Hall 6 · Exhibit 2 1 min
PQC in Telecommunications: 5G Core
Lab-validated performance in real network infrastructure
Why 5G CoreCloud-native, TLS/PKI-dependent → quantum-exposed
Latency cost+2.7% median (lab-validated)
Testbedopen5gs + liboqs, 10 network functions
VerdictPQC viable for telecom infrastructure
The 5G Core (5GC) represents a critical deployment target. Unlike previous mobile generations using SIM-based symmetric auth, 5GC is cloud-native with microservices communicating via and OAuth 2.0 — making it uniquely quantum-vulnerable.
Lab-Validated Performance
A 2026 study tested hybrid in an open5gs/liboqs testbed with 10 essential Network Functions. Hybrid KEMs tested included BIKE and FrodoKEM combined with ; hybrid signatures included Falcon, , and SPHINCS+ combined with or .
| Metric | Conventional | Hybrid PQC | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median UE Setup | 257 ms | 264 ms | +2.7% |
| 99th Percentile | 505 ms | 669 ms | +32.5% |
| SBI Data Rate | 111.0 KB/s | 114.8 KB/s | +3.4% |
Key Conclusion
The 5G Core can technically support without substantial impact on usability, computational overhead, or message size. The hybrid strategy endorsed for web and enterprise is equally viable for telecom infrastructure.
Key Takeaways
- 5G Core's PKI-dependent architecture makes it uniquely quantum-vulnerable
- Hybrid PQC adds only ~2.7% median latency overhead in lab testing
- KEMTLS could further reduce overhead by replacing signatures with KEMs