In the UK the meters connect directly to 2G/3G wireless networks? That would be stupid expensive to do here in the US (I know, we looked at it). In the US the m

In the UK the meters connect directly to 2G/3G wireless networks? That would be stupid expensive to do here in the US (I know, we looked at it). In the US the meters connect to a proprietary spread spectrum network the utility sets up and maintains. The meters are capable of communicating with one another and dynamically update their routing table in order to get the message to a take-out point. Once at the take-out point a fiber connection takes it to the head-end system where the utility can communicate with it.