Disclosed are technologies for a communication system for a utility infrastructure system. The communication system includes a host configured to aggregate and collect utility data. The communication system also includes a remote, battery-powered node connected to a utility device of the utility infrastructure system. According to some examples, the node is configured to initiate a first communication message to the host via a first type of communication channel. The first type of communication channel is short message service (SMS), and the first communication message includes the utility data. The node is also configured to receive a SMS reply from the host, wherein the SMS reply includes information for communicating with the host via a second type of communication channel.