A method of operating a telecommunications node comprising: receiving one or more data packets from a source external to the node, the one or more data packets including both ordinary packets and a priority packet; storing the one or more data packets in a queue structure in order of arrival so that the priority packet is read out of the queue structure before the ordinary packets are read out of the queue structure, thereby expediting output of the priority packet from the node relative to the ordinary packets, wherein the priority packet is included in a frame of a HS-DSCH channel, wherein the frame is a hybrid frame comprising both ordinary packets and at least one priority packet, and wherein the frame is one of: a HS-DSCH DATA FRAME TYPE 1 frame, and wherein ascertaining whether a packet of the hybrid frame is a priority packet comprises checking bits 7 and 6 in a first payload octet of each packet of the HS-DSCH DATA FRAME TYPE 1 frame; and a HS-DSCH DATA FRAME TYPE 2 frame, the method further comprising (a) ascertaining that a frame is the hybrid frame by checking one or more predetermined bits of the frame, the one or more predetermined bits of the frame comprising bits 4 and 3 in a fourth octet of the header of the HS-DSCH DATA FRAME TYPE 2 frame; and (b) ascertaining whether a packet of the hybrid frame is a priority packet comprises checking a predetermined bit in a predetermined field of the frame, the predetermined field being a field that specifies a number of packets in a specified block of the frame. receiving one or more data packets from a source external to the node, the one or more data packets including both ordinary packets and a priority packet; storing the one or more data packets in a queue structure in order of arrival so that the priority packet is read out of the queue structure before the ordinary packets are read out of the queue structure, thereby expediting output of the priority packet from the node relative to the ordinary packets, a HS-DSCH DATA FRAME TYPE 1 frame, and wherein ascertaining whether a packet of the hybrid frame is a priority packet comprises checking bits 7 and 6 in a first payload octet of each packet of the HS-DSCH DATA FRAME TYPE 1 frame; and a HS-DSCH DATA FRAME TYPE 2 frame, the method further comprising (a) ascertaining that a frame is the hybrid frame by checking one or more predetermined bits of the frame, the one or more predetermined bits of the frame comprising bits 4 and 3 in a fourth octet of the header of the HS-DSCH DATA FRAME TYPE 2 frame; and (b) ascertaining whether a packet of the hybrid frame is a priority packet comprises checking a predetermined bit in a predetermined field of the frame, the predetermined field being a field that specifies a number of packets in a specified block of the frame. (a) ascertaining that a frame is the hybrid frame by checking one or more predetermined bits of the frame, the one or more predetermined bits of the frame comprising bits 4 and 3 in a fourth octet of the header of the HS-DSCH DATA FRAME TYPE 2 frame; and (b) ascertaining whether a packet of the hybrid frame is a priority packet comprises checking a predetermined bit in a predetermined field of the frame, the predetermined field being a field that specifies a number of packets in a specified block of the frame.