Communications & Networks Connect

The advent of the 6G and B6G networks marks a turning point in the development of the global interconnected environment. In the case of B6G we see the introduction of what may be very revolutionary services like the ‘touch internet’ and ‘holographic communications’. Also, we note that in addition to size and complexity, which are at present unprecedented, the new networks also have very high performance requirements of ultra-low latency, high reliability, and support for up to hundreds of millionsof devices. Also, we see that the traditional, centralized management approach is in large part what is breaking down in the new networks. The central approach which is also very rigid and prone to failure is what is leaving new networks in the dust as they try to deal with their dynamic complexity. In this context, this special issue focuses on the “fully autonomous network” paradigm, which envisions the metamorphosis of future networks into self-driving, self-enriching, and self-healing networks. Such networks are anticpaited to be realized via a seamless integration of artificial intelligence (AI), edge computing (EC), and cloud computing (CC), which gives it elastic, intelligent, and power-saving infrastructure. Hence, facilitating instantaneous adaptation, proactive control, and automated recovery from unplanned outages and security risks. Rationale and Challenges Complexity Catastrophe: The exponential growth of devices, base stations, and network slices in 6G/B6G networks, creates an ultra-complex system, in which, human intervention for control purposes is not possible. Temporal and Resource Challenges: Autonomous driving, extended reality, and industrial automation applications often require decisions at the microsecond level. Hence, intelligence needs to be distributed near the network’s edge. Resilience and Reliability: It’s widely accepted that mission-critical applications would require “six-nines” (99.9999%) reliability. This means that future networks must continuously predict, prevent, and mitigate failures, cyberattacks, and QoS degradation. All of these must be done without human intervention. Sustainability Imperative: The design of autonomous networks must take into account the sustainability as world focus turns to green energy and reducing environmental impact. Hence, which resources to be used and how energy consumption is reduced will be major aspect in such networks. Main Objectives This special issue focuses mainly on four themes: AI automation: Employ advanced AI for the management of networks in an explainable and trusted manner. Distributed Intelligence: Seamless collaboration between cloud and edge devices is enabled. Personal Healing and Sustainability: Building networks capable of automatically healing & having efficient power use. Security & Ethics: Addressing new AI threats and ensuring ethical, unbiased, and secure operations. Target Audience and Expected Impact This special issue could be a suitable venue for publication for the following contributors: Academic researchers who focus on the theory and algorithms for intelligent autonomy in networks. Experts from the telecom operators , hardware manufacturers, and cloud vendors are influencing the architecture of the new-generation 6G networks. Current standards and policy-making organizations (such as 3GPP, ITU, and ETSI) are looking for input on the technical, ethical, and broader societal implications of fully autonomous networks. By converging theory and practice, this issue aims to facilitate the development of an integrated roadmap for intelligent, robust, and sustainable communication networks. Autonomic networks will be the building blocks of the interconnected world ahead of us, enabling society to have a communications infrastructure that is faster, smarter, and automatically adaptive, secure, and sustainable. Topics of Interest Self-healing and fault-tolerant network architectures. AI-driven zero-touch network management. Federated and distributed learning for network optimization. Edge-cloud synergy and task offloading strategies. Trust, safety, and security in autonomous network control. Digital twin models for predictive network maintenance. Blockchain for decentralized orchestration and transparency. Energy-aware adaptive network operation. Network slicing and dynamic resource allocation for 6G. Reinforcement learning for end-to-end network automation. Benefits of submitting by the deadline No article processing charges Complimentary language editing For further details, please contact the editorial office at: info@scifiniti.com

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We invite researchers to contribute to our forthcoming special issue on Advances in Quantum Cryptography and its Applications. Quantum cryptography holds great promise for driving revolutionary advancements in secure communications. At present, quantum key distribution (QKD) and quantum random number generators (QRNGs) are the most mature technologies in the research area of quantum cryptography. Despite this progress, the path toward widespread adoption of QKD is constrained by two major challenges. The first challenge lies in improving key generation performance—specifically achieving higher key rates, longer transmission distances, and greater robustness against noise and loss in practical communication environments. Real-world conditions, such as channel imperfections, detector inefficiencies, and background noise, often degrade performance and limit scalability. The second challenge involves broadening the scope of QKD applications. While most current implementations focus on point-to-point secure key exchange, future directions may include integration with classical networks, deployment in large-scale quantum communication infrastructures, and novel paradigms such as satellite-based QKD, device-independent security models, and hybrid quantum–classical cryptographic systems. Expanding these application domains is essential for making QKD a versatile and indispensable component of next-generation secure communication technologies. On the other hand, the study of cryptographic protocols that extend beyond quantum key distribution in heterogeneous network environments remains relatively limited. While QKD has been the primary focus of most heterogeneous networks—comprising diverse quantum and classical infrastructures—could provide a versatile platform for testing, integrating, and ultimately deploying a wider range of advanced quantum cryptographic primitives. Such networks would not only enhance secure communication but also broaden the scope of quantum technologies by enabling protocols like quantum secret sharing; quantum digital signatures; quantum oblivious transfer; and quantum secure direct communication. By leveraging the capabilities of heterogeneous architecture, these emerging protocols could transition from theoretical constructions to practical applications, paving the way for a more comprehensive quantum-secured communication ecosystem. This special issue will spotlight and advance the state of the art in the design, implementation, and deployment of quantum cryptographic protocols across heterogeneous network environments. The goal is to bring together cutting-edge research that addresses the challenges of building secure, efficient, and interoperable quantum communication systems capable of operating at scale. Topics of interest Discrete-variable quantum key distribution Continuous-variable quantum key distribution Quantum random number generators Quantum cryptography beyond quantum key distribution Quantum networks and quantum internet architectures Heterogeneous quantum networks Hardware implementations of quantum cryptography Device independent quantum cryptography Benefits of submitting by the deadline No article processing charges Complimentary language editing For further details, please contact the editorial office at: info@scifiniti.com

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This special issue aims to showcase cutting-edge advancements in the design, development, and deployment of next-generation communication systems and optical networking technologies. With the rapid evolution of data-intensive applications, cloud computing, 5G/6G wireless systems, and IoT ecosystems, there is an urgent need for high-speed, low-latency, energy-efficient, and scalable communication infrastructures. Topics of interest The issue will cover a range of topics, including, but not limited to: Advanced optical fiber communication systems and photonic technologies 5G/6G communication networks and their integration with optical backbones Machine learning and AI-driven network management and optimization Software-defined networking (SDN) and network function virtualization (NFV) in optical networks Optical access, metro, and core network architectures Ultra-reliable and low-latency communication (URLLC) systems Terahertz and visible light communication technologies Quantum communication and optical encryption Green and sustainable network designs Integration of optical networks with IoT, edge, and cloud computing Target Audience This issue invites original research articles, comprehensive reviews, and visionary perspectives that explore novel architectures, algorithms, protocols, and applications driving the future of high-performance communication and optical networks. Benefits of submitting by the deadline No article processing charges Complimentary language editing For further details, please contact the editorial office at: info@scifiniti.com

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