Poised to Preempt Quantum Cryptography Market

Researchers test quantum key distribution on a network at SK Telecom.

SK Telecom has reportedly supplied quantum key distribution (QKD) equipment to a US telecom operator. This constitutes the first sale of quantum-based security technology to a large global telecommunication company. Although SK Telecom's QKD technology was previously applied to Deutsche Telekom's test network in 2018, this is the first time that the technology is applied to a commercial network in the US.

By securing a US telecom operator as a reference, SK Telecom will be able to accelerate its move to preempt the global market for quantum cryptography, which is considered a next-generation security technology.

SK Telecom supplied QKD equipment to the US operator in early 2019 through its subsidiary IDQ. It has verified stability and reliability of the equipment through technical cooperation with the US operator for about a year and a half.

Visual data were encrypted with random key values generated by quantum random number generator (QRNG), and security was verified by exchanging secret keys between senders and receivers with QKD. SK Telecom confirmed that the system immediately detects and prevents data leakage when hackers interfere with quantum channels to steal or peek information.

Quantum cryptography has been successfully tested in several global commercial networks. Some global telecom operators are planning to use it to strengthen security in various areas such as the internet of things (IoT), e-commerce and industrial infrastructure.

As the US telecom operator has successfully tested quantum cryptography, it is more likely to purchase QKD equipment from SK Telecom to apply it to its entire telecommunication network in the future.

Prior to this, SK Telecom took part in an open QKD project led by a flagship organization of the EU as the number-one supplier. It also applied QKD technology to an LTE network of IT&E, a mobile network service provider in Guam and Saipan.

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