TU Eindhoven opens Quantum Communication Testbed Netherlands
As a partner of TU/e, WeConnect Waalre participates in the Quantum Delta NL program and contributes by facilitating the infrastructure.
Published on September 2, 2025
© TU Eindhoven
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Last week, Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) officially launched the Quantum Communication Testbed Netherlands (QuCT NL). The testbed serves as a testing ground for developing and testing communication networks that are secured using quantum keys.
As a partner of TU/e, WeConnect Waalre participates in the Quantum Delta NL program and contributes by facilitating the infrastructure and testing of the innovative technology.
“While the quantum computer is still under development, we already need solutions today to keep our current network connections secure,” says Marcel Menting, director of WeConnect Waalre. “With quantum keys, we are already taking a big step towards the digital security of tomorrow. Together with Eindhoven University of Technology and many other partners, we are leading the way in this field and forming a testing ground for innovations in Waalre and Eindhoven.”
Normally, computers use mathematical algorithms to exchange keys securely. In the future, these methods may become vulnerable to quantum computers, which can break such calculations much faster. A quantum key usually refers to a cryptographic key that is generated or exchanged using quantum key distribution, based on the principles of quantum mechanics. Quantum keys are not based on mathematical formulas, but on the laws of nature. Any attempt to eavesdrop will irrevocably disrupt the quantum situation. As a result, even a quantum computer cannot intercept or crack the key unnoticed.
Securing communication infrastructure
In June 2023, a demonstration of the first quantum-secured live video connection in the Netherlands took place at Het Huis van Waalre, in collaboration with TU/e and the municipality of Waalre. This demonstrated that quantum technology can contribute to the future-proof security of fiber optic networks in practice. Thanks to this collaboration, Waalre is at the forefront of applying the latest technologies to its fiber optic network and securing its communications infrastructure for the coming decades.
The new infrastructure allows researchers, companies, and partners to experiment with quantum-secure communication. This makes it possible to test new technologies, such as quantum key distribution (QKD) and post-quantum cryptography (PQC), in a realistic environment. QuCT NL's testing and evaluation capabilities bridge the gap between scientists and industry, bringing future network security closer to reality.
