Importance

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Abstract

The invention concerns method and apparatus for the selection of a service provider for providing a service to a system--for instance, for selecting a telecommunciations service provider. The apparatus comprises a system monitor 20, a data gathering system 30 and an analysis engine 50. The system monitor 20 is arranged to monitor and store data concerning system usage, to capture parameters relating such usage and store them in a data store 22. The data gathering system 30 gathers data relating to costs of service provision and contract terms associated with such provision from potential service providers. The analysis engine 50 comprises a controller 52 and a database 54. The database 54 contains details of contract terms associated with service provision that are potentially acceptable to the user and those which are not acceptable. The analysis engine 50 is arranged to calculate costs to the user of utilising the various potential service providers, by performing cost calculations based on the system usage data and the data gathered from the service providers and to select the service provider who is deemed to provide the best value.

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First Claim