China’s hack-proof quantum communication technology is “primarily ready” for practical use after a 4,600km (2,858 mile) network was put through two years of experimental service, researchers announced.
When fully developed, quantum communication can be applied in fields such as finance, defence, government administration and electronic information, according to scientists. This network consisted of the Micius satellite – the world’s first quantum communication satellite launched in 2016 – and more than 700 optical fibres covering 2,000km and connecting 32 nodes across four provinces and three municipalities in China. It was completed in 2017 and has realised communication up to a distance of 4,600km.
