PQC Migration for Mobile and Fixed Operators
Telecommunications infrastructure is both a target for quantum attacks and a carrier for the traffic that PQC migration must protect. 5G-AKA remains anchored in a symmetric long-term subscriber key, but 5G introduced public-key mechanisms 4G never had, most visibly SUCI subscriber-identity concealment. Roaming interfaces, SIM provisioning, and interconnection agreements all have cryptographic dependencies. And the 6G standardization window that will lock in architectural choices for the next decade is open now.
This course covers PQC migration for mobile and fixed operators, aligned with GSMA PQ.01-PQ.07 guidance and the PQC Migration Framework Telecommunications extension.
Course Outline
Module 1. Telecommunications Cryptographic Dependencies
5G-AKA and its symmetric long-term subscriber key, and why that places it differently from the public-key mechanisms 5G introduced. SUCI identity concealment and the public-key dependencies that carry real quantum exposure. Roaming interface cryptography (SEPP/N32). SIM provisioning and OTA update security. Core network authentication. Transport network encryption. The distinction between access network and core network migration.
Module 2. GSMA Guidance and Standards
GSMA PQ.01 through PQ.07: what each document covers and requires. 3GPP standardization status. ETSI quantum-safe cryptography work. The 6G standardization window and why choices made now will persist for a decade.
Module 3. Operator Migration Strategy
Migration sequencing for mobile operators: core network, transport, access, services. SIM replacement and remote provisioning implications. Roaming partner coordination. Vendor equipment timeline dependencies. The interconnection agreement challenge.
Module 4. Implementation and Testing
Testing PQC in live network environments. Handover and roaming testing with PQC algorithms. Performance impact on latency-sensitive services. Regulatory compliance during transition.
Prerequisites
None. Sector experience is helpful but not required. For a broader PQC foundation, consider starting with Post-Quantum Foundation.
Certificate of Completion
Upon completion, you will receive a Quantum Academy certificate of completion. This is not a professional certification.
Who this course is for
Network security architects, core and radio engineering leads, standards and regulatory affairs staff, and vendor management at fixed and mobile operators. Equipment vendors gain a different thing from it: a clear view of what their customers are about to start requiring.
If you operate an enterprise network rather than a carrier network, the sector overview for your own industry will fit better.
What you’ll be able to do afterward
- Map the cryptographic estate of a modern telecom network (5G core, radio, transport, signaling, subscriber identity)
- Assess vendor-dependency constraints on PQC migration timelines
- Track and plan around 3GPP standards body PQC decisions
- Evaluate SIM/USIM upgrade paths for post-quantum subscriber authentication
- Plan PQC migration for Open RAN architectures
What you leave with
You leave with the course handbook, a PDF of the full material with the instructor notes written out in place of the slides’ bullet points, and a PDF copy of Quantum Ready, included at no extra cost. The handbook is yours to keep. For most organizations, that shared reference is the clearest return on a training budget.
Enrollment includes 180 days of access to the online on-demand course. Where that course is not yet published, the 180 days start on the day it is.
Where this course fits
Nothing is required. Post-Quantum Foundation covers the algorithm vocabulary if you want it first. The Quantum-Safe Telecommunications Intensive turns this into a network migration plan. PQC Vendor Governance is harder here than in most sectors, because operators depend on a small number of equipment suppliers.
Why we teach this
The course is built on the Telecommunications Extension of the Applied Quantum PQC Migration Framework, published openly under Creative Commons at pqcframework.org and written by the practitioners who teach here. Our faculty runs migration programs in this sector, and that is where the constraints in this material come from.
About this program
Quantum Academy credentials are private professional credentials issued by Quantum Academy, a trade name of Post-Quantum Institute. They are not government-issued licenses, accredited degrees, or academic credit, and earning one does not guarantee employment, promotion, regulatory approval, or any other specific outcome.
Quantum Academy programs are educational and informational only, and are not legal, compliance, or engineering advice.