A method of operating a wireless packet access network comprises receiving, at a wireless network control system, a packet data request from an application in a wireless communication device, determining if the application is a member of a first application group or a second application group, and selecting a core packet network access point from a plurality of core packet network access points based on whether the application is a member of the first application group or the second application group. The method further comprises transmitting the packet data request to the selected core packet network access point to initiate access to a core packet network.