Next-Generation Optical Networks for 5G, 6G, and Beyond
A Special Issue of Photonics (ISSN 2304-6732) belonging to the section "Optical Communication and Network".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 August 2026) | Viewed by 1857
Editors
Interests: 5G and beyond; 6G; SDN/NFV; cloud-native; passive optical networking; integration of NTN to TN; MANO; edge computing; 5G core
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: 6G; 5G/B5G technologies; optimization solutions in networking; algorithm design; cloud-native frameworks; advanced network architectures
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The rapid deployment of 5G networks has accelerated the demand for more advanced network solutions that can handle the increasing requirements for bandwidth, ultra-low latency, and energy efficiency. As we look beyond 5G to 6G, optical networks will play a pivotal role in enabling these next-generation communication systems. With applications such as immersive media, autonomous vehicles, and the Internet of Everything (IoE) on the horizon, innovations in optical networking are essential. Key technologies include dynamic bandwidth allocation, fiber-to-everything (FTTx), and the integration of optical and wireless networks, which will be crucial in meeting the evolving demands of 5G, 6G, and beyond.
This Special Issue seeks to highlight cutting-edge research and advancements in the design, development, and implementation of optical networks for 5G, 6G, and future communication systems. We encourage contributions that explore new algorithms, architectures, and technologies that enhance the capabilities, performance, and efficiency of optical networks to support the complex requirements of these next-generation systems.
The topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Dynamic bandwidth allocation algorithms for optical networks in 5G/6G;
- Convergence of optical and wireless networks for 5G and 6G;
- Fiber-optic technologies for ultra-low-latency communication;
- Network slicing and orchestration in 5G/6G optical networks;
- Energy-efficient optical network design for 5G/6G;
- Optical networks supporting IoT, smart cities, and autonomous systems;
- Security and privacy in optical communication systems for 5G/6G;
- AI and machine learning applications in optical network management;
- Photonic technologies for 5G/6G applications;
- Performance evaluation and scalability of next-generation optical networks.
Dr. Hamzeh Khalili
Dr. Fatemeh Tabatabimehr
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-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Photonics 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 2400 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.
Keywords
- 5G and beyond
- 6G
- dynamic bandwidth allocation
- network slicing
- fiber-to-everything (FTTx)
- optical fronthaul
- backhaul
- energy-efficient networks
- photonic technologies
- AI-driven network management
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