Next Generation Medium Access Control: Towards 6G Networking

Dear Colleagues,

While 5G networks are in deployment, a new generation of network technologies has to be devised. 6G communication and network will continue the evolution of networks, moving toward wider bands and higher frequencies, with newer protocols and architectures which are able to guarantee ultrareliable low latency communications (URLLC) with almost deterministic requirements in terms of latency and delay jitter. The 6G generation begins with the promise to increase data rate and spectral efficiency in network contexts with growing complexity, where networks are much more heterogeneous and need new medium access techniques to guarantee maintainability reliability efficiency and usability.

Billions of sensors are going to be connected with 6G and IoT. Is the network ready to guarantee the required reliability and efficiency, though? In vehicular communications, cars are ready for a new mobility revolution, and new communication key factors must be considered to reduce the number of accidents. In fact, vehicular communication opens to new opportunities with distributed capabilities in terms of computation, storage, and sensing everywhere in the world. Is the network ready for these challenges?

This Special Issue addresses the challenges of lower network levels, to AI/ML in networking, optimization, game theory and 6G KPIs, etc.

The topics of interest of the Special Issue include but are not limited to:

• Optimal protocols to manage access control to the medium;
• Cyber-security aspects on medium access control on next-generation networks;
• New medium access control protocols: toward 6G;
• Technologies and techniques to harness new spectra;
• New network architectures: towards 6G;
• Machine learning and artificial intelligence for 6G-enabled MAC/network protocols;
• Random access for next-generation (6G) networks;
• Increasing spectral efficiency and improving coverage;
• More massive use of multi-RATs and multi-link techniques;
• Greater network densification;
• Challenges on Wi-Fi technologies (802.11 family) and 5G/6G: drawbacks and research potential;
• Innovative applications on 6G networking.

Dr. Danilo Amendola
Dr. Nicola Cordeschi
Guest Editors

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• cyber-security
• 6G networking
• access control
• network densification
• network architectures