1.   But with industry deregulation, the game is changing for telephone utilities and their holding companies.

2.   Many companies complain that Nynex, the local telephone utility, does a poor job of providing the infrastructure needed for Internet connections.

3.   Once sworn enemies, cable companies and telephone utilities began turning into fast partners last year.

4.   Proposed alliances between cable companies and the telephone utilities collapsed this year.

5.   Telephone utilities, cable-television suppliers and wireless communications systems are competing to distribute it.

6.   The telephone utility eventually pulled out of the agreement, citing concerns over declining cable revenues due to tighter federal regulation of cable rates.

7.   The transportation grid is obsolete, and officials say the national telephone utility is in dire need of an upgrade.

8.   When the commission meets today, it will consider a hastily written order that was written with input from only a handful of telephone utilities and consumer groups.

9.   Electricity and telephone utilities are being privatized, and customers already have been warned to expect significant rate hikes this year.