Palm Beach State College activated Florida’s first quantum-safe network segment on October 15, 2026, linking the college to Florida Atlantic University using existing Palm Beach County dark fiber infrastructure. The project received $1 million in defense infrastructure grant funding from FloridaCommerce and uses IonQ quantum key distribution technology to secure data transmission between institutions.
“This partnership is a model for how higher education, industry and government can work together to build the infrastructure and talent that will drive Florida’s future,” said Palm Beach State College President Ava L. Parker, JD. This connection establishes a foundation for a broader, statewide quantum-secure communication network.
PBSC Launches Florida’s First Quantum-Safe Network Segment
Operational as of October 15, 2026, this connection represents the first segment of a planned statewide quantum-safe network. The network segment employs quantum key distribution technology from IonQ to encrypt data transmissions, a method that relies on the principles of quantum physics to detect any attempted interception. Any attempt to observe the encryption key inherently alters it, alerting the communicating parties to a potential breach.
This proactive security measure is increasingly vital for protecting sensitive information, particularly within governmental and critical infrastructure sectors. President Ava L. At the same time, we are preparing students for careers in the technologies that will power our economy and protect our critical infrastructure.” Additional nodes are planned for Miami Dade College and Florida Atlantic University’s Jupiter campus, home to the Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, with completion expected in the near future, expanding the reach of this quantum-secure network across the state.
This partnership is a model for how higher education, industry and government can work together to build the infrastructure and talent that will drive Florida’s future.
See today’s quantum computing news on Quantum Zeitgeist for the latest breakthroughs in qubits, hardware, algorithms, and industry deals.
