(AGENPARL) – Fri 27 February 2026 Press Release
Rome, 27 February 2026
TIM ACHIEVES THE FIRST QUANTUM-SAFE CONNECTION BETWEEN TWO DATA
CENTERS
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.
TIM Press Office
http://www.gruppotim.it