Optimization of bearer traffic in radio networks

A selection and distribution unit (SDU) in a wireless radio access network is configured to receive signal quality information about a plurality of data streams, and based on the signal quality information, to select one of the plurality of data streams to be forwarded independently of the SDU. The data streams are associated with a call session from a mobile device and received by base transceiver stations, which provide the signal quality information about the received data streams to the SDU. Only one data stream is selected by the SDU for forwarding to a network device such as a PSTN gateway. The SDU provides a multicast address to the network device for transmitting data streams to the mobile device, and commands a base transceiver station to listen at that multicast address to receive the data stream. The SDU also establishes a multicast address for a plurality of base transceiver stations to receive commands from the SDU.