Guest Editorial: 6G-Enabled Network in Box (NIB) for Industrial Applications and Services

The advent of 5G and beyond networks paves the way for significant innovations in industrial applications and services. It does not only offer broadband services through mobile networks. Indeed it unleashes application layer innovation. Potentially beneficial to millions of users. Though it looks attractive, it possesses very complex network functions proven to be well defined and consistent. This special issue is hosted to address three major drawbacks in 6G-enabled NIB industrial applications. The first is to implement a portable solution that constitutes a core network product that can be easily implemented across small hardware platforms. The second is to find cost-effective solutions, with each core supporting a small network. Finally, finding new innovative paradigms for 6G enabled NIB that can operate in very challenging environments in a qualitative, flexible, and scalable manner.