Orange Business and Toshiba Europe have unveiled France’s first quantum-safe networking service, Orange Quantum Defender, now commercially available in the greater Paris area.
The service, launched in partnership, integrates Toshiba’s Quantum Safe Networking technology, combining Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) and Post Quantum Cryptography (PQC) to provide unparalleled protection against future quantum computing threats.
The quantum-safe network aims to safeguard sensitive data from “store now, decrypt later” attacks, where malicious actors collect encrypted data today for decryption when powerful quantum computers become available.
Industries such as financial services, healthcare, and critical infrastructure are particularly vulnerable, as quantum advancements threaten to render current encryption methods obsolete.
A major French financial services company has already adopted the service, connecting multiple sites to the high-speed, resilient network to secure critical financial data.
Orange Quantum Defender operates over Orange’s existing commercial fiber network in Paris, leveraging Toshiba’s QKD technology alongside PQC for a multi-layered, defense-in-depth security approach.
“We are thrilled to launch Orange Quantum Defender, a groundbreaking service in France,” said Aliette Mousnier-Lompré, CEO of Orange Business. “This is a significant step in our quantum-safe networking strategy, ensuring our enterprise customers are protected against evolving quantum threats today and into the future.”
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The launch follows years of collaboration between Orange and Toshiba, including successful tests demonstrating QKD’s ability to scale over long distances with high secret key rates while coexisting with conventional data signals. These tests confirmed the technology’s compatibility with existing fiber networks, reducing adoption barriers and supporting France’s national quantum strategy.
“The quantum age is here, and large organizations face significant risks from quantum computing advancements,” said Hiroshi Tsukino, Corporate Vice President of Toshiba Corporation and Vice President of ICT Solutions Division at Toshiba Digital Solutions. “Our collaboration with Orange has validated QKD’s real-world applicability, and this commercial launch marks a critical step in securing sensitive data for Paris-based organizations.”