Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), last week, launched a new national network to safeguard critical data for businesses engaged in quantum computing, an emerging technology that uses quantum physics to solve highly complex problems. It will also be Southeast Asia’s first quantum-safe network. With the new National Quantum-Safe Network Plus (NQSN+), IMDA is making an early move towards a quantum-safe Singapore, in line with the Digital Connectivity Blueprint released earlier last week.  Announcing the new network at the ATxSummit Social event, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat said that Singapore saw the potential for quantum computing many years ago. “Quantum computers carry the promise of unlocking unprecedented advancements in computing power,” he said. “This in turn could rapidly accelerate advances in AI and machine learning.” The need for NQSN+, however, recognises that quantum computing – which is even more powerful than supercomputing – can introduce potential security risks as they can break many encryption algorithms that secure data and communications. Having a quantum-safe network will strengthen the digital infrastructure to resist such quantum attacks. The NQSN+ builds on the work of the Centre for Quantum Technologies, which conducted nationwide trials of quantum-safe communication technologies to enhance network security in 2022. The trials demonstrated the technical feasibility of deploying quantum-safe technologies, such as Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), to protect against quantum computing risks. IMDA plans to start the NQSN+ with two network operators, who will each build a nationwide inter-operable quantum-safe network to serve businesses. Two proposals from network operators – Singtel and an SPTel-SpeQtral partnership – are currently being evaluated.  Singapore eventually aims to integrate the NQSN+ with quantum-safe networks of other cities. This allows businesses in Singapore to build and deploy quantum-safe solutions across global markets.  For a start, IMDA has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Republic of Korea’s National Information Society Agency to collaborate on quantum technologies and standardisation efforts. Singapore will co-lead, together with Japan, the first standardisation of the QKD protocol framework at the ITU Telecommunication Standardisation Sector. Lynette Hooi is a freelance writer