Lumen Funds Ohio State University Research on Long-Distance Quantum Communication

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On October 29, U.S. communications network operator Lumen Technologies confirmed that it will provide research funding to Ohio State University to support research on long-distance quantum communication and distributed quantum sensing using deployed fiber-optic infrastructure. The collaboration focuses on connecting quantum computing systems at different geographic locations, assessing the suitability of existing fiber-optic networks for quantum signal transmission, and exploring the application of quantum sensing technology in geophysical monitoring and communication network status detection.

Ohio State University will research the optical communication technologies required to achieve interconnection of quantum systems over long distances. Traditional communication networks can compensate for transmission loss through optical amplifiers, but unknown quantum states cannot be directly copied, and conventional signal amplification methods cannot be directly applied to quantum information transmission. The research will focus on exploring the transmission conditions of quantum signals in existing fiber-optic infrastructure, providing a technical basis for the subsequent development of distributed quantum computing networks.

Distributed quantum sensing is another research task. Researchers will explore the use of quantum technology to monitor changes in the geophysical environment and identify external conditions that may affect the operational performance of fiber-optic networks. Lumen plans to combine relevant research results to assess the feasibility of its existing long-haul and metro fiber-optic infrastructure supporting quantum communication and sensing services in the future.

Ohio State University has previously conducted research on quantum communication over actual fiber optics. In 2024, the university's electrical and computer engineering research team received $750,000 in Ohio state research funding to develop long-distance communication technology based on measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (MDI-QKD). The project set a research target of quantum key distribution over distances of up to 240 kilometers and planned to use existing underground fiber optics for field verification.

Research progress announced by the university in September 2026 confirmed that the research team has completed a quantum key distribution link demonstration using on-campus underground fiber optics and is developing an intercity quantum network connecting Columbus and Dayton, Ohio. The related work has received support from U.S. federal and state government research funding, and Lumen's new investment will be used to further explore the application of deployed fiber optics in quantum information science and engineering.

During the same period, Lumen also proposed introducing Fortinet's post-quantum cryptography technology into its Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) products, with plans to provide initial capabilities in November 2026 and achieve general availability in January 2027. This arrangement targets data encryption protection for enterprises' existing networks and constitutes a different technical task from the quantum state fiber-optic transmission research conducted by Ohio State University.