China Telecom Quantum, in collaboration with QuantumCTek and FiberHome, has officially announced the launch of China's inaugural cross-metro encrypted OTN (Optical Transport Network) private line. Built upon cutting-edge, integrated high-capacity and high-density equipment, this line signifies a pivotal moment in China's quantum communication landscape, transitioning quantum-secure transmission technology from the realm of equipment development to real-world commercial deployment within live networks.

Leveraging China Telecom's globally pioneering, commercially available integrated high-capacity and high-density OTN device, this private line successfully overcomes the formidable challenge of integrating Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) systems with traditional optical communication infrastructure. It facilitates seamless interconnection between Hefei, a crucial node in the national quantum backbone network, and the Wuhu quantum metro network. Moreover, it supports end-to-end quantum key negotiation and encrypted data transmission, ensuring unparalleled security and efficiency.

From a technological standpoint, this groundbreaking line achieves remarkable breakthroughs in several key areas, including board-level integration, native embedding of quantum technologies, wavelength multiplexing over shared fibers, all-optical connectivity, and cross-domain networking. These advancements collectively position China at the forefront of quantum communication innovation, setting a new benchmark for secure, high-speed data transmission on a global scale.