The British operator and the Japanese technology giant are proposing a test of a quantum-secured communications network for the first time. The network runs in London and will be used for at least three years.
The commercial trial was formally presented on April 26 but had actually been running since early April after Toshiba and BT announced their intentions in October. The network’s customer is EY, providing a highly secure connection between its offices at Canary Wharf and London Bridge.
The project is planned to run for three years. The parties involved have indicated that it is a starting point for further investments and research in quantum computing, cryptography, and communication.
BT operates the fibre optic network, and Toshiba provides the quantum key distribution hardware and key management software. In addition, it provides services such as dedicated bandwidth and key management software.
Quantum technology is still in its infancy, but it shows great promise. In the long term, it should ensure an enormous increase in computing power and the security of communication networks, among other things. A commercial trial like this one is one of the starting points.
