Cisco Unveils Universal Quantum Switch Prototype

Cisco Systems unveiled a prototype universal quantum switch this week in San Francisco, positioning the networking giant to connect diverse quantum computers and sensors over existing telecommunications infrastructure.

The device, named the Cisco Universal Quantum Switch, operates at room temperature and routes quantum data via standard fiber-optic cables while preserving the fragile quantum state. In proof-of-concept tests, it maintained encoding and entanglement fidelity with average losses below 4 percent, according to Cisco executives. The switch uses a patented conversion engine to translate between major qubit encoding modalities, such as polarization, which has been validated, with support for timebin and frequencybin planned next. It is nonblocking, allowing multiple photons to pass simultaneously without compromising their states.

Vijoy Pandey, senior vice president and general manager of Cisco's Outshift emerging technologies group, described the switch as a translator for quantum systems. "You can speak any language," Pandey told reporters.

Unlike competitors such as Alphabet's Google and IBM, which focus on building quantum computers, Cisco is developing networking...