A SPECIAL ISSUE of Ad Hoc Networks journal on
"Recent advances on practical aspects of Wireless Mesh Networks"

Guest editors:
Stefano Avallone, University of Naples
Claudio Cicconetti, Intecs SpA
Xiaohua Jia, City University of Hong Kong
Prasant Mohapatra, University of California at Davis


INTRODUCTION
----------------------------
Wireless mesh networks (WMNs) have attracted a lot of interest from both
academia and industries in the past few years, due to the challenging research
problems they pose and the new possibilities they open to deploy large-scale
wireless networks. Wireless mesh routers have limited (if any) mobility, are
usually connected to power supply and route packets along multi-hop wireless
paths. If equipped with the necessary gateway and bridging functionalities,
mesh routers enable the integration of wireless mesh networks with other
networks such as the Internet, cellular, IEEE 802.15, IEEE 802.16, sensor
networks, etc.. Wireless mesh networks are attractive for several
applications, e.g., wireless last mile access of ISPs, wireless enterprise
backbone networks, building automation, broadband home networking, intelligent
transportation systems, community or neighborhood networks, etc. The main
reason is the low cost of devices and the easiness of deployment and
maintenance due to the absence of a wired infrastructure.

WMNs are now in a stage where more practical aspects need to be investigated,
so as to drive a stronger market penetration in the context of medium- and
large-scale wireless networks and to enable the use of new applications and
services in existing networks. Such aspects involve standardization and
regulation aspects, which are the basis for mass production and allow the
inter-operability of devices from different manufacturers and, hence,
stimulate market competition, as well as business models and realistic use
cases, so as to make the technology appealing for public institutions and
private companies. Furthermore, results from real-life experiments are
required to validate the mathematical models and the simulations tools,
available in abundance nowadays, and provide them with adjustments to refine
their accuracy and extend their scope.


TOPICS OF INTEREST
-------------------------------------
Topics of interests include, but are not limited to:

- Regulation issues
- Network management
- Standards: 802.11s, 802.16j, ...
- Testbed activities
- Measurement studies
- Case studies
- Large-scale WMN deployment
- Community WMNs
- Business models and enabled applications
- Coexistence, vertical handover
- Comparative evaluation of wireless platforms
- Network deployment and topology control
- Interconnection with WiMAX or 3G networks
- Smart antennas and multi-radio systems
- Evolving applications
- Deployment in rural areas and developing countries


PAPER SUBMISSION
-----------------------------------
The submitted papers must be written in English and describe original research
which is not published nor currently under review by other journals or
conferences. Author guidelines for preparation of manuscript can be found at
http://www.elsevier.com/locate/adhoc/.

All manuscripts and any supplementary material should be submitted through
Elsevier Editorial System (EES). The authors must select as "SI: Practical
aspects of WMNs" when they reach the "Article Type" step in the submission
process. The EES website is located at: http://ees.elsevier.com/adhoc/.


KEY DATES
---------------------
Paper submission: Jun 20, 2010
Acceptance notification: Sep 30, 2010
Final papers: Nov 30, 2010