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Press Release
The distribution of quantum keys while maintaining commercial traffic has been successfully tested over a distance of 40 km in Milan
TIM has successfully completed the first test in Italy of quantum-safe communications between Data Centers on an operational network infrastructure, validating the use of quantum key distribution for data stream encryption in a real operating environment.
TIM’s initiative is part of a broader set of projects aimed at strengthening the country’s digital sovereignty and, in particular, the security of the entire network-data center-cloud ecosystem, with the aim of increasing resilience, operational continuity and the protection of sensitive data. In a context where the ability to protect strategic infrastructure and data with secure and manageable solutions is becoming a competitive factor for businesses and public administrations, the project confirms TIM’s role as an enabler of digital sovereignty and quantum technologies.
The test, carried out in collaboration with Cisco, verified the integration of the quantum component with existing network and security architectures. The signal dedicated to key distribution was co-propagated with traditional data traffic on the same pair of optical fibres, along a 40 km route crossing several TIM network nodes in the Milan urban area, connecting two of the Group’s main Data Centers. This deliberately complex configuration – with numerous junctions and intermediate components – demonstrated the robustness of the solution in real-world scenarios of interconnection between Data Centers, such as replication, backup and disaster recovery.
The project leveraged the expertise of TIM Enterprise ecosystem: Telsy and QTI for the encryption and quantum security component, and Noovle for the Data Center infrastructure.
The trial is part of TIM’s broader commitment to quantum communications at European level. TIM has successfully coordinated the three-year European QUantum ecOsystems (EQUO) project (2023–2025), funded by the European Commission as part of the Digital Europe Programme to support the development of the European Quantum Communication Infrastructure (EuroQCI). The main objectives of EQUO concern the development of quantum key distribution networks and services, according to control and management architectures consistent with emerging standards.
With these initiatives, TIM takes another step forward in bringing innovative, reliable solutions to the market that are geared towards protecting critical data, responding to the security needs of companies in increasingly complex and sensitive scenarios, as well as to the security regulations and directives of the competent authorities to ensure the cyber resilience of networks.
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