As 5G is being widely commercially deployed around the world, it is of great interest to continue investigating how it can be further improved in the near term or evolved aiming at a longer term. This issue of Mobile Communications and Networks explores the above directions covering several aspects. These include the exploration of joint slicing and functional split in the 5G radio access network (RAN), addressing coverage issues in 5G focusing on the uplink data channel, tackling the issue of temporal blockages and outdated channel feedback in an Internet of Vehicles setting, and investigation of the inter-play between rate-splitting multiple access (RSMA) and intelligent reflecting surface (IRS).

中文翻译：

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系列社论：移动通信和网络

随着 5G 在全球范围内广泛商业部署，继续研究如何在短期内进一步改进或以长期为目标进行演进具有极大的兴趣。本期移动通信与网络从多个方面探讨上述方向。其中包括探索 5G 无线接入网 (RAN) 中的联合切片和功能拆分，解决 5G 中以上行链路数据信道为重点的覆盖问题，解决车联网环境中的时间阻塞和过时信道反馈问题，以及研究速率分离多址（RSMA）和智能反射面（IRS）之间的相互作用。