In one aspect of the teachings herein, a controlling gateway and an associated radio access point are configured for operation in a radio access network and use a radio protocol stack that is split on the network side between the gateway and the access point, for conveying radio bearer traffic going between the radio access network and a wireless device. According to methods and apparatuses disclosed, the radio protocol entities affected by the stack split communicate using Internet Protocol, IP, sessions. Advantageously, the radio bearer traffic conveyed over the split stack maps to different IP sessions in dependence on any one or more of network capabilities, various isolation or privacy requirements associated with the device and/or traffic, the types of data being conveyed, the types of radio bearers involved, and the involved Radio Link Control, RLC, operating modes.