Abstract: A broadband telecommunications switch (1), for switching packets of data received on a plurality of input ports (5) to plurality of bandwidth limited output ports (10), comprising for each input port (5) a control processor (22) which operates to send request data for each of a plurality of switching periods to each output port (10), which request data is representative of a requirement for communications bandwidth from said output ports (10) sufficient to accommodate packets of data received at said input ports (5) for switching to said output ports (10) for the switching period. Each of said bandwidth allocators (24) responds to said request data by generating bandwidth allocation data appertaining to an allocation of a share of the bandwidth of the output port (10) to the input port (5), which share of bandwidth said input port (5) uses to switch data from said input ports to said output ports during said switching period.