Telecom Operators Actively Preparing for Quantum Technology

In recent years, global quantum information technology has made rapid progress. It becomes a cutting-edge field for a new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation. Opening up a new track for future industries and accelerating the industrialization of quantum technology has become a key factor for China to enter the forefront of innovative countries and seize the technological high ground. In this process, the three major telecom operators are playing increasingly important roles.

“The three major telecom operators may make significant progress in the field of quantum technology and expand their sources of revenue,” a securities analyst told Securities Daily reporters. Internally, the three major telecom operators’ measures in the field of quantum technology signify their innovation in business models and active expansion of future growth space; Externally speaking, the layout of operators in the field of quantum technology is a positive response to national strategy. It helps to promote the rapid development of China’s quantum technology industry and promote China’s technological self-reliance and self-improvement.

Quantum Communication May be First Commercialized

The industry believes that among the three most focused sub fields of quantum technology, namely quantum communication, quantum computing, and quantum measurement, quantum communication can be the first to achieve commercialization.

At the China Telecom Quantum Technology Experience Hall, relevant staff showcased the research direction of quantum communication and the applications in the field of quantum communication under China Telecom to reporters from Securities Daily.

There are two most representative research directions in quantum communication, including quantum key distribution and quantum teleportation. Among them, quantum key distribution is the first direction to achieve industrialization in quantum information technology. Specifically, quantum key distribution utilizes the non cloning principle of quantum states to generate a set of non interceptable codebooks for both the sender and receiver. Through this codebooks, classical bits are encrypted “one at a time”, enabling unconditionally secure communication.

At present, significant progress has been made in the transformation of quantum communication technology from laboratory concepts to practical applications. Taking China Telecom’s achievements in the field of quantum communication as an example, the quantum secure communication metropolitan area network established by China Telecom in Hefei has become one of the world’s largest, most widely used, and most comprehensive quantum communication networks by connecting 1147 kilometers of optical fibers.

At the China Mobile Computing Network Conference, quantum communication was also in an important position at the China Mobile booth. Exhibition visitors can pick up terminal devices equipped with China Mobile’s quantum secure SIM card and experience quantum encrypted instant messaging. It includes functions such as screen recording, screenshot taking, instant burning, encrypted calling, etc.

In addition, China Unicom’s subsidiary, China Unicom Online, announced earlier this year that it will release the Unicom Certified Quantum Encryption SDK (Software Development Kit). It’s goal is to further enhance the access security of China Unicom certified products and improve the security protection capability for highly sensitive information. During the MWC Shanghai 2023, China Unicom also demonstrated the innovative application of the quantum key cloud platform in the Internet of Vehicles and industrial Internet scenarios.

Pioneering the Layout of Quantum Computing

Quantum computing is also highly anticipated in the field of quantum technology. In today’s world where there is an increasing demand for information processing speed, quantum computers, with the inherent advantage of quantum superposition states, can achieve speeds that classical computers cannot match.

In 2023, China Mobile invested in quantum startups Bose Quantum and Huayi Quantum, and in April of the same year, its subsidiary Mobile Cloud launched the “Five Mountains” quantum cloud platform. At present, Wuyue Quantum Cloud Platform 1.0 has taken the lead in integrating 100 bit domestic optical quantum computers into the grid. And it is open to the public to provide convenient access to the real computing power resources of domestic optical quantum computers on the cloud, as well as simulation and verification capabilities for various types of quantum algorithms and applications.

During the 2024 China Mobile Computing Network Conference, China Mobile, together with nine domestic quantum computer companies, released the “Five Sacred Mountains” Quantum Cloud Computing Acceleration 2.0 Plan. Also, it will continue to gather real machine computing power such as superconductivity and ion traps and open up universal quantum computing power to the world.

In 2023, China Telecom released the domestically produced quantum computing cloud platform “Tianyan”. It covers all aspects from real machines to control systems and compilation software. The superconducting quantum computer integrated with the “Tianyan” platform is 10 million times faster than the fastest supercomputer currently available in handling specific problems such as random line sampling, truly achieving quantum computing superiority.

In April of this year, China Telecom Quantum, a subsidiary of China Telecom, announced that it would collaborate with the company to acquire Guodun Quantum, develop a quantum computing machine based on the “Xiaohong” chip, connect to the “Tianyan” quantum computing cloud platform, and open it to global users for use.

Xiang Ligang, Chairman of the Information Consumption Alliance, told Securities Daily reporters that the roles of the three major telecom operators are accelerating their transformation from communication service operators to technology-based enterprises. And the layout of quantum technology is in line with the transformation direction of the three companies. Simultaneously deploying quantum technology not only helps to enhance the national technological level, but also ensures national information security. The layout of the three companies demonstrates the advantages and sense of responsibility of technology-based central enterprises.

According to Boston Consulting Group (BCG), the market size for quantum computing applications is expected to reach over $50 billion by 2030.

Wang Zhengnan, a senior observer in the communication operation industry, told a reporter from Securities Daily that in the field of quantum technology, quantum communication may be the first to go commercial. At the same time, with the gradual release of market space in the fields of quantum computing and quantum measurement, the three major operators can open up broad market prospects with the help of quantum technology, a new track.