A method of operating a network device that is configured to multiplex a set of streams into a single output stream for delivery to one or more target devices, comprising: obtaining a plurality of data packets that are each associated with one of a plurality of different streams, wherein each of the plurality of obtained data packets includes a header portion with stream-specific routing information; determining that the plurality of obtained data packets are to be delivered to one or more target user equipments, UEs, within a common target area; stripping the stream-specific routing information from the plurality of obtained data packets to produce a plurality of stream-specific payload portions, merging at least the stream-specific payload portions into a shared payload portion of a stream-multiplexed data packet that includes common routing information for the plurality of streams in a common header portion that overrides the stream-specific routing information from the header portions of the plurality of obtained data packets, wherein the stream-multiplexed data packet includes stream-mapping information that maps the stream-specific payload portions in the shared payload portion to the plurality of different streams and wherein the stream-mapping information corresponds to bitmask information that identifies, for each of the stream-specific payload portions in the shared payload portion, the associated stream with payload data in that stream-specific payload portion; and delivering the stream-multiplexed data packet to a network entity that is configured to deliver the stream-multiplexed data packet to the one or more target UEs within the common target area. obtaining a plurality of data packets that are each associated with one of a plurality of different streams, wherein each of the plurality of obtained data packets includes a header portion with stream-specific routing information; determining that the plurality of obtained data packets are to be delivered to one or more target user equipments, UEs, within a common target area; stripping the stream-specific routing information from the plurality of obtained data packets to produce a plurality of stream-specific payload portions, merging at least the stream-specific payload portions into a shared payload portion of a stream-multiplexed data packet that includes common routing information for the plurality of streams in a common header portion that overrides the stream-specific routing information from the header portions of the plurality of obtained data packets, wherein the stream-multiplexed data packet includes stream-mapping information that maps the stream-specific payload portions in the shared payload portion to the plurality of different streams and wherein the stream-mapping information corresponds to bitmask information that identifies, for each of the stream-specific payload portions in the shared payload portion, the associated stream with payload data in that stream-specific payload portion; and delivering the stream-multiplexed data packet to a network entity that is configured to deliver the stream-multiplexed data packet to the one or more target UEs within the common target area.