525.608.8VL - Next Generation Telecommunications

Course Structure

There will be lectures, in-class discussions, a small project, and a development effort.

Course Topics

525.608 overview – Next Generation Telecommunications (Fall 2025)

Today’s 5G systems are more than just our smartphones.  As engineers, we are expected to implement technical solutions for Next Generation Telecommunications that address the ever-expanding business needs of the 4th Industrial Revolution in a cost-effective manner.

The Next Generation Telecommunications systems need to integrate seamlessly into the existing communications systems infrastructure and applications using model-based systems engineering.  Topics are evolving based on current research as well as student interest, but will include topics such as Mobile Edge Computing (MEC), Factories of the future – automated 6G, Smart cities, considerations for self-driving automobiles, AI-Edge, Transmission and antennas, Radio components, signal processing, disruptive hardware emerging, privacy, & cybersecurity.

As for the grading, there will be two projects.  The first will be an approved white paper topic suggested by the students.  The second project will be a “hardware” realization of machine learning at the Edge.  For the latter, the students will be able to choose from among several realistic problems (or suggest their own), leveraging an AI-Edge solution. The projects may be done by a single student or as a group.

Course Goals

Walk away Goals for this course:

• Make you a better Engineer!
• Be comfortable with 5G & 6G Technology.
• Improve your Reading, Writing, and Discussion of technical topics to assist your on-the-job performance.
• Shepherd a small project from inception to operation
• Bear in mind the business applications of engineering decisions and cost benefit of engineering trade-offs.

Textbooks

We shall use the following textbook:  •“5G Wireless, A  Comprehensive Introduction,” W. Stallings, Pearson, Addison Wesley, ISBN-13: 878-0-13-676714-5, 2021 

In addition, papers and preprints will be provided.

Student Coursework Requirements

•Class research project/term paper, strongly suggest collaboration [45%]
  •Highly contrived and simplified •Define, design, build, test, & Document
•Small group project, suggest collaboration [45%]
  •This will be a short paper [2 – 4 pages] on a topic drawn from class
•Quizzes [10%] •Drawn from the textbook, most of the time

•We collaborate at work: collaborate here also
  •Exception: quizzes

Grading Policy

The quiz grades are simple numeric.

The small project grading will include the format (10%), reachable references, (10%), and technical content (80%).

The term project grading will include the format (10%), reachable references, (10%), relevance of the problem (20%), completeness of the provided project (50% - agreed upon with the student), and oral discussion (10%).

Course Policies

Use of an AI assistant is permitted, but such use must be so cited. This includes the details (name and version) of the assistant(s).  It is highly recommended by JHU that you leverage AI tools that are within the JHU aegis and no PII is entered.

Academic Policies

Deadlines for Adding, Dropping and Withdrawing from Courses

Students may add a course up to one week after the start of the term for that particular course. Students may drop courses according to the drop deadlines outlined in the EP academic calendar (https://ep.jhu.edu/student-services/academic-calendar/). Between the 6th week of the class and prior to the final withdrawal deadline, a student may withdraw from a course with a W on their academic record. A record of the course will remain on the academic record with a W appearing in the grade column to indicate that the student registered and withdrew from the course.

Academic Misconduct Policy

All students are required to read, know, and comply with the Johns Hopkins University Krieger School of Arts and Sciences (KSAS) / Whiting School of Engineering (WSE) Procedures for Handling Allegations of Misconduct by Full-Time and Part-Time Graduate Students. This policy prohibits academic misconduct, including but not limited to the following: cheating or facilitating cheating; plagiarism; reuse of assignments; unauthorized collaboration; alteration of graded assignments; and unfair competition. Course materials (old assignments, texts, or examinations, etc.) should not be shared unless authorized by the course instructor. Any questions related to this policy should be directed to EP’s academic integrity officer at ep-academic-integrity@jhu.edu.

Students with Disabilities - Accommodations and Accessibility

Johns Hopkins University is committed to providing welcoming, equitable, and accessible educational experiences for all students. If disability accommodations are needed for this course, students should request accommodations through Student Disability Services (SDS) as early as possible to provide time for effective communication and arrangements.  For further information about this process, please refer to the SDS Website.

Student Conduct Code

The fundamental purpose of the JHU regulation of student conduct is to promote and to protect the health, safety, welfare, property, and rights of all members of the University community as well as to promote the orderly operation of the University and to safeguard its property and facilities. As members of the University community, students accept certain responsibilities which support the educational mission and create an environment in which all students are afforded the same opportunity to succeed academically.  For a full description of the code please visit the following website: https://studentaffairs.jhu.edu/policies-guidelines/student-code/

Classroom Climate

JHU is committed to creating a classroom environment that values the diversity of experiences and perspectives that all students bring. Everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect. Fostering an inclusive climate is important. Research and experience show that students who interact with peers who are different from themselves learn new things and experience tangible educational outcomes. At no time in this learning process should someone be singled out or treated unequally on the basis of any seen or unseen part of their identity.    If you have concerns in this course about harassment, discrimination, or any unequal treatment, or if you seek accommodations or resources, please reach out to the course instructor directly. Reporting will never impact your course grade. You may also share concerns with your program chair, the Assistant Dean for Diversity and Inclusion, or the Office of Institutional Equity. In handling reports, people will protect your privacy as much as possible, but faculty and staff are required to officially report information for some cases (e.g. sexual harassment).

Course Auditing

When a student enrolls in an EP course with “audit” status, the student must reach an understanding with the instructor as to what is required to earn the “audit.” If the student does not meet those expectations, the instructor must notify the EP Registration Team [EP-Registration@exchange.johnshopkins.edu] in order for the student to be retroactively dropped or withdrawn from the course (depending on when the "audit" was requested and in accordance with EP registration deadlines). All lecture content will remain accessible to auditing students, but access to all other course material is left to the discretion of the instructor.