Method and apparatus for processing data flows

An apparatus for facilitating the re-distribution of processing load between a plurality of radio equipment controllers arranged in a daisy chain configuration on a Common Public Radio Interface. The apparatus may be included in each REC and has two framers which may co-operate to forward IQ data of antenna carriers received on a downlink from a preceding REC to a subsequent REC in the chain and a DMA module or channel which can read IQ data from a system memory for onward transmission. In a re-allocation mode, the framer may be reconfigured so that an AxC initially allocated to a preceding REC for processing may be instead, accessed by a second (usually redundant) transmit DMA module included in the apparatus from system memory and transferred to the framer for onward transmission.