Vodafone and ORCA Computing will explore potential of quantum

Quantum computing has the potential to perform more complex processing tasks than a traditional computer when planning, installing and optimising large mobile radio and gigabit broadband networks.

As the size and complexity of networks grow alongside demand for new digital services, Vodafone is partnering with ORCA Computing to enhance current mathematical methods used to approximate optimal network layouts. Vodafone’s software will be run on ORCA Computing’s quantum computer – the ORCA PT-2 Series photonic quantum system. The solutions generated by the quantum system could, for instance, help reduce total cable length and optimise the location of mobile base stations to maximise speed and minimise major civil engineering work.

Vodafone will initially survey ORCA’s quantum technology for solving complex optical fibre cable design challenges. Over time, Vodafone expects to use quantum principles more widely when modelling its global network which spans more than 200 destinations, including an undersea cable network transporting around 1/6 of the world’s Internet traffic, and a new direct-to-mobile broadband satellite communications system.

The partnership with ORCA Computing, headquartered in the UK and with offices in Canada and the US, supports Vodafone’s approach to enhance and extend its networks using greater automation and powerful new computing technologies. The company expects that quantum computing will improve the accuracy of network optimisation, as well as accelerate the use of machine learning and artificial intelligence to predict faults before they impact customers.