One or more devices (102B, 306), each device comprising: a processing unit configured to perform the acts of: receiving a plurality of communication packets (120, 122, 310) from one or more first nodes (102C, 102N, 302, 304), at least one of the plurality of communication packets being received at a first data rate, each communication packet of the plurality of communication packets comprising control data and payload data, the control data for controlling sending and/or receiving of the payload data, the payload data comprising electricity consumption data, water consumption data, and/or natural gas consumption data; extracting the payload data from each communication packet of the plurality of communication packets; storing each extracted payload data of the plurality of communication packets for a time period; determining that a second data rate supported by the one or more devices and one or more second nodes (102A, 308) is greater than or equal to the first data rate; concatenating each extracted payload data of the plurality of communication packets at least partly in response to the determining; and sending the concatenated payload data to the one or more second nodes in a single communication packet (124, 316) at the second data rate that is greater than or equal to the first data rate. a processing unit configured to perform the acts of: receiving a plurality of communication packets (120, 122, 310) from one or more first nodes (102C, 102N, 302, 304), at least one of the plurality of communication packets being received at a first data rate, each communication packet of the plurality of communication packets comprising control data and payload data, the control data for controlling sending and/or receiving of the payload data, the payload data comprising electricity consumption data, water consumption data, and/or natural gas consumption data; extracting the payload data from each communication packet of the plurality of communication packets; storing each extracted payload data of the plurality of communication packets for a time period; determining that a second data rate supported by the one or more devices and one or more second nodes (102A, 308) is greater than or equal to the first data rate; concatenating each extracted payload data of the plurality of communication packets at least partly in response to the determining; and sending the concatenated payload data to the one or more second nodes in a single communication packet (124, 316) at the second data rate that is greater than or equal to the first data rate. receiving a plurality of communication packets (120, 122, 310) from one or more first nodes (102C, 102N, 302, 304), at least one of the plurality of communication packets being received at a first data rate, each communication packet of the plurality of communication packets comprising control data and payload data, the control data for controlling sending and/or receiving of the payload data, the payload data comprising electricity consumption data, water consumption data, and/or natural gas consumption data; extracting the payload data from each communication packet of the plurality of communication packets; storing each extracted payload data of the plurality of communication packets for a time period; determining that a second data rate supported by the one or more devices and one or more second nodes (102A, 308) is greater than or equal to the first data rate; concatenating each extracted payload data of the plurality of communication packets at least partly in response to the determining; and sending the concatenated payload data to the one or more second nodes in a single communication packet (124, 316) at the second data rate that is greater than or equal to the first data rate.