Italy is at the forefront of a groundbreaking approach to earthquake detection—using fiber optic cables as seismic sensors. Open Fiber, a major telecom infrastructure provider, launched the innovative project “MEGLIO” (Measuring Earthquake signals Gathered with Laser Interferometry on Optical fibers) back in 2019.

In partnership with Italy’s national metrology and geophysics institutes the team successfully tested this technology on the fiber line between Ascoli Piceno and Teramo. The system uses AI and advanced laser monitoring to detect seismic activity in real time, pinpointing the epicenter and strength of earthquakes almost instantly.