A preferred embodiment provides a radio port controller in a wireless personal communications system including a first interface module in communication with a radio port, a second interface in communication with a digital switch, and at least one switching transcoder module in communication with the first and second interface modules. A further preferred embodiment provides that the switching transcoder module includes a digital signal processor. The radio port controller preferably has a communication backplane including a plurality of slots, and each slot is preferably adapted to selectively receive either a T1 card interfacing to a T1 line or an E1 card interfacing to an E1 line.