Clifford Chance

Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Heng Swee Keat, has announced the launch of the National Quantum-Safe Network Plus (NQSN+) which aims to deliver quantum-safe communications across Singapore. As a first step towards the broader vision of a quantum-safe Singapore, IMDA’s NQSN+ will support network operators to deploy quantum-safe networks nationwide, so that businesses have easy access to solutions to safeguard their critical data.

The NQSN+ will start with at least two network operators. Each will build a nationwide, interoperable quantum safe network that can serve all businesses. Businesses can work with the NQSN+ operators to integrate quantum-safe solutions to safeguard their critical data and information in the quantum age.

IMDA has received proposals from Singtel, and from a joint partnership between SPTel and SpeQtral, and is evaluating these proposals.

IMDA has also published Singapore’s first Reference Specification (RS) on QKD Networks to guide technology vendors and organisations keen to deploy QKD networks.

International Collaboration

• Singapore will co-lead the first standardisation of the QKD protocol framework at the ITU Telecommmunication Standardisation Sector (ITU-T), together with Japan.
• IMDA has signed a MoU with the Republic of Korea’s National Information Society Agency (NIA) to collaborate on quantum technologies and standardisation efforts.