A €6m German research project aims to move quantum communication networks out of the lab and into real-world, multi-node infrastructure.

Currently, quantum communication can only take place through a direct link between two specific points. The QCyber project, led by the University of Stuttgart, aims to develop secure quantum network applications for multiple users.

Professor Stefanie Barz of the University of Stuttgart, who is coordinating the project, said: “Quantum networks studied so far typically connect only two users. But in practice, often multiple parties need to communicate securely at the same time.”

The €6m QCyber project, which will run until the end of 2028, is being funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space over three years. It will field-test secure quantum applications across a real fibre-optic network in Stuttgart, connecting up to six nodes over distances of up to 20km.

The project will encompass a wide range of applications that enable group-based secure communication, collaborative decryption schemes and distributed processing models designed for networked environments.

Barz said: “With this fundamental yet application-oriented research programme, QCyber aims to make an important contribution to strengthening and securing technological sovereignty in future IT security in Germany and Europe.”

To test QCyber under real-world conditions, a campus-wide fibre network is being set up in Stuttgart, connecting various locations across the city. Nokia, as an associated partner, is providing an additional test link. These tests will assess the practical viability of the hardware and software developed by the QCyber partners. 

The security of the implementation will be analysed and QCyber researchers will investigate how quantum applications can be integrated into conventional cyber-security systems.

In other German quantum news, major German telecommunications company Deutsche Telekom and quantum networking technology firm Qunnect have announced the successful demonstration of quantum teleportation over a commercial network in Berlin. According to Deutsche Telekom, this marks a major milestone in advancing deployable quantum technologies on existing telecommunications infrastructure. 

Abdu Mudesir, board member for product and technology at Deutsche Telekom, said: “Our fibre optic network is quantum-ready. In Berlin we have now proven that quantum information can be transmitted over 30km of commercial Telekom fibre optics outside of a laboratory. This is done in parallel with regular data traffic and with a very high average accuracy of 90%. 

“With quantum teleportation, we are laying the technical foundation for networking quantum computers over longer distances in the future and pooling computing power in more than one location. This will create the next generation of secure communication and a building block for Europe’s technological sovereignty.”

Mael Flament, chief technology officer at Qunnect, said: “Teleportation is a novel tool for moving information around networks leveraging quantum physics. We are showing the building blocks of teleportation can operate inside a real network, in real racks, under operator control, advancing it from a laboratory experiment to something a telecommunications provider can deploy.”

In the November/December 2025 of E+T we took a deep dive into quantum computing and looked at how the foundations for real machines are finally coming together.