Deutsche Telekom and the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology will coordinate two European Commission projects aimed at advancing the European Quantum Communication Infrastructure, or EuroQCI. Deutsche Telekom will lead PETRUS2, while AIT will coordinate HarmoniQCI, linking strategic deployment planning with work on technical standards and interoperability.
PETRUS2 builds on the original PETRUS program and will coordinate national and European quantum communication activities, engage stakeholders, and prepare future large-scale deployments. The project will also support cross-border quantum key distribution networks funded through the Connecting Europe Facility and related ecosystem activities under the EU’s IRIS² secure satellite communications program. Deutsche Telekom will lead PETRUS2 with Thales, AIT, Airbus and SES.
HarmoniQCI will focus on common technical frameworks, interoperability, standardization policy and requirements for future certification. Deutsche Telekom and AIT plan to connect the two programs through joint workshops, coordinated stakeholder engagement and aligned contributions to European technology roadmaps and policy discussions.
• PETRUS2 coordinator: Deutsche Telekom
• PETRUS2 partners: Thales, AIT, Airbus and SES
• PETRUS2 scope: Strategic coordination, stakeholder engagement and preparation for large-scale EuroQCI deployments
• HarmoniQCI coordinator: AIT Austrian Institute of Technology
• HarmoniQCI scope: Standards, interoperability, technical frameworks and preparation for certification
• EuroQCI architecture: Terrestrial fiber networks connecting strategic locations plus a satellite-based space segment
• Broader EU framework: EuroQCI forms part of IRIS², the European Union’s secure satellite communications initiative
• Previous collaboration: Deutsche Telekom and AIT also participate in PETRUS and the NOSTRADAMUS quantum communication testing and evaluation project
“With PETRUS2, Deutsche Telekom is taking on a central coordination role to help align national and European quantum communication initiatives, translate advanced technologies into deployable network solutions, and prepare the ground for future large-scale EuroQCI deployments,” said Daniela Theisinger, Managing Director, Deutsche Telekom Global Business Belgium & France.
🌐 Analysis: PETRUS2 and HarmoniQCI address different layers of the same deployment challenge: coordinating a multinational infrastructure program while establishing the interfaces, standards and certification processes needed for equipment from multiple suppliers to operate together. Their coordination could help EuroQCI connect national fiber-based QKD networks with cross-border links and the satellite component of IRIS² under a more consistent operational framework.
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