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Operators round the world are fighting for the pivotal role in the smart grid. Cellcos, broadband providers and specialist firms are all seeking to control the networks that will transmit data between smart meters and utilities. In the UK, wireline incumbent BT is staking its claim, forming a partnership to bid for the communications network to underpin the smart grid, excluding the mobile operators in the process.

BT has teamed up with infrastructure provider Arqiva and consultancy Detica to build a long range radio network for the government's smart grid project, which aims to cover 28m homes and businesses by 2020 and is required to conform to EU regulations. The details of the plan will be published later this month but the specialist technology supplier is already named - US-based Sensus, which sells the FlexNet long range radio system specifically developed for utilities.

"We believe that long range radio is the only technology to offer nationwide coverage and we will release more details in a series of events in September," said Olivia Garfield, BT Group's strategy director, in a statement. At this stage, the formal proposal will be presented to government.

This plan will go up against expected proposals from at least one of the 3G operators, which will look to harness their 3G and future 4G networks for the smart grid rather than building specialist infrastructure. But BT - which exited the mobile market when it floated Cellnet, which became O2 - does not have an existing wireless system to offer. It claims it has conducted an 18-month review of the options, and believes conventional mobile technology will be inadequate in terms of rural coverage and indoor penetration to support universal smart grid functionality. It said: "Unlike mobile, [long range radio] can provide truly nationwide coverage and dependable reception indoors".

Two cellcos, Vodafone and Orange (now merged with T-Mobile UK), have led the way in smart metering initiatives in the country. In March, Vodafone signed a deal with British Gas to provide about a million GPRS connections for smart meters, and Orange is working on a similar trial with National Grid.

The EU has set 2020 as the deadline for the deployment of smart energy meters to the majority of homes and small businesses.

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