Sparkle, Italy's largest telecommunications provider with a global presence, and Hellas Sat, a leading satellite telecommunications provider with three geostationary satellites and two telecommunications facilities (teleports) in Greece and Cyprus, have announced that they have successfully completed the implementation of the first quantum-secure satellite connection between Greece and Cyprus.
After successfully testing a secure connection (known as IPsec) between two data centers in Greece, Sparkle and Hellas Sat have gone one step further: they have extended this advanced protection to a live satellite link connecting Sparkle’s data center in Metamorfosi (Athens) with Hellas Sat’s infrastructure in Cyprus. This is the first time that this type of quantum protection has been applied to a satellite connection between the two countries. The total path traveled by satellite is approximately 72,000 kilometers, including both the uplink of the data from Cyprus to the satellite and the downlink to Greece.
Sparkle’s Quantum Safe Interconnect (QSI) technology protects sensitive data from “store now, decrypt later” (a tactic where malicious users steal encrypted data now to crack it later with more powerful computers), as well as from more general future quantum threats. It does this through secure transmission and automatic key rotation. Because QSI operates as software, it easily integrates with existing networks and security systems, allowing businesses to gradually upgrade their security across multiple locations.
Antonella Sanguineti, Head of Networking, Cloud, Security & Identity Solutions at Sparkle, said, “The extension of QSI to satellite communications with Hellas Sat demonstrates in practice that this technology can be applied everywhere, on terrestrial networks, satellites and across different environments. This opens new prospects for protecting communications for organisations and companies that require highly secure and resilient connectivity in remote areas.”
Constantinos Kassianides, Director, Ground Operations at Hellas Sat, said, “This new achievement is a milestone in our cooperation with Sparkle. By combining our satellite infrastructure with Sparkle’s QSI solution, we are able to explore the commercial availability of quantum-secure satellite services for businesses operating in difficult-to-access, remote and critical locations”
This development further strengthens Greece's role as a key hub for testing and developing next-generation security technologies. This achievement builds on previous successful tests conducted in Greece in early 2026, confirming our country's significant contribution to European telecommunications innovation.
About Sparkle Greece
Sparkle Greece SA is a member of the Sparkle Group. The company operates in Greece, providing services through its privately owned data centers, three in Attica (two in Metamorfosi and one in Koropi) and one in Chania, Crete, all fully integrated into the Sparkle Group's fiber optic network. As a result, the company offers a full range of ICT solutions, including colocation services, cloud services and high-quality international connectivity. Sparkle Greece holds a leading position in the cloud and data center sector with a 40% market share and more than 150 customers, including telecommunications providers, organizations, as well as domestic and multinational companies.
For more information, visit: https://www.tisparkle.com/greece
About Hellas Sat
Hellas Sat is a company licensed by the Greek and Cypriot Governments (under relevant licensing agreements and Greek Law 4506/2017) for the right of exclusive access and use of the geostationary orbital position of 39 degrees East, as well as its corresponding radio frequencies.
It is one of the leading satellite providers in Europe as it operates and commercially exploits three (3) geostationary satellites, two of which are located at the orbital position of 39° East, as well as two (2) telecommunications facilities (teleports) in Greece and Cyprus, covering an area of 15,000m² and 30,000m² respectively. Through its privately owned facilities and satellite network, it provides satellite and terrestrial services to government and defense authorities worldwide.
For more information, visit: https://www.hellas-sat.net/
(Source: InBusinessNews)
