• Nordic data network operator GlobalConnect is developing quantum-safe networking services
• It has teamed up with a digital services specialist in Norway to provide a quantum-safe service to a hospital near Oslo

As part of a new pilot project, Nordic data network operator GlobalConnect has teamed up with Norsk Helsenett, which provides digital solutions for the Norwegian healthcare sector, to deliver a quantum-safe network connection to Akershus University Hospital near Oslo. 

As part of the project, quantum key distribution (QKD) technology will be installed on a data link between Akershus University Hospital and a nearby datacentre. “Using QKD equipment at each location generates and exchanges encryption keys based on the laws of physics rather than mathematics,” noted GlobalConnect in this announcement. “Any attempt to eavesdrop on the connection is detected immediately, and the key exchange is theoretically secure and independent of future technological breakthroughs,” it added. 

The pilot project, which runs until April 2027, will provide Norsk Helsenett with the knowledge and practical experience it needs for “a potential expansion of quantum-safe infrastructure throughout the rest of the healthcare sector,” noted the Nordic operator. 

“With this pilot project, we will test quantum infrastructure to gain greater insight and experience,” stated Norsk Helsenett CEO Johan Ronæs. “The goal is to ensure that the sector is best equipped against the future threat from quantum computers. It is crucial that the healthcare service can continue to deliver safe and efficient digital services to citizens and healthcare personnel in the future,” he added. 

GlobalConnect CEO Martin Lippert added: “Quantum computers pose one of the most alarming future cyber threats, and we are strongly committed to securing our customers against it, strengthening the Nordics’ digital resilience, and protecting critical services. The healthcare sector handles large amounts of highly sensitive data that retains value for many years, making it an attractive target for malicious actors. This pilot project gives us all valuable experience with how quantum security works in practice.” 

GlobalConnect, which has reportedly been put up for sale by private equity firm EQT, the operator’s majority shareholder, is already involved in a number of quantum-safe networking initiatives across Europe, including the development of the European Quantum Communication Infrastructure (EuroQCI) and the Danish Quantum Community. 

Stay up to date with all the latest quantum-safe networking developments in our dedicated quantum technology channel. 

- Ray Le Maistre, Editorial Director, TelecomTV