Quantum Cryptography Slowed by "Dead Times"

coondoggie writes "Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the Joint Quantum Institute said today that technological and security issues will stall maximum transmission rates at levels comparable to that of a single broadband connection, such as a cable modem, unless researchers reduce "dead times" in the detectors that receive quantum-encrypted messages."

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[Arthur B.]

If you plan to be sending encrypted data to someone, you can exchange a one time pad the size of the data through the quantum channel. When you need to communicate, just use the one time pad at a speed not limited by quantum cryptography.

You can continuously refill this one time pad thus the real limitation is
  - your average rate of encrypted data over the year
  - disk space (but that's very cheap)

peak speed of encrypted data transmission is not constrained