Altice Labs is part of the European consortium for the IBERIANQCI project—the Iberian Quantum Communications Infrastructure—an initiative supported by the European Commission that will create a quantum communications network between Portugal and Spain, combining fiber optics and satellite communications to ensure ultra-secure transmissions. The project represents a new step in building the future European quantum communications infrastructure, considered strategic for protecting sensitive data, critical infrastructure, and essential services in the context of increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.
With this participation, Altice Labs is consolidating its position as one of Europe’s leading players in the development of quantum communication technologies. This is already the company’s third project in this field, following DISCRETION and PTQCI, an initiative that led to the creation of Portugal’s first national quantum communications infrastructure.
IBERIANQCI establishes a cross-border link between Vigo and Valença, supplemented by the installation of optical terminals in Madrid, Barcelona, and Portugal, which will enable connection to the EAGLE-1 satellite and the future SAGA constellation. This infrastructure will allow for the distribution of cryptographic keys via terrestrial and satellite networks, enabling virtually unbreakable communications.
As part of the project, Altice Labs will be responsible for the evolution and expansion of the SDN (Software-Defined Network) developed at PTQCI, ensuring a multi-domain control plan that is interoperable with Iberian and European infrastructures, and contributing to the creation of a more integrated, resilient, and sovereign quantum communications ecosystem. More than just a technological advance, the project reinforces the Iberian Peninsula’s role in the development of future European cybersecurity and digital sovereignty infrastructures.
“IBERIANQCI represents a decisive step toward building the next generation of secure communications infrastructure in Europe. Quantum communications will play a central role in protecting critical data and strengthening Europe’s technological autonomy, and it is strategically important for Portugal to be at the forefront of this transformation,” says Paulo Firmeza, CEO of Altice Labs.
The project is part of EuroQCI, a European program aimed at creating a continent-wide quantum communications network, which is considered essential for ensuring the protection of data and critical infrastructure throughout the European Union.