on 15-10-2024
National and international experts in the field of quantum technologies met at Teatro Aveirense, on October 4, 2024, to discuss the interconnection of quantum networks between Portugal and Spain. This was the 1st Iberian Quantum Communications Meeting, held within the scope of the PTQCI project - Portuguese Quantum Communications Infrastructure and integrated into the activities of Aveiro Tech Week 2024.
The initiative, organized by the Quantum Communications Group of the Instituto de Telecomunicações (IT) and the University of Aveiro, included the participation of academics, companies and public entities from Portugal and Spain and aimed to promote a debate on the implementation of a secure quantum network in both countries. During the sessions, participants discussed technical solutions and presented different perspectives on each state's quantum communications infrastructure.
During the workshop, internationally recognized personalities in the field of quantum technologies discussed the future connection of Iberian quantum networks to the European quantum infrastructure. Other participating European countries, such as Greece (HellasQCI project) and Malta (PRISM project), shared experiences on the challenges associated with implementing their national quantum networks.
“Other European countries are doing the same as us, creating national networks. The next phase will be to interconnect all these networks, which in our case will correspond, at least in an initial phase, to establishing connections with the Spanish network”, explains Armando Nolasco Pinto, professor at the University of Aveiro and researcher at the IT.
The event highlighted the importance of international collaboration for the construction of an integrated and secure quantum communications network, as well as the individual task of each country in training and qualifying human resources in this new area of knowledge and technology.
The main objective of the PTQCI consortium is to design and implement the first phase of quantum communications infrastructure in Portugal, integrated within the scope of EuroQCI – European Quantum Communications Network – an initiative that will seek to establish secure quantum communications across Europe in the coming years. The consortium is made up of universities and research centers such as the IT, ISEL and IST, national government entities such as the National Security Office (GNS), IPQ and FCCN, industrial entities such as Deimos, Adyta, Omnidea and Warpcom, and even telecommunications companies like IP Telecom and Altice Labs.