LG Uplus Applies Quantum-Resistant Encryption to Optical Transmission Equipment... Network Stability Increases

LG Uplus and Kowever employees testing the newly developed 400G optical transmission equipment. Photo by LG Uplus

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Su-yeon] LG Uplus announced on the 11th that it will significantly enhance network security and stability by introducing large-capacity optical transmission equipment applying post-quantum cryptography.

The newly introduced equipment is a 400G/channel optical transmission device (ROADM; Re-configurable Optical Add-Drop Multiplexer) developed by the domestic telecommunications equipment manufacturer Kowiver, which will be deployed in its commercial transmission network.

The optical transmission equipment applies post-quantum cryptography, which LG Uplus was the first in the world to commercialize. Transmission cards providing various speeds from 1G to 10G according to customer requests are installed, and these cards incorporate Physical Unclonable Function (PUF) technology to provide dual-layer security.

The domestic optical transmission equipment used in the backbone network had a fixed frequency bandwidth of 50 GHz (Fixed-Grid), transmitting up to 200 Gbps per channel. In contrast, the newly developed optical transmission equipment applying flexible grid technology (Flexible Grid; a technology that changes channel bandwidth in frequency units of 6.25 GHz/12.5 GHz) allows free adjustment of frequency bandwidth, enabling large-capacity data transmission exceeding 400 Gbps per channel. Utilizing this technology, more than twice the amount of data can be transmitted over a single optical cable compared to the existing method. Increasing data transmission speed in the transmission network allows telecom companies to reduce network investment costs.

LG Uplus has been verifying optical transmission equipment capable of 400 Gbps data transmission using flexible wavelength optical transmission technology to promote mutual growth with domestic telecommunications equipment companies and plans to deploy the new equipment in the optical transmission backbone network within this year. Through cooperation with Kowiver, it confirmed that domestic equipment manufacturers have secured technology on par with foreign equipment companies. Going forward, LG Uplus plans to expand the 400G backbone network across both wired and wireless communications.

In April, following the launch of the world's first dedicated post-quantum cryptography line service, LG Uplus intends to continuously expand the application areas of post-quantum cryptography technology so that more customers can receive safe post-quantum cryptography services.

No Seong-ju, Head of the Network Platform Group at LG Uplus (Executive Director), said, “While improving network operation efficiency with optical transmission equipment developed through win-win cooperation, we will leverage our experience in commercializing the world's first post-quantum cryptography optical transmission equipment to lead quantum cryptography technology in various fields such as VPN, CCTV, and connected cars, providing customers with safer security services.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.