This is different from deregulation of airlines or financial services where no such fixed infrastructure existed. Natural Gas Deregulation Historically, consumers contracted for the supply and delivery of natural gas from a single company who had the franchise for the region in which they lived. These companies bought gas on the wholesale market and sold it to consumers in their jurisdictions according to regulated rates set by the local regulatory agency, an energy board or public service commission. Get an explanation of retail gas contracts you'll be asked to sign. Natural gas is being deregulated in many jurisdictions.
Examples are, Ontario, Alberta, Maryland, California, Georgia and Pennsylvania.
These utilities, however, continue to have the franchise to distribute gas and charge a regulated fee. In effect, deregulation separates the sale of the gas as a commodity from it's distribution. The product is available at a competitive price and under competitive conditions but the delivery is a standard regulated charge. This would be similar to a situation where you might buy milk by phone, and it is delivered by a large courier service such as Federal Express. The milk is a commodity, and it would be priced differently between suppliers, but the supplier relies on a distribution system provided by Federal Express trucks.