5G and beyond Wireless Communication Networks: Radio Technologies and Deployment Scenarios

Dear Colleagues,

The combination of two leading enabling technologies, mmWave communications and massive MIMO, will enable the deployment of 5G/5G+/6G communications systems in complex wireless environments.

A set of new deployment scenarios, demanding use cases and applications, will require the development of the sixth generation (5G+/6G) of wireless communications. In 5G+/6G networks, added features such as support for connected smart devices, connected vehicle-to-vehicle communications, high mobility communications and healthcare services, and high connectivity to end users are expected. The combination of the two technologies in these new scenarios will significantly increase user throughput, improve spectral efficiency and increase the capacity of mobile networks.

However, signals in millimeter bands are prone to higher propagation losses, strong atmospheric absorption, greater attenuation due to rain, and vulnerability to blocking by objects. However, these drawbacks can be overcome by employing interference suppression techniques and the use of relay stations or Integrated Access and Backhaul (IABs) to circumvent obstacles and avoid blockages. These challenging situations will require an exact modeling of MIMO propagation channels, intrinsically broadband channels, and solving problems associated with the complexities of signal processing and estimation and equalization for access and backhaul links.

On the other hand, it will be necessary to solve the technological challenges associated with the implementation of 5G transceivers that work at millimeter frequencies and with multiple antennas, which will require technological developments with excellent energy efficiency, high integration and linearity of the amplifiers.

In this context, this Special Issue aims to bring together innovative contributions that identify and discuss new technological developments, conceptual innovations, new concepts in massive MIMO channel modeling, possible use cases in vertical markets and technical challenges related to the deployment of communication systems, 5G and beyond, in challenging scenarios.

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

• Cell-free and massive MIMO and mmWaves technologies.
• MmWave and massive MIMO channel modeling in challenge environments.
• MmWave and MIMO meets other communications technologies, such UAV-based MIMO and satellite communications.
• Simulation tools, benchmarks and testbeds for relaying and IAB systems.
• Millimeter wave technology for transceivers.
• Software defined radio and smart radio.
• Channel modeling in millimeter bands and with multi-user MIMO systems.
• Complex deployment scenarios: high mobility transportation—high speed trains and hyperloop, broadband access in dense areas, airports and railway stations, autonomous car, industry 4.0, IoT, etc.

The proposed topic on 5G technology, and beyond, will allow an analysis of the technical and technological aspects related to the deployment of 5G technologies in technically challenging deployment scenarios and how the different technologies (millimeter bands, massive mIMO, propagation channel characterization, relaying techniques) should be combined to achieve a successful deployment of 5G technologies in these scenarios.

Prof. Dr. José I. Alonso
Guest Editor

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