For the First Time, Researchers Successfully Demonstrate Over euNetworks’ Fibre Infrastructure That Quantum Communication Is Possible Between the United Kingdom and Ireland
Researchers from The University of York in collaboration with the Quantum Communications Hub and euNetworks Fiber UK Limited (“euNetworks”) have for the first time successfully demonstrated that quantum communication is possible over the long geographical distance that separates England from Ireland. The team, led by Professor Marco Lucamarini from the University of York, ran a series of experiments using bandwidth infrastructure provider euNetworks’ subsea cable, named Rockabill. This network is one of the newest commercial optical fibre systems in operation and connects Ireland to England in the United Kingdom, running 224 kilometres between Portrane and Southport cable landing stations. Until now, no quantum link has ever been established between the two countries, nor on a span stretching this length on a subsea fibre optic cable.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231003629118/en/
Paula Cogan, CEO of euNetworks (Photo: Business Wire)
Quantum communication operates on the principle that particles of light can transmit data along optical cables in a highly fragile state. But the particles collapse if interfered with by someone trying to manipulate or steal private data, such as bank information, in transit.
“Many large companies and organisations are interested in quantum communications to secure their data, but it has limitations, particularly the distance it can travel,” said Professor Marco Lucamarini. “The longer the distance, the more likely it is that the photon – the particles of light that we use as carriers of quantum information – are lost, absorbed or scattered in the channel, which reduces the chances of the information reaching its target. This presents a problem when organisations need to send private digital information to other cities or other countries, where the additional challenge could also be an ocean between the communications’ start and end point.”
To overcome this limitation, a pilot project was devised. Rockabill – a new and unique ultra-low loss fibre optic subsea cable with low latency and remarkably low average attenuation – presented an ideal environment. The 224km cable connects landing stations in Southport and Portrane without amplification or a repeating system.
The series of experiments conducted on-site resulted in the successful transportation of single and entangled photons, as well as in the successful measurement of the optical phase exploited in twin-field and continuous-variable Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), over a longer continuous distance than had ever been established before in undersea optical fibres, devoid of ‘trusted nodes’ between the two endpoints of the communication channel. The success of the experiments was largely due to highly sensitive detectors deployed at the Southport endpoint of the cable to reduce environmental noise levels.
The research further develops the use of QKD, the next frontier of data encryption technology. This technology has the potential to deliver advanced levels of network security. It has a strong use case in industries and organisations looking for highly secure data encryption methods, protection and transfer. It is already being applied and tested in worldwide government, pharmaceutical and life science organisations and in the financial services sector.
Professor Lucamarini said, “This is a truly exciting step forward in realising the full potential of quantum communications and for the future of securing private data in an environment that is shaping the so-called ‘quantum internet’. This project also advances the real-world integration of quantum communication technology into existing global telecommunications and network infrastructure – taking it out of the lab into a ‘real-world’ scenario.”
“euNetworks is proud to support a critical project that pushes the boundaries of quantum technology and has implications for the future of network security,” said Paula Cogan, Chief Executive Officer of euNetworks. “The successful integration of quantum technology over commercial-grade optical fibre infrastructure at this distance is an exciting step forward. Rockabill, and euNetworks’ Super Highway network it is part of, provide the ideal platform for new and progressive technologies that will enhance and innovate future network infrastructure.”
More experiments will need to be carried out using the same cable line to pave the way for integrating the services offered by quantum technologies into standard communications for industries sending private data between the UK and Ireland and for further advances in the quantum internet.
The project, funded by the EPSRC Quantum Communications Hub, will be presented at the NATO Symposium on Quantum Technology for Defence and Security in Amsterdam on 3 October.
About euNetworks
euNetworks is a critical bandwidth infrastructure company, owning and operating 17 fibre based metropolitan networks connected with a high capacity intercity backbone covering 53 cities in 17 countries across Europe. The company leads the market in data centre connectivity, directly connecting over 515 today. euNetworks is also a leading cloud connectivity provider and offers a targeted portfolio of metropolitan and long haul services including Dark Fibre, Wavelengths, and Ethernet. Wholesale, finance, content, media, mobile, data centre and enterprise customers benefit from euNetworks’ unique inventory of fibre and duct based assets that are tailored to fulfil their high bandwidth needs. For further information visit eunetworks.com.
About The University of York
A member of the prestigious Russell Group, we are a dynamic, research-intensive university. We work collaboratively in partnership with institutions across the world to develop life-saving discoveries and new technologies that tackle some of the most pressing global challenges. Our 30+ academic departments undertake ground breaking research that underpins our inspiring teaching and challenges students to dream big, think critically and change the world. For further information, visit https://www.york.ac.uk/
About EPSRC Quantum Communications Hub
The EPSRC Quantum Communications Hub is a technology research and development collaboration of UK Universities, industrial partners and public sector stakeholders brought together to accelerate the commercialisation of secure quantum communications technologies and services at all distance scales. The project is funded via the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council as part of the National Quantum Technologies Programme. For further information, visit https://www.quantumcommshub.net/
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231003629118/en/
Contact information
euNetworks contact:
Hannah Britt
| Chief Marketing Officer |
euNetworks
5 Churchill Place | London E14 5HU
hannah.britt@eunetworks.com email | +44 7717 896 446 mobile
The University of York contact:
Samantha Martin
| Deputy Head of Media Relations |
The University of York
Communications & Marketing, Heslington | York YO10 5DD
s.martin@york.ac.uk email | +44 7384 238 979 mobile
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Reibus International Announces CEO Transition29.11.2023 22:00:00 EET | Press release
Reibus International, the world’s largest online marketplace for metals, announces the appointment of Temy Mancusi-Ungaro as its new Interim Chief Executive Officer. The decision to bring Temy on board reflects a new era of investment in the company and Reibus’ continued commitment to driving innovation and growth in the metals industry. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231129023580/en/ Temy Mancusi-Ungaro (Photo: Business Wire) With over 17 years of experience in the B2B Software industry, Temy is a seasoned operator who brings a proven track record of scaling innovative B2B companies, including Reachdesk, Electric, Yext, and CityGrid. He most recently held the position of CEO at Reachdesk, where his acumen for navigating the complexities of scaling a business led the company to be named among the top 100 fastest-growing products, according to G2, for three years in a row. "We are thrilled to welcome Temy to t
Tongxin Micro Making a Splash at TRUSTECH, and Unveiling the World’s First eSIM Solution Tailored for Smart POS Systems29.11.2023 20:00:00 EET | Press release
November 28th marks the grand opening of TRUSTECH 2023 in Paris, France. Tongxin Micro, an industry-leading semiconductor solution provider, makes an impressive debut, showcasing its technological advancements in identity recognition, telecommunications, and financial payments. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231129462718/en/ (Photo: Business Wire) In the realm of identity recognition, Tongxin Micro brings its document chip solutions in compliance with international ICAO standards that boast the highest security levels globally, catering to such applications as seafarer’s passport and official passport. In telecommunications, a full array of products and terminal applications are displayed, including standard SIM, SWP-SIM, digital car keys based on SWP-SIM, and eSIM wearable devices. In the payment sector, Tongxin Micro’s innovative payment technologies draw significant attention, ranging from chip application
Gillette Gaming launches new creative concept, Hit Reset with Gillette, to encourage and inspire gamers and fans worldwide29.11.2023 19:15:00 EET | Press release
For over ten years, GilletteTM, the world’s largest male grooming company, has been helping gamers look and play their best, whether it be for gaming or everyday life. This year, Gillette is refreshing its approach and creating a new era of gaming with its newest campaign, “Hit Reset with Gillette” – encouraging the gaming community to hit reset after a night of gaming, come back a better player and look sharp for the day with a fresh shave. Hitting “reset” is a universal term in gaming and works perfectly with grooming – inviting gamers and fans to start their day looking and feeling their best, to be their best and most confident, whether it be in gaming or whatever the day has ahead. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231129843095/en/ (Graphic: Business Wire) To further inspire the gaming community, Gillette will leverage its Gillette Gaming Alliance to create “Hit Reset with Gillette” content and host branded
Kahuna Workforce Solutions Secures $21 Million in Series B Funding from Resolve Growth Partners to Advance Skills Management Technology for Frontline Workers29.11.2023 19:08:00 EET | Press release
Kahuna Workforce Solutions, the leading provider of operational skills and competency management software, today announced a $21 million Series B funding round led by Resolve Growth Partners. This investment marks a significant milestone in Kahuna’s growth journey and solidifies the criticality of skills management for industries with technical frontline workforces. As organizations navigate an ever-evolving and complex landscape, understanding, validating, and aligning workforce skills to strategic business objectives is central to operating at the highest level. Kahuna is at the forefront of skills management technology, equipping organizations with actionable skill insights for effective assessment, training and development, and staffing and deployment initiatives, ultimately enabling resilient operations, improved productivity, and a more competitive workforce. Kahuna’s customer base of leading Fortune 500 energy, manufacturing, and field service organizations, and world-renowned h
OPPSCIENCE Reaffirms Its Commitment to Public Security by Supporting the AGIR Meetings Sponsored by French National Gendarmerie29.11.2023 18:45:00 EET | Press release
OPPSCIENCE, a leader in Intelligence Analysis Management (IAM), reaffirms its support for public security by sponsoring the AGIR event. Following the introduction of its latest version of SPECTRA, a software dedicated to law enforcement, during Milipol Paris, OPPSCIENCE contributes to accelerating the initiatives of the National Gendarmerie on the seek of innovations. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231129543708/en/ The encounters at AGIR supported by OPPSCIENCE (Photo: Business Wire) MEETINGS AT AGIR: UNDERSTANDING THE NEEDS OF THE GENDARMERIE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT Strengthening the dialogue between law enforcement and the technology industry is the goal of the AGIR exhibition (Accompagnement par la Gendarmerie de l’Innovation, de l’Industrie et de la Recherche). Initiated by the innovation unit of the National Gendarmerie, this exhibition enables innovators in the Gendarmerie community, specialized units, proj
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom