Track on Next Generation Mobile Communications

The track solicits new and previously unpublished papers on (but not limited to) the following topics:

• Next Generation Cellular (LTE-A-Pro, 5G New Radio (NR))

• Next-Generation Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11ax/ay)

• Next-Generation non-RF communications systems (Visible light (Li-Fi), molecular, acoustic systems)

• Millimeter Wave access, fronthaul, backhaul and self-backhauling

• Massive MIMO communications

• Above 100 GHz wireless systems for access and backhaul in beyond 5G

• Automotive/V2X and ultra-reliable low latency (URLLC) communications

• Massive MTC (mMTC), Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), and long distance communications

• Green and energy efficient wireless networks

• Fronthaul and Backhaul for next generation radio access networks (RAN)

• Virtualization of existing and future radio access networks (RAN)

• Cloud, edge and fog computing applied to the RAN

• 5G operation and coexistence in unlicensed and shared spectrum bands

• Multiple Radio Access Technologies (M-RATs) interworking and aggregation

• New control signaling for heterogeneous networks

• R&D and standardization activities towards IMT-2020 and beyond

• Spectrum regulation above 24GHz

• Results from simulation, proof-of-concepts, test beds and trials

Track on Edge Computing, protocols, routing and transport for 5G

The emerging 5G services introduce stringent performance requirements on telecoms networks that cannot be met unless a significant network infrastructure upgrade occurs in terms of capacity, latency assurance and jitter, availability, scalability and reliability. Ultimately, new network architectures that merge storage and computation into the network infrastructure should deliver services in an end-to- end manner. These architectures enable a paradigm shift for supporting network operational services, with particular interest in RANs that can take advantage of the high capacity fixed network solutions and enable concepts such as the cloud RAN and network slicing. The introduction of Multi-access Edge Computing (MEC) standard in ETSI is witnessing the progressive introduction of end-user applications at the edge of the communication network. MEC will bring significant benefits not only for operators but also for third parties and over-the- top (OTT) companies that will have the opportunity to run their applications at the edge of the fixed and mobile network, close to subscribers. In addition, new protocols and routing including ICN and VPNs enhancements may assist to enable this landscape facilitating new RAN architectures and also new backhaul, fronthaul and midhaul technologies and services.

This track is looking to discuss standards-related topics on Softwarization and Network Slicing. Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Programmable Architecture for 5G services and verticals.

• Multi-Access Edge Computing, Edge-Fog Computing.

• Analysis and considerations for common VNFs across fixed and mobile networks.

• Routing protocols, segment routing and VPN extensions for 5G slicing.

• Multi-tenancy and control of heterogeneous infrastructures

• Transporting 5G mobile services over optical access networks

• SDN solutions for mobile networks and fixed IP cross layer transport and routing

• 5G architectures supporting Cloud-RAN and functional split options

• 5G architectures supporting fronthaul/backhaul integration

• End-to- end resource optimization for 5G mobile services: from radio head to data centre

• Backhauk/fronthaul considerations for dynamic capacity and mobility management

• Delivering services over ICN in 5G within a framework enabling network slicing

• Enhancing 5G backhauk/fronthaul with ICN

• Mechanisms and protocol enhancements for Hybrid Access networks

• Introduction of ETSI MEC technology and applications on vertical market segments

• New user applications at the edge of the communication network

Track on IoT, massive MTC and V2X (3GPP, OneM2M, IETF)

Internet of Thing (IoT) is progressing fast in the industry and various standardization bodies have been proposed. It also raises huge interest in academia. For instance, 3GPP is now exploring solutions for cellular systems for ultra-low complexity and low throughput Cellular IoT devices. It is enhancing existing features for Machine Type Communication (MTC). oneM2M has published Release 2 of its specification which is focused on M2M/IoT interworking. It is now specifying various new service layer features including 3GPP-oneM2M interworking, industrial domain enablement and interworking with local area standards (such as OCF). IETF focuses on developing protocol specifications for constraint IoT devices and is actively building standards to enable secure authentication and authorization to IoT devices. In addition, IEEE P2413 and AIOTI are specifying standards to develop a robust architectural framework for IoT, reducing market fragmentation, improving interoperability, and serving as a catalyst for continued IoT growth. Vehicle to anything (V2X) is progressed now in many organizations like IEEE or ETSI for a long time and is even  considered in 3GPP for LTE and for 5G, which could be seen as a special application of automated IoT communication, e.g. for time critical transmission of warning messages between vehicles.

This track invites original articles on the following topics, but are not limited to:

• IoT architecture design and optimization

• Security and privacy of IoT devices and services

• System optimization to support ultra-low complexity devices

• Standardised semantic data description framework and technologies

• IoT communication procedure enhancements

• Experience and lessons learntforstandards based IoT large scale pilots

• IoT standards for platform interworking

• IoT interoperability methodologies

• IoT standards gap analysis

• 5G Networks and IoT

• Low Power Wide Area (LPWA) networks

• Software Defined Network (SDN) and IoT

• Industrial Internet of Things

• Internet of Mobile Things (IoMT) architecture design and protocols

• Massive data transportation and analysis through IoT

• Factory of Things

• Edge Computing, Fog Computing, Cloud Computing and IoT

• IPv6-based IoT Networks

• IoT communication protocols: IPv6, 6LoWPAN, RPL, 6TiSCH, WoT, LoRaWAN, NB-IoT

• IoT data protocol: MQTT-SN, COAP, XMPP-IoT, AMQP

• IoT security in the sense of massive IoT deployments

• URLLC for mission critical IoT

• V2X standards and architectures

Track on Softwarization and Network slicing

It is anticipated that future mobile networks will have to heavily rely on Softwarization and Network Slicing to support the diverse and extreme requirements of future services and use cases. Network Softwarization, driven by Network-Function Virtualization (NFV) and Software-Defined Networking (SDN), enables dynamic and on-demand identification, placement, and activation of network and service functions. These enablers also gave rise to the network slicing concept: a network slice is expected to efficiently host only essential network components and functions necessary for the service and thereby reduce deployment complexity. In addition, the network slicing concept provides facilities for multiple virtualized and logically self-contained networks, potentially managed by different operators, to run on a shared infrastructure, enabling multi-tenancy and hence cost optimization.

This track is looking to discuss standards-related topics on Softwarization and Network Slicing. Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Programmable Architecture for 5G and beyond services and verticals

• Cross-slice management

• Central Cloud Computing vs Edge-Fog Computing paradigms

• 5G Functional Decomposition and Deployment

• Secure Operations in Future Virtualized Networks

• Resource Management for Network Slicing

• Dedicated core network functions in shared network slices

• Network slicing issues with multi-RATs devices

• Cross-slice management for End-to-end QoS

• Elastic Resource sharing in Virtualized Networks

• Joint storage, computational, and communication resource optimization

• Fundamental trade-offs in Network Softwarization

• Experimentation experience in Softwarization and Network Slicing

• SDN and NFV frameworks and architectures

• SDN northbound, southbound and east-west interfaces

• SDN programming languages and data models

• Progress and future challenges in ETSI NFV and SDN

• Progress and future challenges in IETF/IRTF related WGs/RGs

• SDN and NFV in wireless and mobile networks

• Orchestration and Management in SDN and NFV

• Multi-domain considerations in SDN and NFV

• SDN and NFV in multi-tenancy environment

• Open Source efforts (e.g., ETSI NFV, OPNFV, OpenStack, OpenMANO)

• QoS/QoE aspects related to SDN and NFV based network services

• Inter/Intra Data Center considerations for hosting SDN and NFV based network services

• Performance, Fault and Lifecycle management of virtualized network functions and network services

• Carrier-grade performance considerations in SDN and NFV based infrastructures