Orange Business and Toshiba Europe Unveil Paris’s First Commercial Quantum-Safe Networking Service

Orange Business and Toshiba Europe Unveil Paris’s First Commercial Quantum-Safe Networking Service

(IN BRIEF) Orange Business has partnered with Toshiba Europe to launch Orange Quantum Defender, the first quantum-safe network service available commercially in greater Paris. By combining Toshiba’s QKD hardware with robust PQC software, the service delivers a multi-tiered security model protecting data against next-generation quantum attacks. A leading French financial services firm has already connected multiple sites to the network to safeguard its critical information. The initiative addresses the impending threat of “store now, decrypt later” attacks by integrating quantum-secure key distribution with post-quantum algorithms over Orange’s existing fibre infrastructure. Executives from both companies highlighted the culmination of years of joint testing, which proved QKD’s compatibility with live networks and high secret-key throughput. Orange Quantum Defender not only secures today’s sensitive data but also advances France’s broader quantum strategy by providing a scalable, real-world solution for enterprises facing ever-evolving cyber-threat landscapes.

(PRESS RELEASE) PARIS/CAMBRIDGE, 11-Jun-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Orange Business and Toshiba Europe have teamed up to introduce Orange Quantum Defender, the first commercially available quantum-safe networking service in the Paris metropolitan area. Leveraging Toshiba’s Quantum Safe Networking platform—which fuses hardware-based Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) with software-driven Post‐Quantum Cryptography (PQC)—the new offering delivers a defence-in-depth architecture designed to safeguard enterprise data against the future threat of quantum‐powered cyberattacks.

Deployed over Orange’s existing fibre infrastructure in greater Paris, Orange Quantum Defender provides ultra-secure, high-throughput connections. A major French financial institution has already adopted the service to interlink multiple locations, ensuring its most critical financial datasets are protected today and remain confidential when quantum computers emerge.

As quantum processors advance, they will be capable of breaking today’s standard public-key encryption, enabling “store now, decrypt later” exploits in which adversaries harvest encrypted data today for decryption tomorrow. To counter this, Orange Quantum Defender combines QKD’s provable physical‐layer security with PQC’s resilience against quantum decryption, giving organisations a layered shield that secures data both now and in the quantum future.

“We’re delighted to roll out Orange Quantum Defender—France’s first commercial quantum-safe networking service,” said Aliette Mousnier-Lompré, CEO of Orange Business. “Powered by Toshiba’s proven technology, this service marks a major milestone in our multi-layered approach to quantum-safe communications. We’re equipping customers to face evolving cyber threats and futureproofing their most sensitive data.”

This launch caps years of Orange–Toshiba collaboration validating QKD’s performance in real-world settings. Joint trials confirmed that Toshiba’s QKD modules can operate over long distances at high key-generation rates alongside conventional traffic, and can be integrated into existing fibre networks with minimal disruption. Beyond protecting corporate data, the service also aligns with France’s national quantum strategy by demonstrating a scalable, commercially viable path to quantum-resistant networks.

“The quantum era is upon us, and large organisations must prepare for the risks posed by quantum computers,” said Hiroshi Tsukino, Corporate Vice President at Toshiba Corporation and Vice President of ICT Solutions at Toshiba Digital Solutions. “After years of joint research, we’re proud to offer enterprises in Paris a turnkey solution that guarantees their communications remain secure in the quantum age.”

About Toshiba
In 2025, the Toshiba Group celebrates its 150th anniversary. As the company looks ahead, it is enhancing its management structure, streamlining operations, and investing in forward-looking businesses to build foundations for new growth.

This will allow it to continue to support advances toward a sustainable future with products and services developed by its wide range of businesses in the energy, infrastructure, and electronic devices domains.

Guided by its corporate philosophy, “Committed to People, Committed to the Future.,” Toshiba brings industry-leading capabilities in green transformation (GX) and digital transformation (DX) to solutions for companies addressing the many challenges faced by modern society. By leveraging the power of data derived from its constantly evolving products and solutions, the Group is determined to help to achieve carbon neutrality and a circular economy.

In fiscal year 2024, Toshiba Group recorded annual sales of 3.5 trillion yen and employed 95,000 people worldwide. For more information, visit our website or follow us on LinkedIn.

Media Contacts:

Orange:
Fatima Rahil: fatima.rahil@orange.com
Tom Wright: tom.wright@orange.com

Toshiba:
George Pope, Nelson Bostock Unlimited: george.pope@nelsonbostock.com

SOURCE: Orange