Several enabling technologies are being explored for the fifth-generation (5G) mobile system era. The aim is to evolve a cellular network that remarkably pushes forward the limits of legacy mobile systems across all dimensions of performance metrics. One dominant technology that consistently features in the list of the 5G enablers is the millimeter-wave (mmWave) massive multiple-input-multiple-output (massive MIMO) system. It shows potentials to significantly raise user throughput, enhance spectral and energy efficiencies and increase the capacity of mobile networks using the joint capabilities of the huge available bandwidth in the mmWave frequency bands and high multiplexing gains achievable with massive antenna arrays. In this survey, we present the preliminary outcomes of extensive research on mmWave massive MIMO (as research on this subject is still in the exploratory phase) and highlight emerging trends together with their respective benefits, challenges, and proposed solutions. The survey spans broad areas in the field of wireless communications, and the objective is to point out current trends, evolving research issues and future directions on mmWave massive MIMO as a technology that will open up new frontiers of services and applications for next-generation cellular networks.

This article provides an overview of the development and standardizations of connectivity solutions for enabling the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). It also highlights key IIoT connectivity technologies and platforms that have the potential of driving the next industrial revolution. In addition, the article addresses the main challenges standing in the way of realizing the full potential of the IIoT, namely attaining secure connectivity and managing a vastly fragmented ecosystem of connectivity solutions and platforms. Finally, IIoT connectivity challenges are illustrated by the example of future building automation.

The increasing number of mobile users has given impetus to the demand for high data rate proximity services. The fifth-generation (5G) wireless systems promise to improve the existing technology according to the future demands and provide a road map for reliable and resource-efficient solutions. Device-to-device (D2D) communication has been envisioned as an allied technology of 5G wireless systems for providing services that include live data and video sharing. A D2D communication technique opens new horizons of device-centric communications, i.e., exploiting direct D2D links instead of relying solely on cellular links. Offloading traffic from traditional network-centric entities to D2D network enables low computational complexity at the base station besides increasing the network capacity. However, there are several challenges associated with D2D communication. In this paper, we present a survey of the existing methodologies related to aspects such as interference management, network discovery, proximity services, and network security in D2D networks. We conclude by introducing new dimensions with regard to D2D communication and delineate aspects that require further research.

The pervasiveness of commercial Internet of Things (IoT) around the globe is expected to reach significant levels with the upcoming sixth generation of mobile networks (6G). Throughout the past years, wireless standardization units worldwide have been prominently active in the deployment and performance optimization of such IoT networks and fusing them with current and futuristic cellular networks. Nonetheless, the openness of wireless transmissions and the forecasted overwhelm in connected devices will provoke unprecedented security leakages and vulnerabilities. In addition to the key targets of the 6G and IoT, it has been of paramount importance to cater to decent and lightweight security mechanisms in ultra-massively connected heterogeneous networks. Recently, significant efforts have been made to pave the way for the integration of physical layer security (PLS) in contemporary and futuristic networks. The primary motivation behind its deployment resides in its low complexity and ability to provide information-theoretic secure transmissions, which alleviates the complexity burden caused by implementing complex cryptographic schemes. This survey overviews the recent advancement in PLS techniques with a particular interest in its application to the Internet of Things (IoT). We review essentially recent PLS techniques aiming at ensuring message confidentiality along with node/message authentication and malicious nodes’ detection, where their corresponding application scenarios and underlying pros and cons are discussed. On top of that, we explore recent findings in the incorporation of cutting-edge technologies at the physical layer, such as non-orthogonal multiple-access, reconfigurable intelligent surfaces, joint communication and sensing, and optical wireless/Terahertz communications in boosting confidentiality and authentication at the physical layer. Lastly, promising extensions and future directions are discussed based on the quantified pros and cons of each PLS category, opening up ways for timely research directions within the topic and current/future challenges faced by PLS.

Direct mobile-to-mobile communication, also known as device-to-device (D2D), is expected to be a part of LTE-A in 3GPP Release 12. Direct communication will improve spectrum efficiency, overall system throughput, and energy efficiency, and decrease the delay between devices. It will enable new peer-to-peer and location-based applications and services. Introducing D2D poses many challenges and risks to the longstanding cellular architecture, which is centered on the base station. Therefore, in this article we explain the architectural and technical challenges for D2D communication in the 3GPP standard, and at the end of the article we also highlight the real-life applications and use cases for D2D communication. It is clear that D2D can offer a palette of interesting colors that can paint new business opportunities for mobile stakeholders, promoting its candidacy for next generation wireless communication system.

This article surveys all known fields of network coding theory and leads the reader through the antecedents of the network coding theory to the most recent results, considering also information theory and matroid theory. By focusing on providing ideas and not formulas, this survey is both fitted for the taste of readers who are mathematically oriented and newcomers to the area. Additionally, this survey also includes an innovative and clear graph representation of the most prominent literature on network coding theory, its relevance and evolution from the very beginning till today.