An apparatus and method for increasing efficiency of data packet transmission comprising receiving a TCA message and a new pilot signal; determining if the TCA message includes at least one scheduler tag; performing one of the following: determining if there are other pilot signals associated with the at least one scheduler tag or determining if the new pilot signal is in a softer handoff with a member of an active set; and performing one of the following: associating the new pilot signal to the at least one scheduler tag or creating a new scheduler group and associating the new pilot signal with it. In one aspect, one of the following additional steps is performed: determining if all the other pilot signals are newly added to the at least one scheduler tag or determining if at least one of the other pilot signals is associated with the active set.