German authorities launch quantum communication test network

The German government and several federal states launched a test network for quantum communication on Wednesday, aiming to improve the security of sensitive data exchanges.

The network is designed to ensure secure communication between public authorities, businesses and operators of critical infrastructure amid a growing threat of cyberattacks.

The federal government and the states of Bavaria, Berlin, Saxony and Thuringia are participating in the project. The leaders of the four states joined the launch event in Berlin via video link.

The launch of the network marks the final experiment following seven years of research as part of the QuNet initiative, involving German research institutions and funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research to the tune of €125 million (about $140 million).

Put simply, the system offers more secure data encryption. According to the QuNet initiative, quantum technology can also be used to detect and warn of eavesdropping attempts. 

Building on this, a key can be generated that is known only to the sender and the recipient. The process is designed to also be resilient against future attacks by a quantum computer.

Federal Minister for Research Dorothee Bär said in Berlin that existing cryptographic methods were under threat, "which is why we need quantum communication as a central building block for our digital infrastructures."

Thuringia's premier Mario Voigt spoke of the world's largest quantum communication network currently in practical use.

Quantum technology draws on the properties of extremely small units of energy, known as quanta, which researchers can harness for a range of applications.