• Melita Business has provisioned a quantum-secure link between its main datacentres
• Swiss specialist Terra Quantum and local startup Merqury Cybersecurity provided the quantum key distribution technology
• The connection is running over an existing DWDM optical connection

Melita, one of the three main telcos in Malta, has announced the successful deployment of a quantum key distribution (QKD) link connecting its two main datacentres in the Mediterranean island, a move that “represents an important milestone in bringing quantum security from research environments into operational telecom networks,” the company has announced. 

The link was provisioned by Melita Business, the operator’s B2B unit. Its partners in enabling the quantum-safe communications link are St Gallen, Switzerland-based Terra Quantum, a developer of “cutting-edge quantum algorithms, software and hybrid solutions” that is on course to go public via a $3.25bn SPAC (special purpose acquisition company) deal, and Merqury Cybersecurity, a Malta-based developer of quantum key management and quantum network control solutions. 

Melita pointed out that the deployed system “enables the exchange of cryptographic keys secured by quantum technology across Melita’s live [DWDM] fibre network, demonstrating that quantum-secure communication can operate on existing telecommunications infrastructure… Unlike many experimental quantum communication systems that require dedicated dark fibre, this installation demonstrates that quantum-secure key exchange can operate within active telecom networks without any infrastructure modifications,” noted the operator. 

The system enabled the secure exchange of cryptographic keys between Melita’s primary datacentres. “By integrating Terra Quantum’s QKD technology with Merqury’s networking hardware and key management capabilities, the partners created a fully integrated quantum-secure networking solution,” noted Melita, adding that Terra Quantum’s proprietary QKD technology includes “critical security components”, namely a quantum random number generator (QRNG) to produce truly unpredictable cryptographic keys, and optical time-domain reflectometry (OTDR) to “continuously monitor the fibre link and detect potential intrusion attempts”. 

The deployment has handled tens of thousands of key requests “with zero unplanned client-impacting incidents, demonstrating stable operation in a live telco environment,” noted Melita. “These results validate the feasibility of integrating quantum security into live telecommunications networks and accelerate the transition toward commercial quantum-secure communication services.”

According to Matthew Farrugia, technical head of service delivery and datacentre at Melita, “ensuring the highest level of security for the connection between our datacentres is essential. Quantum cryptography provides a powerful new layer of protection and allows us to detect any attempt to compromise the communication link.”

Noel Farrugia, CTO at Merqury Cybersecurity, added: “Quantum security only becomes useful when it can be deployed, controlled and monitored as [with] any other system on a network. By integrating Terra Quantum’s QKD technology with Merqury’s quantum network management suite, we have shown that quantum-secure services can move beyond the lab and into real telecom operations.”

- Ray Le Maistre, Editorial Director, TelecomTV