The rise of Smart Communications in Network Technologies has led to the growth of intelligent communications domains embedded in complex systems for a wide variety of applications in the next generation of network and cloud computing technologies. Indeed, autonomous systems embedded in complex configurations and dynamic environments have developed rapidly and today's traditional applications have given ways to complex systems where different modular devices, actuators and sensors can closely interact. In fact, current research and development efforts in these topics are paving the way to a new, and in some scenarios, even a plethora of disruptive services and applications with a highly significant impact on the broad society. This has considerably affected the control mechanisms of a given system. This path to a new world of services is mainly supported by the smartness added in several network stages, from the edge terminal to the far Cloud.

On the other hand, the evolution of Internet uses calls for more quality guarantees in order to support stringent services. Applications, which are based on high‐level commands, accomplish some specific tasks; reveal new challenges regarding mechanic design, portability, acceptability, power support, and efficiency; control theory, cost, economic aspects, scalability, security, etc. Current trends are to propose new autonomic architecture schemes that manage and control future emerging networks: sky of clouds, Internet of things, Smart Grids, Smart Cities, smart industry, cloud/fog computing, open/big data processing, pervasive worldwide connection, etc. Unlike traditionally handled, the target of today's efforts in industry or academia is mainly pushing for a high societal impact, hence deploying services with a high impact on individuals, including for example, dependable services based on smart wearables or driving assistance solutions in smart transportation systems.

The Special Issue focuses on the most recent advances in smart communications and Information Communication Technology networks impact not only on network technologies (protocols, equipment, algorithms, power, etc.) but also on creating collective and individual awareness about the multiple sustainability threats which our society is facing nowadays at social and environmental levels, considering a wide variety of applications (health care, underwater, vehicular, robotic, economics, etc.).

After going through a deep peer‐review process, we selected 17 outstanding papers for publication in this special issue of the International Journal of Communication Systems ( IJCS).

The first paper, “Q2ABR: QoE‐aware adaptive video bit rate solution” by Lamine Amour et al, deals with the quality of experience (QoE) metrics. The paper presents a new adaptive bitrate streaming method. This method is based on estimating and monitoring users' video streaming experience, ensures a good user QoE and optimizes bandwidth utilization by monitoring video buffer fill rate to ensure minimal data traffic.

The second paper, “A consistent QoS routing strategy for video streaming services in SDN networks,” co‐authored by Djamel Eddine Henni, Abdelghani Ghomari, and Yassine Hadjadj‐Aoul, proposes a network architecture that guarantees the consistency of the decisions to be taken in a SDN network. A consistent QoS routing strategy is then introduced in a way that avoids any quality degradation of prioritized traffic while optimizing resources usage.

Tran Anh Quang Pham et al present in the third paper, “Virtual network function–forwarding graph embedding: A genetic algorithm approach,” a genetic algorithm‐based scheme to solve multi‐objective Network Function Virtualization‐Forwarding Graphs allocation to deploy and manage network and telecommunications' services. A typical service can be expressed in the form of a virtual network function–forwarding graph (VNF‐FG). Allocating a VNF‐FG is equivalent to place VNFs and virtual links onto a given substrate network considering resources and quality‐of‐service (QoS) constraints.

The fourth paper, “Multiattribute‐based routing for lifetime maximization in opportunistic mobile social networks,” by Syed Rabiya and Ramalakshmi Ramar, focuses on opportunistic mobile social network, which enables users to share data online even if there is no connected path between source and destination nodes. The widespread use of mobile phones equipped with WiFi, Bluetooth, and several other components and contact opportunities among humans bridge the gap between internet available and no available area. The authors have proposed a new routing approach, which utilizes both spatial and temporal attributes of user such as probability to meet a particular location and remaining intercontact time between two nodes to select better relay nodes.

Omar Sami Oubbati et al design in the fifth paper, “U2RV: UAV‐assisted reactive routing protocol for VANETs,” a new flooding scheme that automatically reacts at each topology variation while overcoming the present obstacles during exchanging data in ad hoc mode with drones that are commonly called unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Also, the aim of the work presented here is to explore well‐regulated routing paths providing a long lifetime connectivity based on the amount of traffic and the expiration time of each discovered path.

The sixth paper, “e‐LiteSense: Self‐adaptive energy‐aware data sensing in WSN environments,” co‐authored by João Marco Silva et al, focuses on a resource‐constrained infrastructure such as wireless sensor networks. As known, their characteristics‐WSN adaptability, low‐overhead, and low‐energy consumption are particularly relevant in dynamic and autonomous sensing environments where the measuring requirements change, and human intervention is not viable. The work presents e‐LiteSense as an adaptive, energy‐aware sensing solution for WSNs, capable of auto‐regulate how data are sensed, adjusting it to each applicational scenario. The proposed adaptive scheme is able to maintain the sensing accuracy of the physical phenomena, while reducing the overall process overhead.

Souvik Sengupta et al focus in the seventh paper, “Essentiality of managing the resource information in the coordinated fog‐to‐cloud paradigm,” on fog‐to‐cloud (F2C) computing systems by combining the cloud, fog, and IoT. The work presented here is to find out a solution for properly organizing all comprehensive informational catalog of resources and services over a F2C system.

The eighth paper, “Implementation of an efficient extreme learning machine for node localization in unmanned aerial vehicle assisted wireless sensor networks,” co‐authored by Visalakshi Annepu and Rajesh Anbazhagan, focuses on the problem of node localization in wireless sensor networks which is essential for many networking protocols like clustering, routing, and network map building. The study developed here is based on the use of nonlinear artificial neural network models such as multilayer perceptron (MLP) models for node localization in unmanned aerial vehicle‐assisted WSNs. As MLP suffers from slow training speed, which limits its usage in real‐time applications, the authors suggest a new method called extreme learning machine (ELM) which works on empirical error minimization theory, and its learning process requires only a single iteration.

The ninth paper, “Robust congestion control in cognitive radio network using dynamic event‐triggered sliding mode,” co‐authored by Tirtha Majumder et al, treats the development of a robust congestion controller to sustain necessary Quality of Service in Cognitive Radio Network. The goal is to reduce packet loss while ensuring optimum utilization of available resources. Sliding mode controller proclaimed for its disturbance rejection capabilities and robustness has been used to design the proposed controller. Using the benefits of sliding mode control, dynamic event‐triggering strategies have been combined for better utilization in resource‐constrained environments.

Pratap Khuntia, Ranjay Hazra and Peter Chong present in the tenth paper, “An efficient actor‐critic reinforcement learning for device‐to‐device communication underlaying sectored cellular network,” a novel reinforcement learning (RL) approach with cell sectoring to solve the channel and power allocation issue for a device‐to‐device‐enabled cellular network when the prior traffic information is not known to the base station. This work explores an optimal policy for resource and power allocation between users intending to maximize the sum‐rate of the overall system. Since the behavior of wireless channel and traffic request of users in the system is stochastic in nature, the dynamic property of the environment gives the possibility to employ an actor‐critic RL technique to learn the best policy through continuous interaction with the surrounding.

In the eleventh paper, “Coverage analysis of cell‐edge users in heterogeneous wireless networks using Stienen's model and RFA scheme,” co‐authored by Muhammad Sajid Haroon et al, uses Stienen's model as a base station deployment strategy to improve network performance gain and to overcome some limitations from traditional approaches in heterogeneous wireless networks. More specifically, they use reverse frequency allocation as an interference management scheme together with Stienen's model to significantly improve signal‐to‐interference‐plus‐noise ratio, enhance edge user coverage, and avoid small base stations deployment near the macro base stations.

Moreover, in the same area, Androw Sobhy, Shaimaa ElSayed, and Abdelhalim Zekry present in the twelfth paper, “Enhancing the performance of optical VLC system based on asymmetric symmetric subcarriers OFDM,” a system named asymmetric symmetric subcarriers enhanced optical (ASSEO)‐orthogonal frequency‐division multiplexing (OFDM) applied to visible light communications based on OFDM technique. In fact, visible light communications based on the OFDM technique play an important role in the field of wireless communications. In order to improve performance and reduce the system complexity, the proposed system enhances the transmitted data rate by a factor of 1/8 compared with other existing systems.

In the security domain, the thirteenth paper, “A lightweight efficient chaos‐based cryptosystem for constrained‐node networks,” co‐authored by Mustapha Reda Senouci et al, focuses on how to secure Constrained‐Node Networks (CNN) communications in order to prevent devastating unauthorized access to critical information. The paper presents a chaos‐based efficient lightweight secure communication system for CNNs. The proposed cryptosystem performs optimized confusion‐diffusion operations at the byte level allowing it to be fully implemented on an 8‐bit microcontroller.

Leila Benarous et al present in the fourteenth paper, “Privacy‐preserving authentication scheme for on‐road on‐demand refilling of pseudonym in VANET,” a new privacy‐preserving solution used in VANET. The vehicle anonymously authenticates itself to the regional authority subsidiary of the central trusted authority to request a new pseudonyms pool. The authentication method has two phases, the first one uses anonymous tickets, and the second one is a challenge‐based authentication.

In the fifteenth paper, “An efficient and lightweight multi‐scroll chaos‐based hardware solution for protecting fingerprint biometric templates,” co‐authored by Mohamed Salah Azzaz et al, a new efficient and lightweight approach is presented for enhancing the security of biometric models, namely, fingerprint templates, against possible attacks. The proposed design is based on Vernam stream cipher in which the key generator is designed in the hardware manner. The designed cryptosystem consists of using multi‐scroll chaotic system that is characterized by a large key space and can be generated N × N grid multi‐scroll attractors, with a good behavior of chaotic dynamic. The hardware approach is carried out through describing Euler method by VHDL.

Fairouz Chehbour et al treat in the sixteenth paper, “OMS: Opportunistic mules for short latency data collection in smart cities,” the requirements needed for collecting data by sensors in smart city scenarios. In such case, efficient data collection mechanisms considering the urban environment characteristics should take place. However, being applied to urban environment leads to high data delivery latency due to the characteristics of this environment. In order to reduce the collection latency of such an approach, the paper proposes to provide each road segment with a data mule to create a process of distributed data collection. In that way, the scheme adopted here leverages opportunistic inter‐vehicular communications for assigning the mule role to adequate vehicles.

The last paper, “Generalized frequency division multiplexing–based acoustic communication for underwater (UW) systems,” co‐authored by Rajath P. Hebbar and Prerana Gupta Poddar focuses on the availability of a robust underwater communication mechanism which can largely enhance the success of human effort in a multitude of applications, ranging from pollution surveillance to defense and search/rescue operations. In this work, generalized frequency division multiplexing, a non‐orthogonal multicarrier scheme, which has recently been studied for terrestrial wireless fading channels, is developed and tested for signaling in UW acoustic communication. UW noise, attenuation, and doubly selective fading channels are modeled with appropriate statistics.

Finally, we hope that the readers will find this special issue to be relevant to their research and daily work. We would also like to thank authors for considering this journal as a venue for disseminating their research efforts as well as reviewers for their valuable comments during the review process. We also express our deepest gratitude to Prof. Mohammad S. Obaidat, Editor‐in‐Chief of IJCS, for giving us the opportunity to work together on this special issue. Thanks also are due to the Staff of Wiley International Journal of Communication Systems for their efforts.

List of reviewers:

• Rosa Abbou, University of Nantes, France
• Djeffal Abdelhamid, University of Biskra, Algeria
• Abdelkrim Abdelli, USTHB, Algeria
• Thiago Abreu, University Paris Est of Creteil, France
• Adrian Asensio, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Spain
• Abdelmalik Bachir, University of Biskra, Algeria
• Nadjib Badache, USTHB, Algeria
• Bigomokero Antoine Bagula, University of the Western Cape, South Africa
• Walid Barhoumi, SIIVA ‐ RIADI Laboratory, Tunisia
• Paolo Bellavista, University of Bologna, Italy
• Jalel Ben‐Othman, University of Paris 13, France
• Karima Benatchba, ESI, Alger, Algeria
• Hammadi Bennoui, University of Biskra, Algeria
• Salim Bitam, University of Biskra, Algeria
• Fayçal M'hamed Bouyakoub, USTHB, Algeria
• Samia Bouzefrane, Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers, France
• Paulo Carvalho, Centro Algoritmi, Universidade do Minho, Portugal
• Ana Cavalli, Telecom SudParis, France
• Babahenini Mohamed Chaouki, University of Biskra, Algeria
• Christophe Chassot, University of Toulouse, France
• Abdellah Chehri, University of Quebec at Chicoutimi (UQAC), Canada
• Salim Chikhi, University of Constantine 2, Algeria
• Noureddine Chikouche, University of M'sila, Algeria
• François‐Xavier Coudoux, University of Valenciennes, France
• Khaoula Dhifallah, Orange Labs, France
• Aïssani Djamil, University of Bejaia, France
• Khalil Drira, LAAS‐CNRS, France
• Ernesto Exposito, University of Pau, France
• Azouaou Faical, USTHB, Algeria
• Scott Fowler, Linköping University, Sweden
• Jordi Garcia, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Spain
• Mohamed Gharbi, University of Valenciennes, France
• Yassine Hadjadj‐Aoul, University of Rennes 1, France
• Makhlouf Hadji, IRT System X, France
• Haffaf Hafid, University of Oran, Algeria
• Sonia Heemstra de Groot, Eindhoven Technical University, Netherlands
• Said Hoceini, University Paris‐Est Creteil, France
• Hanen Idoudi, University of Manouba, Tunisia
• Fan Jiang, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada
• Laid Kahloul, University of Biskra, Algeria
• Farouk Kamoun, SESAME University, Tunisia
• Bouabdellah Kechar, University of Oran, Algeria
• Mohamed Lamine Kerdoudi, University of Biskra, Algeria
• Mohamed‐Khireddine Kholladi, University of El‐oued, Algeria
• Francine Krief, University of Bordeaux, France
• Nasreddine Lagraa, University of Laghouat, Algeria
• Peter Langendoerfer, IHP Microelectronics, Germany
• Med Tayeb Laskri, University of Annaba, Algeria
• Francis Lepage, Lorraine University, France
• Pavel Loskot, Swansea University, UK
• Ahmed M. Abdelmoniem, Assiut University, Egypt
• Stephane Maag, TELECOM SudParis, France
• Xavier Masip‐Bruin, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Spain.
• Kamal Eddine Melkemi, University of Batna,
• Abdelhamid Mellouk, University Paris Est of Creteil, France
• Souham Meshoul, University of Constantine 2, Algeria
• Guerroumi Mohamed, USTHB, Algeria
• Hassine Moungla, University of Paris Descartes, France
• Leila Nasraoui, University of Manouba, Tunisia
• Nidal Nasser, Alfaisal University, KSA
• Ghoul Said, University of Philadelphia, Jordan
• Mustapha Reda Senouci, EMP, Algeria
• Sami Souihi, University Paris‐Est Creteil, France
• Sadek labib Terrissa, University of Biskra, Algeria
• Jean‐Marc Thiriet, Université Grenoble Alpes, France
• Alicia Triviño, University of Malaga, Spain
• Ming‐Fong Tsai, National United University, Taiwan
• Christos Verikoukis, CTTC, Spain
• Fatiha Zaidi, Paris Sud University, France
• Sahnoun Zaidi, University of Constantine 2, Algeria
• Naser Zarour, University of Constantine 2, Algeria
• Sherali Zeadally, University of Kentucky, USA
• Noureddine Zerhouni, University, France
• Boufaida Zizette, University of Constantine 2, Algeria