Quantum Computing Inc. (QCi) and Ciena have announced a joint demonstration of a next-generation quantum-secured communications architecture at OFC 2026. The live showcase integrates Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) and Quantum Identity Authentication with high-speed AES-256-GCM optical encryption. This layered approach is designed to secure critical in-flight data against current cyber threats and future risks posed by quantum computers—specifically those capable of running Shor’s algorithm to break classical public-key infrastructure.
The solution utilizes Ciena’s Waveserver platform, which supports high-capacity optical encryption scaling up to 1.6 Tb/s. This platform features NIST-certified post-quantum cryptography (PQC) algorithms and enables seamless third-party interworking via an ETSI-standard API. By combining the mathematical resilience of PQC with the physical-layer security of QKD, the partners are demonstrating a “quantum-safe out of the box” solution that maintains high network performance without introducing significant latency.
QCi provides the quantum layer, featuring a time-frequency entanglement-based QKD system that uses telecom-band photons for stability in existing fiber deployments. The security stack is further bolstered by Quantum Identity Authentication using Quantum Zero Knowledge Proof (QZEK-P), a hardware-based implementation that received the 2023 Edison Patent Award. This collaboration follows QCi’s February 2026 acquisition of Luminar Semiconductor, which accelerated the production of photonic chips based on thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN), allowing these quantum systems to operate at room temperature and low power.
For full technical details on the Waveserver integration and QZEK-P authentication, consult the official Ciena newsroom announcement here.
March 13, 2026
