on the white signature strip. You will see 7 digits printed in black. The first four digits will match the last four digits of your main card number on the front of the card, and we need the last 3 of these digits. For example, if I look at the back of my card and the number on the white strip reads 0202934, then I would need to enter 934.

Interested in the historical pricing for our variable rate products?

To view historical variable prices, click here

Who do I contact in case of a power outage?

You should contact your local TSDP. The contact phone numbers are listed on your invoice. They are also here for your reference:

TDSP	Territory	Phone Number
CenterPoint Energy	Houston and Surrounding Areas	(713) 207-2222 or 1 (800) 332-7143
Oncor Electric Delivery (formerly TXU)	Dallas Area and West Texas	1 (888) 313-4747
Texas New Mexico Power	Houston Area, Dallas Area and West Texas	1 (888) 866-7456
American Electric Power	South and West Texas	1 (866) 223-8508

How do I prepare for hurricane or other storms this season?

Check out these guidelines from Texas Division of Emergency Management.

Notice to customers concerning Critical Care Residential Customer and Chronic Condition Residential Customer status?

Click here to learn more

FAQ