rovision of electricity trans- mission services to companies that generate power and to companies that receive Networks in Telecommunications power for their own use or for retail distribution. Retail access to a telecommu- nications network means the ability to communicate with others who also have access to the network. Retail access to a transportation network means the ability to send or receive freight or to obtain travel services, depending on the type of transportation network. Access to a wholesale distribution network refers to the provision by wholesalers of distribution services to retailers and manufacturers. Because retail access to a network refers to a customer's use of the network's services, which are the outputs of the network, it means more than simply a phys- ical connection to the network. Rather, access refers to the opportunity to benefit from the services generated by network usage. Access is the subject of the eco- nomic transaction between the customer and the company that suppliers network services. The price of retail access to a network's customers can be set by market forces just as with any other type of service. Indeed, markets exist for all types of network services, including transportation and travel, telecommunications, and distribu- tion. Also, the prices of network services can be subject to cost-of-service regula- tion or other forms of government regulation. For example, state public utilities commissions regulate the prices charged by electricity companies that distribute electricity. The price regulation applies to both the resold power and the cost of retail distribution over the local power grid. In his book The Age of Access, Rifkin (2000) observes that many types of services are delivered over networks. For example, entertainment and other types of content are delivered over telecommunications networks. The content provided to the final customer is owned by the company providing the content. For example, a household receives a transmission from a cable television comp