A method in a data plane of a network element acting as a local mobility anchor, LMA, in a communications network for the efficient distribution of signaling messages, the data plane configured to receive signaling messages from a set of one or more mobility access gateways, MAGs, each signaling message including a network connection identifier, ID, associated with an end station device, the network element further including a control plane having a plurality of processes executing on a plurality of processing units, the method comprising: receiving a first signaling message from a MAG of the set of MAGs; responsive to receipt of the first signaling message: determining, according to a steering table, that a first network connection ID of the first signaling message is not mapped to a process, and selecting a first process of the plurality of processes to receive the first signaling message, wherein the first process executes on a first processing unit of the control plane; transmitting the first signaling message to the selected first process; receiving a mapping message from the control plane, wherein the mapping message indicates a mapping of the first network connection ID to a second process, wherein the second process executes on a second processing unit of the control plane; updating the steering table to indicate the mapping of the first network connection ID to the second process; receiving a second signaling message from the MAG, wherein the second signaling message includes the first network connection ID; and responsive to receipt of the second signaling message: determining, according to the steering table, that the first network connection ID is mapped to the second process, and transmitting the second signaling message to the second process. receiving a first signaling message from a MAG of the set of MAGs; responsive to receipt of the first signaling message: determining, according to a steering table, that a first network connection ID of the first signaling message is not mapped to a process, and selecting a first process of the plurality of processes to receive the first signaling message, wherein the first process executes on a first processing unit of the control plane; determining, according to a steering table, that a first network connection ID of the first signaling message is not mapped to a process, and selecting a first process of the plurality of processes to receive the first signaling message, wherein the first process executes on a first processing unit of the control plane; transmitting the first signaling message to the selected first process; receiving a mapping message from the control plane, wherein the mapping message indicates a mapping of the first network connection ID to a second process, wherein the second process executes on a second processing unit of the control plane; updating the steering table to indicate the mapping of the first network connection ID to the second process; receiving a second signaling message from the MAG, wherein the second signaling message includes the first network connection ID; and responsive to receipt of the second signaling message: determining, according to the steering table, that the first network connection ID is mapped to the second process, and transmitting the second signaling message to the second process. determining, according to the steering table, that the first network connection ID is mapped to the second process, and transmitting the second signaling message to the second process.