How Quantum is Quantum Counterfactual Communication?

Abstract Quantum Counterfactual Communication is the recently-proposed idea of using quantum physics to send messages between two parties, without any matter/energy transfer associated with bits sent. While this has excited massive interest, both for potential ‘unhackable’ communication, and insight into foundations mechanics, it been asked whether process essentially quantum, or could be performed classically. We examine counterfactual classical show that protocols proposed so far sending signals don’t involve sent must insofar as they require wave-particle duality.