Based on a radio communications system (KN) having at least one radio subsystem (RSS) for access by the radio subscribers in an associated radio area (RRA) and having at least one switching center (MSC) for switching through connections, the method and the radio communications system according to the invention provide for the connections between the radio subsystem and the switching center to be routed via a radio transmission unit (UE) in such a way, that, in the case of a call within a radio area between radio subscribers within the same radio area (RRA), or in the case of a call between radio subscribers in different radio areas (RRA, RRA*), only signaling connections (si) are switched through from the radio transmission unit to the switching center, and that traffic channel connections (ni) are switched by the radio transmission unit between a first radio subsystem (RSS) and a second radio subsystem (RSS*) in the case of a call within a radio area from the radio subsystem (RSS) itself or in the case of a call between radio subscribers in different radio areas (RRA, RRA*).