A base station identifies received backhaul traffic including IP packets based on whether or not the reception was via a secure tunnel, e.g., an IPsec tunnel. Recovered data, e.g., an IP packet from an IPsec tunnel, is associated with an IPsec identifier having a value indicating that the packet came from an IPsec tunnel. Data, e.g., recovered IP packets, associated with an identifier indicating receipt via an IPsec tunnel are stored in a first transmission buffer, e.g., a high priority transmission buffer, while other recovered IP packets which were not received via an IPsec tunnel are stored in a second transmission buffer corresponding to a lower, e.g., normal, transmission priority. A downlink transmission scheduler, e.g. an MAC or frame scheduler, schedules transmission of frames includes IP packet data from both buffers, with data in the first buffer being given higher priority to reduce latency with regard to the IPsec traffic.