Abstract: Quantum architectures may indeed play a significant role in future classical communication network, but in what precise way seems less clear. In this talk, we will have a look at in what way genuinely multi-partite features may come into play in this endeavour, beyond quantum-assisted point-to-point protocols. We ask how multi-partite routing in quantum networks can be deviced [1]. Along the way, we address the old question of the manipulation of multi-partite entangled states, a question for which we can offer technical progress [2]. Turning to more practical aspects, it has long been suggested that multi-partite schemes and entangled resources may offer advantages in multi-partite cryptographic protocols, but it remains a challenge to pinpoint specific network coding advantages. We will investigate a family of secret sharing protocols in which such an advantage can be proven [3]. If time allows, we will hint at even more practically minded classical simulations of quantum repeater schemes for communication networks [4] and aspects of their verification [5]. References [1] Quantum network routing and local complementation, F. Hahn, A. Pappa, J. Eisert, npj Quant. Inf. 5, 76(2019). DOI: 10.1038/s41534-019-0191-6 [2] Rates of multi-partite entanglement transformations and applications in quantum networks, A. Streltsov, C.Meignant, J. Eisert, Phys. Rev. Lett. 125, 080502 (2020). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.125.080502 [3] Sharing classical secrets with continuous-variable entanglement: Composable security and network codingadvantage, N. Walk, J. Eisert, in preparation (2021). [4] A classical simulation platform for quantum repeaters, J. Wallnöfer, N. Walk, F. Hahn, F. Krüger, J. Eisert,in preparation (2021). [5] Quantum certification and benchmarking, J. Eisert, D. Hangleiter, N. Walk, I. Roth, D. Markham, R.Parekh, U. Chabaud, E. Kashefi, Nature Rev. Phys. 2, 382-390 (2020). DOI: 10.1038/s42254-020-0