Dubai, UAE – February 2025
During the keynote session titled “Introduction to Quantum Threats and the Urgency of a Quantum Secure Economy” at the Quantum Innovation Summit 2025, UAE-based digital infrastructure leader e& and global technology provider Nokia announced deployment of a quantum-resilient network solution for a customer in the UAE. This marked the first time the deployment was shared publicly, reflecting the growing urgency to transition from strategic awareness to operational readiness in response to emerging quantum threats.
e& (formerly Etisalat Group) is the UAE’s national digital infrastructure group, with a mandate spanning connectivity, cloud, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies. Its collaboration with Nokia demonstrates a decisive move toward the implementation of advanced cryptographic safeguards that can strengthen the resilience of national infrastructure.
The keynote opened with insights from Carlo Corti, Head of Optical Networks for the Middle East and Africa at Nokia, who addressed the increasing vulnerability of today’s cryptographic systems in the face of rapidly evolving quantum capabilities. He noted that trust in the digital economy relies on cryptographic principles, including encryption, authentication, and data integrity. These foundations face growing risk as cryptographically relevant quantum computing progresses toward the potential to compromise widely used encryption standards. “We deliver networks. And now our major focus is how to deliver networks that are quantum safe,” Corti stated.
He emphasized the risks associated with quantum-enabled decryption of currently stored data, a practice known as “harvest now, decrypt later.” Nokia’s Quantum-Safe Networks (QSN) approach was introduced as a layered architecture that applies encryption and key management solutions across network layers, offering flexibility and defense-in-depth for evolving security needs.
Abdulrahman Al Humaidan, Vice-President of Fixed Access Networks at e&, confirmed the deployment and elaborated on its strategic relevance. “We have been working closely with our partner Nokia and we provided and deployed the solution for one of our customers, giving them quantum-safe connectivity.”
He described the initiative as part of a long-term commitment to secure infrastructure and emphasized that achieving quantum safety is a continuous process requiring diverse approaches. “The quantum era is piling up now,” he stated. “Achieving quantum safety is not about finding a single solution. It is an ongoing process that requires a multifaceted approach.”
The solution has been applied to critical sectors including finance, energy, healthcare, defense, and telecommunications, with a focus on Data Center Interconnection (DCI), campus networks, and hybrid cloud environments. The deployment includes symmetric encryption mechanisms and a physically secured operations center managed by a Security Management System (SMS) for key governance.
The reveal made on the stage of the Quantum Innovation Summit, highlights the growing role of the summit as a platform for surfacing real-world implementations and catalyzing cross-sector collaboration. Developed and led by Vernewell Group, the summit also supports the objectives of the Quantum Technology Adoption Program, which promotes strategic alignment and applied progress across quantum technologies.
About the Quantum Innovation Summit
The Quantum Innovation Summit is a strategic initiative led by Vernewell Group and dedicated to accelerating the adoption of quantum technologies through high-level dialogue, cross-sector collaboration, and real-world showcases. The summit brings together thought leaders, infrastructure providers, and decision-makers to address the challenges and opportunities of the quantum era.
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