Believe it or not, telephone companies were once regarded as utilities. This was before they became indistinguishable from America Online. The same chaos is about to break out in the electricity and natural gas sectors. And heating oil? Well, that's a last bastion of mom-and-pop small businesses, many of them modeled on Bonny and Clyde.

Complaints
Bay State Gas Bogus Oil, Elizabeth, NJ Con Ed, New York Duke Energy Florida Power Company GPU Electric Company, Hightstown, NJ Homeland Park Water, Anderson, SC Laclede Gas Co., St. Louis Massachusetts Electric	Northern Illinois Gas Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative Peoples Gas, Chicago Reliant Energy Southern California Edison

There are those, like Anita in St. Louis, who think that deregulation will be beneficial for consumers. Maybe, but it depends on which consumers you're talking about -- big ones or little ones. Large users of gas, electricity and so forth will be able to buy in bulk and realize big savings. Small users? Think they'll have a lot of bargaining power?

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