Networking companies Colt and Ciena say they have completed one of the fastest quantum-safe data transmissions ever recorded, sending data at 800 gigabits per second across the Atlantic Ocean.
According to SDxCentral, the two companies ran the 800 Gb/s link over a trans-Atlantic route in what they describe as a landmark trial for quantum-safe networking.
The term "quantum-safe" refers to encryption methods designed to withstand attacks from future quantum computers. Today's standard encryption relies on mathematical problems that classical computers would take thousands of years to crack — but powerful enough quantum computers could theoretically do it in hours or minutes. That prospect has the telecom and security industries racing to develop and test transmission methods that would hold up even in a post-quantum world.
Running such a link at 800G is notable because it shows quantum-safe encryption can be layered onto high-capacity, real-world infrastructure without sacrificing speed — a concern that has long shadowed the technology. Demonstrating it over an actual transatlantic route, rather than a controlled lab environment, adds practical weight to the claim.
Colt is a major provider of enterprise network services, while Ciena makes the optical networking hardware that underpins much of the internet's physical backbone. Their collaboration suggests the industry is moving from theoretical post-quantum standards toward live deployment on critical global links.
As governments and regulators push organizations to begin transitioning to quantum-resistant infrastructure, a successful high-speed transatlantic trial signals that the technology may be closer to commercial readiness than many expected.