In general, this strategy may not work very well. While some utilities may request a credit check when you sign up for service, since you technically are not borrowing money in many cases, your payment history to utilities may not show on your credit report at all. Thus, it would not affect your credit history other than showing up as an inquiry.
What is essential to build credit is to have a record of positive payment history from someone who will report this to a credit reporting agency. A cell phone company may do this if you financed your phone. Other options may include limited use cards, such as gas and department store cards, or even low-limit secured credit cards. A secured credit card is backed by a savings account opened with the credit card issuer as collateral for repayment. You can build a positive credit history by making small purchases and paying them off regularly.
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