ADVA’s FSP 3000 and FSP 150 platforms have been selected to play a crucial role in the OPENQKD project.

ADVA’s FSP 3000 and FSP 150 platforms have been selected to play a crucial role in the OPENQKD project.

Funded by the European Commission, the project is designed to create and trial a secure communication network across Europe based on quantum key distribution (QKD). It will lay the foundation for a European quantum communication infrastructure combining satellite and fibre-based QKD technology. OPENQKD’s aim is to accelerate the commercial adoption of QKD technology and to promote interoperability through an ecosystem of 38 partners from 13 countries, including academic institutions, network operators, and manufacturers of network and QKD equipment. It will foster cooperation across the industry and it looks to move QKD towards real-world deployment.

The ADVA FSP 3000 platform has been used for a number of trials of quantum-safe and QKD-based security. These include powering the UK’s first QKD-based network and a 100Gb/s quantum-safe optical communication over a 2,800km long-haul link, based on a post-quantum key exchange protocol. The optical transport vendor will leverage its ConnectGuard technology to provide optical and Ethernet encryptors as well as open line systems for multiple testbed locations.

Helmut Leopold, head of Center for Digital Safety & Security at the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, which is coordinating OPENQKD said: ‘With participants from the public and private sector, this ambitious project will help maintain Europe’s role as a quantum technology leader. It’s all about working together to create the next generation of secure networks and protecting those most at risk from cyberattacks. Through OPENQKD, standards and security certifications will be established for QKD networks and new use cases for the technology will be developed.’

Added Helmut Grießer, director, advanced technology at ADVA: ‘By bringing our technology and expertise to the OPENQKD project, we’re helping to address vital security issues in critical communications. In OPENQKD, we’ll demonstrate in practical use cases how our ConnectGuard technology can be augmented with QKD to make encrypted communication resistant against quantum computer attacks.’

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