The interconnection topology of a serial data communications bus allows for efficient communications within a wireless communications network. A wide-area wireless mobile communications system comprises a MSC connected to a plurality of base stations via a serial communications bus and a first serial port having a first connection order. Each base station also connects to the serial communications bus via a second serial port having an opposite connection order. In one mode, the MSC communicates with each base station over the serial bus through the first serial port. In a second mode, each base station can communicate directly with any other base station over the serial bus, with one base station utilizing the first serial port, and the other base station utilizing the second serial port. The invention is also applicable to a limited-area wireless communications system.
