A communications network for at least one of an electrical power transmission system and an electrical power distribution system, the communications network communicating at least one of monitoring signals and control signals for a network of electrical circuits, the communications network comprising: at least one sensor node comprising a sensor device (112,114) configured to detect an operating condition of one or more devices of the electrical power transmission system or the electrical power distribution system; at least one sensor communication node corresponding to the sensor device (112,114), the sensor communication node configured to transmit a first wireless signal corresponding to the detected operating condition; and at least one control communication node separately provided from the sensor communication node, the control communication node configured to receive the first wireless signal, and transmit a second wireless signal corresponding to the first wireless signal; a gateway device in communication with the control communication node and receiving the second wireless signal; a central control center that is communicatively coupled to the gateway and receiving the second wireless signal from the gateway; and a mobile control center that is communicatively coupled to the gateway and the central control center, wherein the mobile control center receives: (a) the second wireless signal, and (b) status and event history information associated with the one or more devices from the central control center to provide assistance with maintenance of the one or more devices of the electrical power transmission system or the electrical power distribution system, and wherein the mobile control center is a portable computing device with wireless receiving and interrogation features to directly communicate with the one or more devices. at least one sensor node comprising a sensor device (112,114) configured to detect an operating condition of one or more devices of the electrical power transmission system or the electrical power distribution system; at least one sensor communication node corresponding to the sensor device (112,114), the sensor communication node configured to transmit a first wireless signal corresponding to the detected operating condition; and at least one control communication node separately provided from the sensor communication node, the control communication node configured to receive the first wireless signal, and transmit a second wireless signal corresponding to the first wireless signal; a gateway device in communication with the control communication node and receiving the second wireless signal; a central control center that is communicatively coupled to the gateway and receiving the second wireless signal from the gateway; and a mobile control center that is communicatively coupled to the gateway and the central control center, wherein the mobile control center receives: (a) the second wireless signal, and (b) status and event history information associated with the one or more devices from the central control center to provide assistance with maintenance of the one or more devices of the electrical power transmission system or the electrical power distribution system, and wherein the mobile control center is a portable computing device with wireless receiving and interrogation features to directly communicate with the one or more devices. wherein the mobile control center receives: (a) the second wireless signal, and (b) status and event history information associated with the one or more devices from the central control center to provide assistance with maintenance of the one or more devices of the electrical power transmission system or the electrical power distribution system, and wherein the mobile control center is a portable computing device with wireless receiving and interrogation features to directly communicate with the one or more devices.