Q&A: How Nokia Champions Future-Safe Quantum Networks

Nokia has been a force in the communications and technology industries for more than 150 years.

Originally founded as a paper mill in 1865, Nokia is now a multinational telecommunications, information technology and consumer electronics giant, shaping the world as we know it.

Its research and technology can be credited as supporting many innovations, including the first long-distance television transmission in the US, the invention of the first binary computer and even the discovery of the origin of the universe.

But Nokia is not done yet.

As quantum computing advances at pace, Nokia is pioneering the development of quantum-safe networks to secure the future of digital communications. 

Matthieu Bourguignon is Senior Vice-President of Network Infrastructure for Europe at Nokia and has 25 years of experience in the IT and telecom industries.

In his current role, he oversees the European team in delivering all of Nokia’s infrastructure projects, including IP and optical networks for high-speed data transmission over fibre optic networks, fixed networks such as broadband and fixed-line connectivity and data centre solutions.

With Nokia, Matthew is shaping a resilient, quantum-enabled ecosystem, empowering communications service providers and enterprises to embrace innovation while safeguarding critical data in the quantum era.

Here, he shares his insights with Technology Magazine.

How is Nokia driving innovation in the quantum computing space?

​Nokia’s impressive legacy of more than 150 years of networking innovation, combined with our experience in creating some of the world’s largest and most mission-critical networks, underpins our leadership in this field.

Through our work with Nokia Bell Labs, we’re advancing research in quantum computing, security and sensing, which guides the development of the enterprise and communications solutions we’re building.

By working with strategic partners across the communications industry, we’re driving innovation through the development and testing of cutting-edge quantum technologies.

Together with Turkey's leading technology and communications provider, Turkcell, we set a new benchmark for network security by successfully demonstrating a world-first implementation of quantum-safe IPsec network cryptography into Turkcell’s mobile transport network. 

More recently, we collaborated with Colt Technology Services, a global digital infrastructure leader, to successfully complete a groundbreaking quantum-secured encryption trial across its optical wave network. 

The trial, spanning Colt’s metro and long-haul networks, explored new ways for global businesses to overcome risks to encryption posed by quantum computers.

How do you see quantum computing transforming network optimisation for CSPs and enterprises?

Quantum computing will enhance connectivity by enabling the rapid optimisation of network configurations. 

With its ability to process complex datasets efficiently compared to traditional computing, quantum technologies can deliver faster and more precise load balancing across networks, a crucial function for data centres and cloud services that form the backbone of modern internet infrastructure. 

This optimises network resources and enhances user experience by reducing latency and preventing bottlenecks.

Quantum technology will continue to push the limits of networking, maximising the amount of data that can be transmitted with minimal energy usage. 

Beyond this, these technologies also support better network planning and predictive maintenance. 

By modelling vast network scenarios in real-time, CSPs and enterprises can anticipate failures, optimise routing pathways and scale resources more efficiently.

As digital infrastructure continues to expand, the capabilities of quantum technologies will be essential for maintaining reliability, security and sustainability across next-generation networks.

What would you say are the most significant security risks facing network infrastructure today? How is Nokia addressing the need for quantum-safe networks?

In today’s digital age, cyberattacks are no longer a question of ‘if’ but ‘when’. 

As threat actors increasingly leverage AI to launch more sophisticated attacks, an operator’s network infrastructure faces a growing number of threats, from ransomware and data breaches to large-scale DDoS attacks. 

The telecoms sector has recently fallen victim to social engineering tactics aimed at service disruption, as well as malware embedded within roaming protocols. 

For CSPs, prioritising cybersecurity as a core pillar of digital transformation and building proactive strategies around this reality is critical.

The imminent arrival of Cryptographically Relevant Quantum Computers (CRQC) is another significant security threat on the horizon that could become a reality as soon as 2030. 

By breaking widely used cryptographic algorithms, CRQCs will render current encryption methods obsolete, jeopardising the security of digital infrastructure worldwide.

The ‘harvest now, decrypt later’ tactic, employed by threat actors who are actively collecting encrypted data now to decrypt once quantum computing advances, is another major risk to network infrastructure.

Our quantum-safe networking solutions provide robust defense-in-depth, crypto-resilient security through multilayered cryptography to ensure the networks we look after are always secure and trusted.

What are the key challenges CSPs face in adopting quantum technologies? How is Nokia helping them navigate these challenges?

Adopting quantum technologies is complex and requires substantial changes across network layers. 

One of the key challenges for CSPs is the threat posed by quantum technologies to current encryption methods. 

The lack of standardised protocols and the evolving nature of quantum technologies also add to the concerns around data security and privacy.

We are actively supporting CSPs to improve their operational readiness through our multi-layered, defense-in-depth approach to quantum-safe security, enabling them to securely scale deployments and evolve with the shifting threat landscape.

Nokia Bell Labs also contributes cutting-edge research, providing strategic insights for businesses through reports and thought leadership. 

Many of Nokia Bell Labs’ greatest innovations to date have been based on quantum research such as the transistor, solar cell and quantum dots.

These quantum technology 1.0 breakthroughs have paved the way for today’s microprocessors and optical networks.

Through our collaboration with industry partners and Nokia Bell Labs’ pioneering quantum research, we are helping shape a secure and quantum-resilient future for telecommunications.

Are there practical steps you would recommend businesses taking to ensure both innovation and security in their network strategies?

As the threat landscape continues to evolve at a rapid pace, future-proofing network strategies requires a proactive shift towards quantum-safe security. 

Organisations must upgrade existing networks to quantum-safe architectures, ensuring quantum-safe protections extend beyond the optical core to IP edges and application layers. 

Resilient network protection requires a combination of strategies, including advanced data encryption such as AES-256 with symmetric key distribution, robust key management, independent security certifications, data integrity assurance during transmission and mechanisms that guarantee non-repudiation.

It is also critical for businesses to evaluate their cryptographic agility now rather than later, to better understand what is needed to implement post-quantum cryptography across their offerings to ensure both innovation and long-term security.