5G/6G-Enabled IoT: Connectivity, Scalability and Low-Latency Applications
A special issue of Sensors (ISSN 1424-8220). This special issue belongs to the section "Internet of Things".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2026 | Viewed by 28
Special Issue Editors
Interests: telecommunications; mobile communications; 5G; 6G; techno-economic analysis; business modelling
Interests: mobile and wireless communication systems; channel characterization and propagation models; performance modeling of wireless networks; opportunistic mobile networks; cooperative communications; satellite and aerial networks
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Today, 5G and emerging 6G technologies are transforming the Internet of Things by providing massive device connectivity, elastic scalability, and dependable sub-millisecond latency from the edge to the cloud. Cross-layer advances—spanning radio, networking, computing, and security—enable deterministic, energy-efficient, cost-effective and resilient IoT services for industry, mobility, health, and smart cities.
The Special Issue explores theoretical advances, architecture designs, and experimental validations that harness FR1/FR2/FR3 spectra, XL-/cell-free MIMO, integrated sensing and communications, and AI-native control to support time-critical applications across industry, health, mobility, and smart cities. Emphasis is placed on cross-layer co-design—radio, networking, computing, and security—that guarantees reliability, energy efficiency, and deterministic latency at scale. We welcome research on network automation, digital twins, orchestration across terrestrial/aerial/maritime assets, and hardware-in-the-loop prototypes. Submissions may include analytical models, algorithms, testbeds, and standardized evaluations aligned with 3GPP, O-RAN, and ETSI MEC. Forward-looking perspectives on sustainability, techno-economics, and interoperability are encouraged, along with datasets and open-source artifacts. We aim to build a rigorous foundation and practical toolset for next-generation IoT ecosystems that are secure, responsive, and economically viable at a global, interoperable scale.
Topics of interest, include but not limited to, the following:
- URLLC and deterministic networking (TSN) for IoT;
- Edge AI, TinyML, and on-device learning;
- RIS-aided and cell-free IoT connectivity;
- Adaptive and reconfigurable antenna arrays;
- Hybrid beamforming techniques;
- Non-terrestrial IoT (UAV/HAPS/NTN) integration;
- O-RAN/RIC xApps for IoT slicing and QoS;
- Semantic and source-aware communications for IoT;
- Energy efficiency, EH/SLIPT, and green IoT;
- Secure, zero-trust, and post-quantum IoT protocols;
- FR3/THz channel models and localization for IoT;
- Digital twins and closed-loop orchestration for IoT;
- 6G enabled maritime IoT technologies;
- Techno-economic evaluation and business modeling.
Dr. Dimitris Katsianis
Dr. Demosthenes Vouyioukas
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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
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. Sensors is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2600 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
- URLLC and deterministic networking (TSN) for IoT
- edge AI, TinyML, and on-device learning
- RIS-aided and cell-free IoT connectivity
- adaptive and reconfigurable antenna arrays
- hybrid beamforming techniques
- non-terrestrial IoT (UAV/HAPS/NTN) integration
- O-RAN/RIC xApps for IoT slicing and QoS
- semantic and source-aware communications for IoT
- energy efficiency, EH/SLIPT, and green IoT
- secure, zero-trust, and post-quantum IoT protocols
- FR3/THz channel models and localization for IoT
- digital twins and closed-loop orchestration for IoT
- 6G enabled maritime IoT technologies
- techno-economic evaluation and business modeling
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
