IonQ, the premier quantum platform firm, announced that it has successfully implemented the technology that powers the Romanian National Quantum Communication Infrastructure (RoNaQCI). This program represents one of Europe’s largest and most sophisticated operational quantum key distribution (QKD) networks, as well as one of the largest outside of China.
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The project, developed in collaboration with the National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest and RoEduNet, Romania's national research and education network, is a significant step forward in Europe's efforts to defend key communications against current and potential cyber attacks. The nationwide network is created entirely with IonQ's commercially accessible QKD technology, proving that quantum-secure communications are scalable and operational in national infrastructure today.
IonQ is proud to support this large operational quantum-secure communications network deployed in Europe, and to directly contribute to the realization of EuroQCI, which is building Europe's flagship quantum communication infrastructure. This deployment of QKD at a national scale supports critical security initiatives and protects sensitive communications across government, healthcare, research, education, and data center environments.
Niccolo de Masi, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, IonQ
Romania's quantum infrastructure currently has 36 quantum-secured links spanning over 1,500 kilometers, accounting for more than 20 % of Europe's terrestrial quantum communications capacity to date. This network connects six major metropolitan areas, including Bucharest, Iasi, Timisoara, Craiova, Cluj-Napoca, and Constanta, to guarantee secure data movement through end-to-end distribution of encryption keys transported in a Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) network, combined with C-band data traffic across the metropolitan network.
Our newly deployed national QKD infrastructure is an important milestone both for Romania and for the EuroQCI effort. This network establishes a practical foundation for secure data exchange across Romania and contributes to the broader European effort to build interoperable quantum communications networks.
Pantelimon George Popescu, Head, Quantum Computing Laboratory, POLITEHNICA
ID Quantique supplied all QKD systems deployed across the network, assuring national-scale consistency in performance, interoperability, and security. The initiative brought together a diverse group of 12 Romanian institutions, seven research institutes, three national agencies, and other public and private companies.
This announcement follows IonQ's ongoing efforts to expedite quantum-secure communications throughout Europe as part of the European quantum communications infrastructure.
IonQ recently announced a collaboration with the Slovak Academy of Sciences to build Slovakia's first national quantum communication network and established the Geneva Quantum Network in Switzerland. IonQ also joined Q-Alliance with the Italian government and established Oxford, UK, as its EMEA headquarters, demonstrating the company's commitment to supporting Europe’s quantum efforts.