By John Doe
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – Telefonica Germany and Amazon Web Services (AWS) are collaborating on a pilot project to test quantum technologies within the telecom operator’s mobile network, as confirmed by executives from both companies.
AWS and Telefonica aim to optimize the placement of mobile towers, enhance network security through quantum encryption, and utilize the findings to advance 6G networks.
Major tech companies are striving to develop quantum computers that can offer significantly faster speeds compared to traditional silicon-based systems.
Experts have varying opinions on the arrival of quantum computers, but they are projected to be more powerful and capable of breaking encryption codes used in modern communication.
“Waiting for quantum computing to be fully realized is not an option. It is crucial to begin working on prototypes now,” stated Antia Lamas-Linares, principal applied scientist at AWS, in an interview with Reuters.
“We are laying the groundwork today to harness the potential of quantum technologies in our network,” said Mallik Rao, Chief Technology & Information Officer at O2 Telefonica, also known as Telefonica Germany.
Earlier this year, Telefonica Germany revealed its intention to migrate one million of its 5G customers to the AWS cloud.
“The performance has been excellent,” Rao told Reuters, noting: “We plan to transition another million customers within the next six months … our goal is to move at least three to four million customers in the next 12 to 18 months.”