A quantum communications system includes a quantum key generation system having a photonic quantum bit generator, a dispersion compensating optical fiber link, and a photon detector unit and a communications network having a signal generator, a signal channel, and a signal receiver. The dispersion compensating optical fiber link extends between and optically couples the photonic quantum bit generator and the photon detector unit. Further, the dispersion compensating optical fiber link is structurally configured to induce dispersion at an absolute dispersion rate of about 9 ps/(nm)km or less and induce attenuation at an attenuation rate of about 0.18 dB/Km or less such that the quantum key bit information of a plurality of photons output by the one or more photonic quantum bit generators is receivable at the photon detector unit at a bit rate of at least about 10 Gbit/sec.