China’s first quantum communication network in Jinan has passed expert review, the 21st Century Business Herald reported, citing information released on the provincial government’s website.
The private network will provide high-quality quantum security phone calls and other data communication services, and will first operate among party and government bodies in several districts in Jinan, the report said.
According to an unnamed senior engineer in a ministerial research institute, the project is a government-dedicated network, whether it will be commercialized is still “difficult to tell” at this stage.
The creation of a quantum communication network has been widely discussed. Alibaba and several other Chinese internet giants have increased their investment in the field.
According to the 21st Century Business Herald, quantum communication technology has already moved from laboratory experiments to industrial applications, but for large-scale commercial applications it is still distant.