Toshiba Wins UK Contract to Scale Quantum Networks With BT, Colt

Toshiba Europe has secured a £20 million Innovate UK contract to develop long-distance, multi-user quantum network subsystems in collaboration with BT and Colt Technology Services. The 18-month project aims to test the technology on existing fiber infrastructure to ensure affordability for telecom companies. Toshiba and the partners face a tight deadline of February 2028 to complete the work, which will contribute to the UK's goal of developing advanced quantum networks by 2035.

Andrew Shields, vice president of Toshiba Europe and head of its Quantum Technology Division, emphasized the importance of cost-effective subsystems that can be integrated into today's data communications infrastructure. The project targets the commercial adoption of quantum networking, focusing on building quantum processors across different data centers.

The competition's rules stipulate that each project's total costs must be between £1.5 million and £3 million, and the contract is a supply-chain contract rather than a network build. BT and Colt will conduct the testing, signaling the potential for Toshiba's subsystems to be deployed in the future.