Areas of interest and topics include, but are not limited to:

Beyond 5G and towards 6G architectures and networks:

– Towards 6G use cases and requirements
– Coverage extension approaches
– Extended coverage and disruptive infrastructure deployment models
– Efficiency and cooperation models across network segments
– Softwarized and flexible networks and services for high adaptability
– Reliability, resilience and robustness
– Cross-networks and services trustworthiness enablers

Edge-Cloud continuum and softwarized networks evolution:

– Edge for vertical industries
– Digital twins challenges
– Automotive and vehicular networking, vehicular cloud services
– Tactile Internet and precision networking
– Functional decomposition and orchestration, service chaining
– Protocols for ultra-low latency and ultra-high reliability
– Fog, edge and multi-access computing and networking
– Security, trust and privacy

Enablers and services for wireless and mobile networks:

– Network and service architecture, protocols, application-network layer interworking
– Scalability and multi-tenancy in 5G and emerging networks
– Green networking and efficient resource usage and service delivery
– Security, trust and privacy management in large systems and smart environments

Network automation and orchestration architectures and protocols:

– Zero-touch network and service management and orchestration
– Artificial intelligence for networks and networks for artificial intelligence
– Network data analytics, anomaly detection, and feature extraction
– Autonomic and cognitive networking
– Automated data, control, and management planes
– Intent-based network management  
– Network programmability
– Automated QoS and QoE management
– Orchestration of distributed cloud and network resources
– Security, societal and legal aspects of network automation

Technologies for innovation in clouds, Internet and networks:

– SDN, NFV, service function chaining, function placement and network embedding
– Cloud-native design applied to network planes
– Distributed Ledger Technologies in networking and network services
– Advanced multimedia and real-time communications, QoE/QoS Assurance
– Lightweight virtualization technologies, software and hardware acceleration
– Energy-efficient software-defined infrastructures
– Measurement, monitoring and telemetry
– Open-source projects and open standards