In April of this year I wrote about how quantum cryptography (more properly called Quantum Key Distribution or QKD) was leaving the laboratory bench and is balanced on the cusp of entering into real-world use. At the time, many thought I was talking about the far distant future. However, as is so often the case, people underestimate how rapidly technology moves on. A paper just published by a research group in Cambridge UK could be a game changer for QKD. One of the main objections to QKD has been the expense. It has been necessary to have fibre optic cabling dedicated to the task (so called dark fibre). With dark fibre, in the absence of other data signals, secure key rates exceeding 1 Mb/s and a transmission distance of over 250 km have been achieved. Until now, the idea of leasing such fibres from telecoms providers has put potential users off at the first hurdle. [More]














Source: Quantum Cryptography At The End Of Your Road