Multimedia Communication in 6G and Beyond Networks

Dear Colleagues,

Multimedia traffic will be more than 80% of future Internet traffic by 2022. With the new emergence of multimedia applications, such as 4K/8K video streaming services, Augmented Reality (AR)/Virtual Reality (VR), and Internet of Things (IoT), it remains challenging for both Internet Service Providers (ISP)/Mobile Network Operators (MNO) and Over-The-Top (OTT) providers to optimize multimedia service delivery. Therefore, there is a need to provide novel network and service management approaches for multimedia services in next-generation networks such as 5G/6G networks to address the current issues and challenges related to quality of experience (QoE), cybersecurity, user privacy and traffic management. Multidisciplinary data-driven research is crucial to provide an opportunity to develop novel solutions that will transform multimedia services in next-generation networks. Furthermore, network enabling technologies such as software-defined networking (SDN), network function virtualization (NFV), and mobile edge computing (MEC) allow developing and deploying data-driven artificial intelligence (AI)/machine learning (ML)-based optimization of multimedia services in 6G and beyond networks. 

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

• COVID-19 and beyond future research challenges and opportunities in field multimedia communication
• Novel approaches for multimedia network and service management in 6G and beyond
• QoE-aware monitoring and management strategies for multimedia services in 6G networks
• User privacy of multimedia applications in future networks
• Cybersecurity and multimedia communication
• Data-driven approaches for multimedia service management in 6G networks
• AI/ML solutions for multimedia service optimization in future networks
• Advanced machine learning and AI solutions for QoE prediction/measurement
• Network management solutions for multimedia applications using Software-Defined Networking (SDN)/Network Function Virtualization (NFV), and Mobile Edge Computing (MEC)
• Standardization activities in the field of multimedia communication
• QoE modeling and assessment of emerging multimedia applications such as 4K/8K video streaming, AR/VR, and IoT
• New network architectures, concepts, and testbeds to harness emerging services toward 6G and beyond networks
• New business model development and economic challenges for 5G/6G network slicing
• Innovative cloud/edge model for multimedia applications, e.g., Video Game as a Service (VGaaS)
• Congestion control mechanisms using network slicing, SDN, and NFV

Dr. Arslan Ahmad
Dr. Thanuja Mallikarachchi
Dr. Alcardo Alex Barakabitze
Dr. Chaminda Hewage
Dr. Alessandro Floris
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Future Internet is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.