Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
5.3
2.5
Journals
Applied Sciences
Special Issues
5G and Beyond: Technologies and Communications
applsci-logo
Submit to Special Issue Submit Abstract to Special Issue Review for Applied Sciences Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

► Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser
share announcement

5G and Beyond: Technologies and Communications

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2025 | Viewed by 5891

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Mah-Rukh Fida

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Business, Computing and Social Sciences, University of Gloucestershire, The Park, Cheltenham GL502RH, UK
Interests: mobile broadband network optimization; IoT and edge computing and security; programmable data plane; virtualized and Cloud RAN
Dr. Giuseppe Caso

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Karlstad University, 65188 Karlstad, Sweden
Interests: wireless communication; mobile systems; Internet of Things; resource allocation; spectrum management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We warmly welcome you to submit your research articles and surveys to this Special Issue, entitled "5G and Beyond: Technologies and Communications" of Applied Science (ISSN 2076-3417). As the digital landscape continues to evolve at a rapid pace, the emergence of next-generation wireless technology represents a significant opportunity for transformations that are poised to reshape how we connect, communicate, and interact with the world. The groundbreaking technology of 5G unlocks a multitude of opportunities, ranging from facilitating immersive virtual reality experiences and the seamless integration of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, to supporting mission-critical applications such as autonomous vehicles and remote surgery. Progressing to Beyond 5G holds the promise of ultra-high data rates, ultra-low latency, enhanced reliability, and massive connectivity, paving the way for transformative advancements in critical sectors such as healthcare, transportation, manufacturing, and entertainment. These wireless technologies exhibit the potential to revolutionize communication and redefine the very fabric of our digital society, ushering in an era of seamless, ubiquitous connectivity that empowers all individuals. As we embark on this journey toward the future of communication, it is imperative that we explore the possibilities, challenges, and opportunities presented by these next-generation technologies, driving innovation and shaping the trajectory of technological evolution for future generations.

This Special Issue is dedicated to advancing our understanding and the application of fifth-generation (5G) and beyond fifth-generation (B5G) wireless technologies, and their impact on modern communications. It seeks to encompass a diverse array of topics, including, but not limited to, the following:

  • Evolution and enhancements of 5G networks
  • Emerging standards, architectures, and protocols for future-generation wireless systems
  • Internet of Things (IoT) and machine-to-machine (M2M) communication in 5G and beyond
  • Edge computing and fog computing for wireless infrastructures
  • Spectrum management and dynamic spectrum access techniques
  • Millimeter wave and Terahertz communication technologies
  • Integrated satellite–terrestrial networks
  • Quantum communication for wireless networks
  • Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in future wireless systems
  • Ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC) for mission-critical applications
  • Massive MIMO and beamforming techniques for B5G networks
  • Energy-efficient and sustainable wireless communication solutions
  • Security and privacy considerations in advanced wireless systems
  • Network slicing and virtualization for flexible and scalable wireless infrastructures.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Mah-Rukh Fida
Dr. Giuseppe Caso
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • 5G
  • Beyond 5G
  • advanced wireless communications
  • terahertz communication
  • satellite
  • terrestrial networks
  • quantum communication
  • AI and ML in wireless systems
  • URLLC
  • massive MIMO
  • network slicing

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (6 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

21 pages, 629 KiB  
Article
Quantum PSO-Based Optimization of Secured IRS-Assisted Wireless-Powered IoT Networks
by Abid Afridi, Iqra Hameed and Insoo Koo
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(24), 11677; https://doi.org/10.3390/app142411677 - 13 Dec 2024
Viewed by 671
Abstract
In this paper, we explore intelligent reflecting surface (IRS)-assisted physical layer security (PLS) in a wireless-powered Internet of Things (IoT) network (WPIN) by combining an IRS, a friendly jammer, and energy harvesting (EH) to maximize sum secrecy throughput in the WPIN. Specifically, we [...] Read more.
In this paper, we explore intelligent reflecting surface (IRS)-assisted physical layer security (PLS) in a wireless-powered Internet of Things (IoT) network (WPIN) by combining an IRS, a friendly jammer, and energy harvesting (EH) to maximize sum secrecy throughput in the WPIN. Specifically, we propose a non-line-of-sight system where a hybrid access point (H-AP) has no direct link with the users, and a secure uplink transmission scheme utilizes the jammer to combat malicious eavesdroppers. The proposed scheme consists of two stages: wireless energy transfer (WET) on the downlink (DL) and wireless information transmission (WIT) on the uplink (UL). In the first phase, the H-AP sends energy to users and the jammer, and they then harvest energy with the help of the IRS. Consequently, during WIT, the user transmits information to the H-AP while the jammer emits signals to confuse the eavesdropper without interfering with the legitimate transmission. The phase-shift matrix of the IRS and the time allocation for DL and UL are jointly optimized to maximize the sum secrecy throughput of the network. To tackle the non-convex problem, an alternating optimization method is employed, and the problem is reformulated into two sub-problems. First, the IRS phase shift is solved using quantum particle swarm optimization (QPSO). Then, the time allocation for DL and UL are optimized using the bisection method. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed method achieves significant performance improvements as compared to other baseline schemes. Specifically, for IRS elements N = 35, the proposed scheme achieves a throughput of 19.4 bps/Hz, which is 85% higher than the standard PSO approach and 143% higher than the fixed time, random phase (8 bps/Hz) approach. These results validate the proposed approach’s effectiveness in improving network security and overall performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 5G and Beyond: Technologies and Communications)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 2052 KiB  
Article
6G Technology for Indoor Localization by Deep Learning with Attention Mechanism
by Chien-Ching Chiu, Hung-Yu Wu, Po-Hsiang Chen, Chen-En Chao and Eng Hock Lim
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(22), 10395; https://doi.org/10.3390/app142210395 - 12 Nov 2024
Viewed by 688
Abstract
This paper explores 6G technology for indoor positioning, focusing on accuracy and reliability using convolutional neural networks (CNN) with channel state information (CSI). Indoor positioning is critical for smart applications and the Internet of Things (IoT). 6G is expected to significantly enhance positioning [...] Read more.
This paper explores 6G technology for indoor positioning, focusing on accuracy and reliability using convolutional neural networks (CNN) with channel state information (CSI). Indoor positioning is critical for smart applications and the Internet of Things (IoT). 6G is expected to significantly enhance positioning performance through the use of higher frequency bands, such as terahertz frequencies with wider bandwidth. Preliminary results show that 6G-based systems are expected to achieve centimeter-level positioning accuracy due to the integration of advanced artificial intelligence algorithms and terahertz frequencies. In addition, this paper also investigates the impact of self-attention (SA) and channel attention (CA) mechanisms on indoor positioning systems. The combination of these attention mechanisms with conventional CNNs has been proposed to further improve the accuracy and robustness of localization systems. CNN with SA demonstrates a 50% reduction in RMSE compared to CNN by capturing spatial dependencies more effectively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 5G and Beyond: Technologies and Communications)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 34163 KiB  
Article
Analysis of 3D Printed Dielectric Resonator Antenna Arrays for Millimeter-Wave 5G Applications
by Siyu Li, Benito Sanz Izquierdo, Steven Gao and Zhijiao Chen
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(21), 9886; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14219886 - 29 Oct 2024
Viewed by 796
Abstract
This paper explores the potential use of fused deposition modeling (FDM) technology for manufacturing microwave and millimeter-wave dielectric resonator antennas (DRAs) for 5G and beyond communication systems. DRAs operating at microwave and millimeter-wave (mmWave) frequency bands were simulated, fabricated, and analyzed in terms [...] Read more.
This paper explores the potential use of fused deposition modeling (FDM) technology for manufacturing microwave and millimeter-wave dielectric resonator antennas (DRAs) for 5G and beyond communication systems. DRAs operating at microwave and millimeter-wave (mmWave) frequency bands were simulated, fabricated, and analyzed in terms of manufacturing quality and radio frequency (RF) performance. Samples were manufactured using a 3D printer and PREPERM® ABS1000 filament, which offers a stable dielectric constant (εr = 10 ± 0.35) and low losses (tan δ = 0.003) over wide frequency and temperature ranges. Surface profile tests and microscope measurements revealed discrepancies in the dimensions in the xy-plane and along the z-axis, consistent with the observed shift in resonant frequency. Despite these variations, reasonably good agreement between RF-simulated and measured results was achieved, and the DRA array successfully covered the intended mmWave band. However, challenges in achieving high precision may restrict applications at higher mmWave bands. Nevertheless, compared with conventional methods, FDM techniques offer a highly accessible and flexible solution with a wide range of materials for home and micro-manufacturing of mmWave DRAs for modern 5G systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 5G and Beyond: Technologies and Communications)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 3617 KiB  
Article
Investigations on Millimeter-Wave Indoor Channel Simulations for 5G Networks
by Huthaifa Obeidat
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(19), 8972; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14198972 - 5 Oct 2024
Viewed by 892
Abstract
Due to the extensively accessible bandwidth of many tens of GHz, millimeter-wave (mmWave) and sub-terahertz (THz) frequencies are anticipated to play a significant role in 5G and 6G wireless networks and beyond. This paper presents investigations on mmWave bands within the indoor environment [...] Read more.
Due to the extensively accessible bandwidth of many tens of GHz, millimeter-wave (mmWave) and sub-terahertz (THz) frequencies are anticipated to play a significant role in 5G and 6G wireless networks and beyond. This paper presents investigations on mmWave bands within the indoor environment based on extensive simulations; the study considers the behavior of the omnidirectional and directional propagation characteristics, including path loss exponents (PLE) delay spread (DS), the number of clusters, and the number of rays per cluster at different frequencies (28 GHz, 39 GHz, 60 GHz and 73 GHz) in both line-of-sight (LOS) and non-LOS (NLOS) propagation scenarios. This study finds that the PLE and DS show dependency on frequency; it was also found that, in NLOS scenarios, the number of clusters follows a Poisson distribution, while, in LOS, it follows a decaying exponential distribution. This study enhances understanding of the indoor channel behavior at different frequency bands within the same environment, as many research papers focus on single or two bands; this paper considers four frequency bands. The simulation is important as it provides insights into omnidirectional channel behavior at different frequencies, essential for indoor channel planning. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 5G and Beyond: Technologies and Communications)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

22 pages, 2991 KiB  
Article
Highly Efficient Hybrid Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface Approach for Power Loss Reduction and Coverage Area Enhancement in 6G Networks
by Aya Kh. Ahmed and Hamed S. Al-Raweshidy
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(15), 6457; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14156457 - 24 Jul 2024
Viewed by 1036
Abstract
This paper introduces a novel efficient hybrid reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) approach designed to significantly reduce power loss and enhance coverage area in 6G networks. The core innovation of this approach lies in an advanced iterative algorithm introduced as the Hybrid reconfigurable intelligent [...] Read more.
This paper introduces a novel efficient hybrid reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) approach designed to significantly reduce power loss and enhance coverage area in 6G networks. The core innovation of this approach lies in an advanced iterative algorithm introduced as the Hybrid reconfigurable intelligent surface decision-making algorithm (HRIS-DMA) that integrates precise user location data into the RIS configuration process. By dynamically adjusting RIS elements to reflect and direct signals based on real-time user positions, this method minimises signal attenuation and optimises signal propagation. The mechanism driving the performance gains includes precise beamforming and intelligent reflection, continuously refined through iterative updates. This technique ensures robust signal strength and expanded coverage, addressing the challenges of dense and diverse deployment scenarios in 6G networks. The proposed scheme’s application in 6G networks demonstrates substantial improvements in signal quality and network reliability, paving the way for enhanced user experiences and efficient communication infrastructures. This novel approach was tested using MATLAB R2023a, and its performance was evaluated using three downlink scenarios: zero to few, few to moderate, and moderate to many obstacles. The three scenarios show higher coverages than conventional simultaneous transmitting and reflecting reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (STAR-RISs) and base station (BS) handover. Based on the evaluation metrics, the analysis results of the novel HRIS-DMA show 70% less signal power loss, 0.17 μs less system delay, 25 dB and 12 dB channel gain compared with the conventional STAR-RIS and BS handover, respectively, and 95% improvement in the overall system’s efficiency compared to STAR-RIS and 13% compared to BS-BS handover. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 5G and Beyond: Technologies and Communications)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 3821 KiB  
Article
A Placement Method of the 5G Edge Nodes Based on the Hotspot Distribution of Mobile Users
by Ruowei Gui, Xingjun Zhang, Xiaolin Gui and Jinsong Han
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(13), 5943; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14135943 - 8 Jul 2024
Viewed by 837
Abstract
Due to the emergence of various new applications, such as short videos and online games, higher requirements of their computing and storage capacity are demanded of mobile networks. The traditional cloud computing paradigm has the shortcomings of large latency and high bandwidth demand [...] Read more.
Due to the emergence of various new applications, such as short videos and online games, higher requirements of their computing and storage capacity are demanded of mobile networks. The traditional cloud computing paradigm has the shortcomings of large latency and high bandwidth demand of the core network. Therefore, how to mine the hotspot distribution of these applications and reasonably configure 5G edge nodes to reduce latency and core network bandwidth are facing great challenges. To address these issues, we designed a placement method for the 5G edge nodes based on mobile hotspots. In this method, we first cluster all locations from the user trajectories to obtain the cluster areas. Further, we extract the features, such as the number of users and duration time in all cluster areas, and extract the hotspots from all cluster areas based on the features of each cluster. Then, we introduce the base station’s high load utilization rate and the core network’s bandwidth reduction rate as the optimization parameters to construct the mathematical model of multi-objective optimization. Finally, we formalize the model into a 0–1 integer programming problem and design a greedy algorithm to solve this model. We also complete a series of experiments to evaluate our proposed methods using the GeoLife dataset. The experimental results show that the high load utilization rate can be increased up to 7.69%, and the bandwidth reduction rate of the core network can be improved up to 6.34%. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 5G and Beyond: Technologies and Communications)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-6
Back to TopTop