Leading the Way in the Adoption of Quantum Technology is the European Telecom Sector

Leading the Way in the Adoption of Quantum Technology is the European Telecom Sector

Although quantum technologies seem like something that will only be realized decades from now, a recent report, particularly in the telecommunications sector, indicates that, contrary to popular belief, quantum technology is already a reality, especially in recent years. at recent years, commercial impetus has started to emerge, despite the fact that the quantum technology sector at research institutes has been stagnant for years. In addition to the uses for quantum computing that have been created, there are a lot of additional current uses for quantum technology. Although most of the discoveries have been concentrated on the field of quantum computing, there are several other applications for quantum technology. 

The commercialization of quantum communications, including networks and encryption techniques, is being pursued by an increasing number of startups and established enterprises worldwide. Europe has contributed significantly to the advancement of this technology as well. Currently, continental Europe is home to 32% of the 100 quantum startups, scale-ups, and small and medium-sized businesses that offer services to the nation's telecom and telecom infrastructure sectors. 

This is according to a report that Quantum Delta NL's Infinity division, which specializes in startup and ecosystem assistance, issued today. Apart from Germany, the Netherlands, France, Switzerland, and Spain, the UK and Ireland, at 14% each, also have robust ecosystems. Furthermore, around half of the businesses that use quantum technology are based in continental Europe, while the other 11% are in the UK and Ireland. 

As of right now, Europe is home to more than 25 quantum networks. In the EU, Deutsche Telekom and two consortiums called Petrus and Nostradamus are developing two quantum communications networks. BT and Toshiba Europe have introduced a commercial quantum network in London, and they are now constructing a commercial quantum network in France. According to Teun van der Veen, Quantum Lead at the Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), telecom corporations are playing a significant role in driving the practical use of quantum technology. 

They are at the forefront of integrating quantum into current infrastructures because they believe that it is all about meeting the demands of the end customers. Quantum networks use special features of quantum physics, such superposition and entanglement, to establish connections between devices and safely transfer data. Information can be sent via quantum channels, but they can also be implemented via satellite connections, optical fibers, or free-space optics. According to a number of scientists, quantum networks and quantum encryption will be among the most secure types of communication accessible at this time since they are practically difficult to hack. 

According to the Infinity report, these quantum-secure links can be used by data centers, satellites and rockets, government and military organizations, railroads, control centers, healthcare facilities, hospitals, and numerous other locations, including military and government organizations, hospitals, and data centers.  Moreover, quantum networks can serve as the foundation for the development of a worldwide quantum internet, enabling the connection of quantum computers located in various parts of the globe. Additionally, the cloud may make "blind" quantum computing possible, which would enable easy application of quantum processes by keeping their confidentiality from everybody except the user.  

In the era of rising cybersecurity threats and worldwide geopolitical tensions, more businesses and governments are looking at ways to safeguard their IT infrastructure and data. Given its ubiquity, it is probably not unexpected that Infinity's analysis comes to the conclusion that Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) is the most extensively employed quantum technology in the telecommunications sector. Quantum key distribution (QKD) is an encryption and decryption technique that uses quantum physics to allow parties to create a private key that is exclusive to them. 

According to a recent article, European telecom businesses have made significant progress in using quantum technology. One noteworthy example is Q*Bird, a communications security startup located in Delft. The largest port in Europe, the Port of Rotterdam, is now testing the Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) product Falqon, which the business just acquired €2.5 million to advance. Co-founder and CEO of Q*Bird Ingrid Romijn highlighted the increasing interest in quantum communications solutions in the digital infrastructure of the European Union. "Together with partners like Cisco, Eurofiber, Intermax, Single Quantum, Portbase, and InnovationQuarter, Q*Bird is already testing quantum-secure communications in the Port of Rotterdam using our novel quantum cryptography (QKD) technology," Romijn said.

She said that by utilizing next-generation QKD technology, more sectors and businesses might eventually adopt scalable methods to safeguard data transfers. Post-quantum cryptography is another technique that is gaining popularity (PQC). Many classical cryptography techniques will soon be susceptible to hacking by sufficiently powerful quantum computers, even if the predicted "Q-day"—the day when a quantum computer potentially threatens existing internet security—is still some time off. 

PQC algorithms are meant to be resistant to both quantum and classical assaults. Quantum sensors, clocks, simulations, random number generation, and quantum computing are other quantum technologies that may find use in the telecom sector. The paper notes that while interest in quantum technology is growing, more funding and assistance are still needed for Europe's quantum technology firms to make meaningful advancements in both technology and marketability. Only 42% of quantum tech telecom businesses globally have received outside finance to date, with a total of €1.9 billion raised. As seen by the Deutsche Telekom network project, the European Union has shown a forward-thinking approach, but in terms of private sector activity and investment, the United States still leads. Increasing awareness among corporate executives, growing the pool of qualified workers, getting over technological obstacles, and developing a more compelling business narrative are among the difficulties. 

More early-stage funding and assistance for entrepreneurs, more industry collaboration, and regulatory uniformity can all help to some extent to overcome these challenges. Government agencies, such as the military and security services, financial institutions, departments in charge of key infrastructure, and businesses in the energy, defense, space, and technology sectors are major markets for the quantum communications industry. Infinity's Operations and Platforms Lead, Pavel Kalinin, made a statement on the increasing cooperation in the telecom industry between large corporations and startups. "The industry's dedication to incorporating quantum solutions into practical applications is indicated by this. Kalinin said, "coordinated efforts to prepare the workforce, facilitate collaborations, and set industry benchmarks and standards will be necessary for the successful implementation of such technologies."