In December 2019, the ITU-T Telecommunication Standardization Advisory Group (TSAG) formally created the Focus Group on Quantum Information Technology for Networks (FG-QIT4N). The group was established to provide a collaborative platform for pre-standardization work on quantum information technologies as they apply to telecommunications networks.
According to the group’s terms of reference, FG-QIT4N’s objectives included studying the evolution and applications of quantum information technology for networks, developing terminology and use case documentation, and providing an open cooperation platform with ITU-T Study Groups and other standards development organizations. Participation was open to all interested stakeholders, including non-ITU members.
FG-QIT4N was organized into two main working groups: one dedicated to Quantum Key Distribution Networks (QKDN) and another to Quantum Information Networks (QIN) beyond QKDN. Leadership included representatives from China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, QuantumCTek, Huawei, SK Telecom, ADVA Optical Networking, CAS Quantum Network, L3Harris Technologies, NICT, Rostelecom, and the Communications and Information Technology Commission of Saudi Arabia.