FIT connected to the backbone network of the quantum communication infrastructure

In April of this year, the backbone network of the quantum communication infrastructure was officially launched—marking the culmination of the Czech National Quantum Communication Infrastructure (CZQCI) project. This project is part of the broader pan-European EuroQCI initiative, which aims to create an extremely secure communication infrastructure based on quantum technologies, specifically on quantum key distribution. The launch of the national backbone network is the first step for the Czech Republic; this should be followed by a connection to the European infrastructure, the form and implementation of which are currently the subject of intensive discussions. Coordination and integration of the project at the national level has been undertaken by the organization CyberSecurityHub, which provides expertise, connects stakeholders, and ensures alignment with European initiatives. The Faculty of Information Technology at Brno University of Technology is part of the Czech consortium of academic and research organizations behind the project.

It is precisely FIT that is connecting to the backbone network with a slight delay in the coming days. We were waiting for the delivery of the necessary hardware, as confirmed by the project’s principal investigator at our faculty, Assoc. Prof. Ondřej Ryšavý. “Yes, the new terminal is already installed in our server room.” Doc. Jan Bouda, coordinator of the CZQCI project, comments on the broader context of FIT’s connection to the backbone network: “The opening of the secondary metropolitan branch is another success that follows the previous launch of the Czech national quantum communication infrastructure and also the opening of the test site in Prague.” Thanks to the operational quantum connection, the coming months at FIT will see experiments, case studies, and testing—in short, verifying how quantum communication in this form works in practice. “We can experiment; our students can join in and familiarize themselves with quantum communication. Our terminal is connected to the terminal at the CyberSecurityHub via standard optical fiber; routers obtain the encryption keys needed to create a secure communication channel from QKD terminals,” Ryšavý points out that, at first glance, in terms of hardware, a layperson would hardly be able to distinguish the quantum infrastructure from “conventional” one. The project utilizes optical fibers from the state-owned company ČD-Telematika; two fiber pairs and six optical lines are used.

The Future Is Being Shaped

Ondřej Ryšavý anticipates that the next step, in which FIT experts and students will participate, will be testing more complex communication scenarios that utilize key exchange—including intermediaries (such as on the Prague–Brno–Ostrava line), more complex network topologies, etc. The first communication tests between FIT VUT and FIT ČVUT via the quantum backbone have already taken place. One of the pillars of the CZQCI project is related educational activities, which should ensure, among other things, that the Czech Republic has a sufficient number of experts in quantum technologies, which are seen as the future guarantee of highly secure communication of sensitive data. “We will certainly involve students in mini-projects, or rather bachelor’s and master’s theses, and subsequently we would like to incorporate the topic more into master’s-level coursework. Looking ahead, the plan is to launch a new specialization focusing on the broader field of quantum technologies, not just quantum communication,” Ryšavý comments on the medium-term plans.

The long-term goal of this coordinated European initiative is to begin constructing a complete communication network after 2030 that connects institutions of nation-states and the European Union, critical infrastructure, and finally selected private entities. “The European Commission has already approved follow-up projects intended to fund not only the connection of national networks to the European one but also overall operations starting in 2027. We are now negotiating the form of domestic co-financing,” Jan Bouda comments on the current hectic developments. Without it, the possibility of funding the specialized teams responsible for infrastructure operations would be lost. Within the EuroQCI framework, 7,000 kilometers of the network have already been put into operation, with plans for future connections to quantum satellites. The applications currently being submitted for follow-up projects aimed at connecting the national infrastructure to that of neighboring countries are thus a crucial step toward securing the Czech Republic’s position on the map of secure future communications.