Scalable telecommunications system

A node unit for a scalable telecommunications system, the node unit comprising:

• a plurality of universal digital radio frequency (RF) transceivers, wherein each of the plurality of universal digital RF transceivers is configured to communicatively couple the node unit to a respective external equipment;
• one or more universal digital transport interfaces, wherein each of the one or more universal digital transport interfaces is configured to communicatively couple the node unit to a respective transport link;
• a universal backplane communicatively coupled to the plurality of universal digital RF transceivers and to the one or more universal digital transport interfaces;
• and
• a system controller;
• wherein each of the plurality of universal digital RF transceivers is configured to couple to a respective modular power amplifier and a modular duplexer inserted within the node unit;
• wherein the system controller is configured to detect capabilities of at least one of the universal digital RF transceivers, the universal digital transport interfaces, the universal backplane, the respective modular power amplifier and respective modular duplexer, and adjust parameters of the node unit in response to the detected capabilities.