Electric meter charges in the United States?

I have a question about electric meters in the United States, Are the meters rented from the electric company or are we charged for a few months little bu little until they are paid for. How does this work.

The reason I ask is years ago the phone companies charged rent on telephones. Then eventually people had the option to buy there own phone through the phone company, then eventually Phones were sold in stores.

There was an old work at home business called hidden business over charges. It turns out that the phone company was still charging rent to there customers even years after the phones were no longer rented from the phone company.

Are we running into the same situation from the electric company? If so we should have thousands coming back from the electric companies. If not it least it was worth asking.

Possibly a person that works for an electric company will know the answer. There may also be something that was like this with other things like the gas company. It don't hurt to ask!

Thanks!