IEEE Internet Computing provides journal-quality evaluation and review of emerging and maturing Internet technologies and applications. The magazine targets the technical and scientific Internet user communities as well as designers and developers of Internet-based applications and enabling technologies. IC publishes refereed articles on the latest developments and key trends in Internet technologies and applications.

A crossroads between academic researchers and software professionals, the magazine presents novel content from academic and industry experts on a wide range of topics, including applications, architectures, information management, middleware, policies, security, and standards.

In addition to peer-reviewed articles, IC features industry reports, surveys, tutorials, columns, and news.

Special Issue on 6G Technologies and Applications
Submission Date: 2023-09-30

With the rapid ongoing commercialization of the fifth generation (5G) cellular networking technology, the future roadmap 5G is expected to make it robust. The past decade has shown us that the growth of mobile connected devices and data rates have continued to explode, and there is no slowing down as we head towards the next decade. The is largely due to our society moving towards hyper connectivity and economies becoming fully digitalized. Over time, the maturity of 5G technology will further propel the load and reliance on mobile technology that will demand for even faster networks with greater capacity, pushing the capabilities of 5G to its limits. No doubt, many organizations from the technology domain around the world are already thinking of the next frontier of wireless communications: the sixth-generation, or 6G.

6G is expected to provide significantly superior communication capacities and capabilities than its predecessor. 6G is touted to support data rates as high as 1 terabit per second (i.e., 100x of what 5G is expected to support), <1ms (microsecond-level) latency with 99.99999% reliability. Emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), terahertz (THz) communication, optical wireless communication, intelligent reflective surfaces, blockchain, dynamic network slicing, cell-free communication, edge computing, and big-data analytics are among the few that are expected to be the driving forces behind realizing 6G technology. 6G is expected to fuel innovative applications such as holographic-type communications (HTC), Tactile Internet, connected autonomous vehicles (CAVs), unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), autonomous healthcare solutions and manufacturing systems, virtual/augmented/extended reality (VR/AR/XR), and more. This special issue aims to bring together contributions from researchers, scientists, engineers, and industry professionals from around the world to capture ideas on the latest advancements and challenges on the path towards 6G technologies and its applications.

This special issue of IEEE Internet Computing focuses on 6G technologies and applications, including but not limited to, the following:

- 6G wireless communication systems and standards
- Exploration of open architectures for future RAN and Core Networks
- AI-based architectures, frameworks, and testbeds for 6G
- Roles of AI in public and hybrid clouds with 6G applications
- Role of private networks in 6G
- Integration of non-terrestrial networks
- Networking with reconfigurable intelligent surfaces for 6G
- Energy efficient architectures and techniques for 6G
- Novel energy harvesting technologies for 6G infrastructure and applications
- Integrated communication and sensing in 6G
- Role of positioning in 6G communications and services
- Interoperability of 6G with 5G and prior legacy technologies
- AI for 6G infrastructure monitoring and alerting
- Network automation using AI/ML for improved resource utilization in 6G cellular networks
- Cybersecurity with AI/ML automation on 6G networks and applications
- Smart 6G networks enabled by network slicing
- Innovative Edge cloud and IoT solutions enabled by 5G/6G technologies
- Network API for innovative 6G services
- New ways of delivering existing services in 6G to improve user experience, efficiency, and costs
- Innovative services (e.g., smart cities, autonomous vehicles, IoT, drones) enabled by AI and 6G
- Use case studies on 6G services in the entertainment, healthcare, transportation, communications, manufacturing, and other industries
- Evaluation frameworks for 6G including 6G network digital twins
- End-to-end measurement and validation frameworks for 6G KPIs