Journal Publication

It is foreseen that in future mobile communication systems, networks will be abstracted into network slicing (NS), which enables design, deployment, customization, and optimization of isolated virtual sub-networks/slices on a common physical network infrastructure. As an overarching feature towards 5G-and-beyond to support all scenarios efficiently, network slicing enables design, deployment, customization, and optimization of isolated virtual sub-networks, or slices on a common physical network infrastructure. It has been attracting much attention recently from both academia and industry on the core network function virtualization. However, from the radio network aspect, spectrum- and cost-efficient radio air-interface to achieve the true potential of end-to-end network slicing for the future diverse radio system is still an open issue under discussion in academia and industry. While it is critical towards the full end-to-end slicing and gain the true potential for wide range of vertical industries and section including manufacturing, entertainment, public safety, public transport, healthcare, financial services, automotive and energy utilities.
The proposed special issue Network Slicing Technology for 5G-and-Beyond is anticipated as a collection of outstanding technical research and industrial papers covering new research results with wide range of ingredients within the 5G-and-beyond framework. Moreover, this special issue is expected to provide an opportunity for exchanging new ideas and creating new space for innovative concepts in solving the challenging problems of heterogenous communication requirements.

The proposed special issue has intended to examine the technical challenges, review the economic opportunities, and discuss possible paths to regulatory solutions for advanced technologies for 5G-and-Beyond systems. Both the theoretical and application sides are welcomed. The topics of interest for the special issue include, but are not limited to:

• New network architecture for slice-based mobile networks
• Software Defined Networking (SDN) 
• Network Function Virtualization (NFV)
• Network slicing technology in core networks
• Radio access network slicing (RAN slicing) technology
• Radio resource configurations and/or re-configurations on RAN Slicing
• End-to-end network slice construction and deployment
• NB-IoT and coexistence with LTE
• Interference management and cancelation
• Internet of Things (IoT), mMTC, M2M
• Advanced network architecture for future wireless communications
• Specific/tailored service provisioning to users (including slice association, admission control, etc.)
• Networking and communications for new scenarios, such as enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB), massive Machine Type Communication (mMTC), ultra Reliable Low Latency Communication (uRLLC).
• Vertical industry applications, including V2V, UAV, etc.
• Mobility management in RAN slicing (including handoff schemes for RAN slicing, handoff schemes among different RATs, new technologies for signaling exchanges, etc.)

Lead Guest Editor 
Yao Sun, The University of Glasgow, UK

Guest Editors
Zhenrong Zhang, Guangxi University, China
Rong Shi, Science and Technology on Electronic Information Control Laboratory