International Conference on Future and Intelligent Networking (FINE 2026)

Aug 26-28, 2026 · Osaka, Japan.

http://www.ieee-fine.org/2026/

Track 2: Open and Intelligent RAN (Open RAN, vRAN, AI-RAN)

Track Chairs:
Paolo Bellavista, University of Bologna, Italy paolo.bellavista@unibo.it
Rasheed Hussain, University of Bristol, U.K. rasheed.hussain@bristol.ac.uk
Fatemeh Afghah, Clemson University, USA fafghah@clemson.edu

Description

The Radio Access Network (RAN) is undergoing a transformative evolution driven by the need for openness, disaggregation, programmability, virtualization, and intelligent automation. On the one hand, the Open RAN (including virtualised RAN – vRAN) paradigm addresses the problem of vendor lock-in and promise inclusivity through multi-vendor interoperability. It also promotes and enables cloud-native deployment models and the definition of new interfaces for advanced features and easier interoperability.

On the other hand, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is playing a pivotal role in embedding intelligence to the fabric of the future networks and the RAN side of the network is no exception (Intelligent RAN and AI-RAN). The advancements in AI are already reshaping network control, automation, and optimisation. In parallel, future networks (6G and beyond) demand holistic solutions that integrate open interfaces with AI-native operations to meet stringent performance, reliability, and service-centric requirements.

Track 2 at IEEE FINE 2026 invites high-quality submissions addressing all aspects of Open and Intelligent RAN research, development, experimentation, and deployment. We welcome contributions that bridge theoretical advances, practical system design, real-world implementation, algorithmic innovations, and experimental evaluations.

Track Topics

• Open RAN architecture design and modular frameworks
• Virtualised RAN (vRAN) and cloud-native RAN architectures
• AI-native RAN (AI-RAN) frameworks and system design
• RAN disaggregation and open interface design (e.g., O-RU, O-DU, O-CU)
• RAN Intelligent Controllers (near-RT and non-RT RICs), xApps and rApps
• Edge-native dApps leveraging Open RAN APIs
• Multi-vendor interoperability and ecosystem integration
• O-RAN–3GPP alignment and standardization challenges
• Software-defined and programmable RAN architectures
• Intent-based and policy-driven RAN control
• AI/ML-enabled RAN control and management
• Reinforcement learning, federated learning, and distributed AI for RAN
• Generative AI for RAN optimisation and automation
• Safe, explainable, and trustworthy AI for Open RAN
• Closed-loop automation and autonomous RAN operation
• Service exposure frameworks and network-as-a-service (NaaS) over Open RAN
• AI-driven resource management, scheduling, and load balancing
• Network slicing and slice-aware RAN optimisation
• Cross-layer and cross-domain optimisation (RAN-Core-Edge)
• Edge-cloud integration and MEC support in Open RAN
• Energy-efficient and green Open RAN solutions
• Spectrum sharing, interference management, and multi-RAT coordination
• Integration of Open RAN with private and enterprise networks
• Security assessment, threat detection, mitigation, and solutions for Open and Intelligent RAN
• AI-driven testing and anomaly detection in RAN environments
• Advanced Open and Intelligent RAN features for efficient distributed AI
• Zero-trust RAN frameworks and secure computing
• Privacy-preserving AI and secure data analytics in RAN
• Resilience against adversarial ML and AI-based attacks
• Blockchain and distributed trust mechanisms for Open RAN
• RAN analytics, observability, and telemetry frameworks
• Digital Twins for Open and Intelligent RAN
• Performance modeling, benchmarking, and KPI evaluation
• Experimental platforms, testbeds, and field trials
• Integration of Open RAN with open cloud platforms (e.g., Linux Foundation projects)
• Open-source platforms and practical deployment experiences
• Intelligent RAN support for emerging vertical applications
• Industrial IoT, smart cities, and mission-critical Open RAN use cases
• Open RAN in healthcare and remote robotic surgery
• Energy grids and utility automation over Open RAN
• Immersive XR/Metaverse-ready RAN architectures
• Open RAN support for 6G-native applications and semantic communications

Paper Submission and Publication

Details of paper submission and publication can be found here.