Deutsche Telekom and Qunnect Demonstrate Quantum Teleportation Over Commercial Fiber Network in Berlin

Deutsche Telekom and Qunnect Demonstrate Quantum Teleportation Over Commercial Fiber Network in Berlin

(IN BRIEF) Deutsche Telekom’s T-Labs and Qunnect have demonstrated quantum teleportation over 30 kilometers of live commercial fiber in Berlin, achieving an average fidelity of 90 percent while operating alongside regular network traffic. The field trial used commercially available entanglement distribution technology integrated into telecom infrastructure, proving that quantum networking functions can move beyond laboratory settings into real-world deployments. Conducted at a wavelength compatible with multiple quantum platforms, the experiment establishes a foundation for connecting quantum computers, sensors, and secure communication systems through existing fiber networks. The achievement marks a key milestone toward a scalable quantum internet, with future trials planned to extend teleportation across multiple nodes and greater distances.

(PRESS RELEASE) BONN, 20-Feb-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — Deutsche Telekom’s innovation unit T-Labs, working in partnership with quantum networking company Qunnect, has successfully demonstrated quantum teleportation across an operational telecommunications network in Berlin, signaling an important advance toward practical quantum networking services built on existing infrastructure.

The operator-run field trial, conducted in January 2026, transmitted quantum information across 30 kilometers of commercially deployed metro fiber while the network simultaneously carried conventional data traffic. Using commercially available quantum entanglement distribution hardware integrated into Deutsche Telekom’s infrastructure, the test achieved an average teleportation fidelity of 90 percent, with peak accuracy reaching 95 percent. The results show that quantum teleportation can function reliably outside laboratory environments under real operator conditions.

Moving Quantum Technology From Lab to Live Networks

The project illustrates how telecom providers can incorporate quantum capabilities into today’s fiber systems by addressing challenges such as signal instability and environmental interference. The demonstration relied on Qunnect’s Carina platform, which generates entangled photon pairs and includes polarization-compensation technology designed to counteract noise in buried and aerial fiber links. This allowed quantum bits to be transported with high fidelity between network nodes in a field-deployed environment.

The teleported qubits were produced by a weak coherent source and transmitted over a 30-kilometer fiber loop linking T-Labs’ Quantum Lab to a node on Berlin’s fiber testbed. Notably, the teleportation was performed at a wavelength of 795 nanometers, which is compatible with several quantum platforms, including neutral-atom quantum computers, atomic clocks, and advanced sensing systems. This compatibility opens pathways for integrating emerging quantum technologies directly with telecommunications infrastructure.

Foundation for a Future Quantum Internet

Quantum teleportation enables the transfer of quantum information by reconstructing the quantum state of a particle at a distant location using pre-shared entanglement rather than physically sending the particle itself. This capability is widely regarded as a cornerstone for the development of a quantum internet, where distributed quantum computers, sensors, and secure communication systems can operate as interconnected networks.

The Berlin trial builds on earlier collaborative demonstrations and represents a step toward scalable, metro-scale quantum networking. Future work will extend the approach to multi-node configurations and longer distances to evaluate deployment models and new applications within carrier environments.

Potential use cases for quantum networking include ultra-secure quantum cryptography, distributed quantum computing, cloud-based quantum services, interconnected quantum data centers, and networks of highly sensitive sensors.

Industry Engagement and Next Steps

The partners plan to further validate and expand the technology through continued trials and collaborative research. The initiative also forms part of Deutsche Telekom’s broader technology showcase at Mobile World Congress Barcelona in March 2026, where the company is presenting quantum networking developments and hosting discussions on how telecom operators can deliver quantum resources such as entanglement over existing infrastructure.

For those who would like to dive deeper, the results of the experiment are published at: arxiv.org/abs/2602.16613

Deutsche Telekom at MWC Barcelona from March 2 to 5, 2026

Stream press conference
Live from Barcelona on March 2 from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. under www.telekom.com/media

MWC Theme Special
You can find more information on the individual topics under www.telekom.com/mwc-special

Visit us – in Barcelona or online
Experience our products and services live. From March 2 to 5, 2026, you will find Deutsche Telekom in hall 3 at booth 3M31. We look forward to seeing you. All events will be streamed live. Stage program and events: mwc.telekom.com/2026

Join experts from Deutsche Telekom, Qunnect and Technical University Dresden on March 03 from 15:30 – 16:00 (CET) for a discussion at our booth to explore how telecom networks can deliver unique quantum resources such as entanglement.
Live stream of panel discussion: mwc.telekom.com/2026
In addition, Deutsche Telekom is also presenting a “Quantum Teleportation” showcase on its booth.

Media Contact:

Stephan Broszio
Spokesperson and Telekom Blogger
media@telekom.de
+49 228 181 49494

SOURCE: Deutsche Telekom