The PTQCI is the Portuguese infrastructure for EuroQCI, the future EU secure quantum communication network.
The PTQCI, the first segment of the European quantum communications network in Portugal, was awarded by the European Commission to the consortium including Adyta on July 15, 2022, as part of the first call of the Digital European Program.
The project represents Portugal’s national contribution to the European Quantum Communication Infrastructure (EuroQCI), the future pan-European quantum communication infrastructure. PTQCI will implement the first ultra-secure national quantum communication infrastructure using terrestrial links and will also prepare for space-based connections, leveraging quantum cryptography technologies such as Quantum Key Distribution (QKD).
The infrastructure development is coordinated by the National Security Office (GNS) in collaboration with Deimos Engenharia. The consortium includes Portugal’s leading public and private organizations in telecommunications and security: GNS, Deimos Engenharia (DME), IP TELECOM, AlticeLabs (ALB), Instituto de Telecomunicações (IT), INESC-ID, Adyta (A), Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT), Warpcom (W), Omnidea (O), Instituto Superior de Engenharia de Lisboa (ISEL), Instituto Português da Qualidade (IPQ), and Instituto Português Quantum (PQI).
PTQCI builds on DISCRETION, a project in which Adyta also participates, aimed at developing quantum communications for defense. DISCRETION is implementing a resilient network over existing fiber optic infrastructures in Portugal, connecting various public entities in the Lisbon metropolitan area and a test network involving academic and private actors. One of the QKD nodes developed in DISCRETION will also be deployed in the PTQCI network.
Carlos Carvalho, CEO of Adyta, stated: “We are very proud and honored to participate in another Europe-recognized project that will enable the construction of such an important and innovative infrastructure. Being part of a project of this nature, which began with our participation in DISCRETION, is the result of the fantastic work of the Adyta team and our strong focus on developing innovative solutions. We are helping build the future of telecommunications, which is highly motivating for us.”
The PTQCI project will be executed over 30 months, from 2023 to 2026.