April 08, 2025 -- Adtran today announced that Colt Technology Services has successfully completed a quantum-secured encryption trial across its metro and long-haul optical wave networks using Adtran FSP 3000 technology. The trial assessed the performance of both post-quantum cryptography (PQC) and quantum key distribution (QKD) to safeguard critical data from emerging cybersecurity threats. By successfully securing traffic between Colt’s London and Frankfurt sites as well as across three locations in London, the trial demonstrates the viability of quantum-secured encryption solutions in a multi-vendor, disaggregated environment. Colt aims to develop customizable solutions based on the findings, helping businesses prepare for quantum-era security challenges.

“Quantum computing is expected to redefine cybersecurity and businesses must start preparing now,” said Vivek Gaur, VP of engineering at Colt Technology Services. “The threat of ‘harvest now, decrypt later’ is real – cybercriminals are already collecting encrypted data in anticipation of quantum advancements. With this trial, we’ve validated a range of encryption techniques across real-world optical transport environments, ensuring that our customers – particularly in financial services – can deploy future-proofed security strategies. By integrating both post-quantum cryptography and quantum key distribution, we’re laying the foundation for a secure digital future, protecting sensitive data against emerging threats.”

Featuring Adtran FSP 3000 open optical transport technology and Adva Network Security’s ConnectGuard encryption solution, the PoC successfully tested quantum-secured encryption across Colt’s metro and long-haul networks, incorporating both PQC and QKD techniques. The long-distance test secured data traffic across 1,361 km between London and Frankfurt, while the metro trial connected multiple Colt points of presence across London and Slough. By integrating multiple encryption methodologies – including pre-shared key, PQC and QKD – the trial confirmed that quantum-safe encryption solutions can be deployed across disaggregated, vendor-neutral networks, ensuring compatibility with different optical transport technologies.

“This field trial is a major milestone in advancing quantum-secured encryption in live networks,” commented Ryan Schmidt, GM of optical transport at Adtran. “Utilizing our FSP 3000 technology and Adva Network Security’s ConnectGuard encryption solution, Colt has validated both PQC and QKD across metro and long-haul environments, helping businesses prepare for the next era of cybersecurity. Physical layer encryption provides the strongest defense, ensuring low-latency, end-to-end protection without impacting network performance. By encrypting data at the transport layer before it reaches higher network layers, we eliminate exposure to vulnerabilities and ensure seamless security across the entire infrastructure. As quantum computing evolves, Adtran remains committed to delivering solutions that ensure secure, high-performance data transport for enterprises worldwide.”