China Telecom pushes boundaries in quantum technologies

In a stride toward the future of technology, China Telecom Quantum Group, a subsidiary of telecom giant China Telecom, is advancing quantum computing and quantum-resistant technologies to position itself at the cutting edge of both fields.

Lyu Pin, chairman of the company based in Anhui province, unveiled several groundbreaking research achievements and announced upcoming products slated for release this year during a media interview on Tuesday.

In quantum computing, the group is constructing a superconducting quantum computer capable of performing tasks intractable for classical computers.

This cutting-edge machine will be integrated into the Tianyan quantum computing cloud platform, with the world's first online demonstration of quantum supremacy scheduled for the third quarter.

The company will launch China's largest quantum computing cluster by the end of the year, with a projected capacity exceeding 1,200 qubits. The more qubits a quantum computer has, the more powerful it is.

This follows the company's December 2024 unveiling of the Tianyan-504 with a 504-qubit chip, China's most powerful quantum computer to date.

The Tianyan platform currently hosts an 880-qubit superconducting quantum computing cluster comprising a 24-qubit computer, two 176-qubit machines, and the Tianyan-504.

"As quantum computing advances, our quantum communication team is driven to develop cryptography products resilient to quantum attacks," said Deputy Chief Engineer Luo Jun. "It's like creating both 'spear and shield', and both teams push each other forward."

On the quantum-resistant front, the company is pioneering core chip technologies, with plans to release China's first high-performance post-quantum cryptography chip in November to address a gap in the domestic market.

Integrated systems combining Optical Transport Network (OTN) with quantum key distribution (QKD) are under development for a November launch, which will enhance China Telecom's optical network against quantum computing threats.

Previously, the group launched the world's first commercial cryptography system that integrates QKD and PQC. They demonstrated its capabilities with a quantum-encrypted voice call spanning over 1,000 kilometers.

Commercialization is the key focus. The company has launched the world's first quantum-encrypted secure communication and office application, Quantum Secure Link, which uses quantum encryption technology to protect the security of messages, voice, video, files, meetings, and other communication content.

The Quantum Secure Link has been widely applied across various sectors, including government affairs, law enforcement, military, emergency services, and finance. It has been integrated into over 100 applications, with a user base approaching 6 million and serving more than 3,000 organizations.

Jiang Ting contributed to this story.