Cisco and Qunnect Trial Quantum Network in NYC
Cisco and quantum networking company Qunnect are conducting a trial that links locations across New York City with a quantum network. The project marks a step in advancing quantum technology from laboratory settings to deployable urban infrastructure, which will be critical for developing future communication and security standards.
- The network demonstration spanned 17.6 kilometers of existing telecom fiber, connecting a hub at 60 Hudson Street in Manhattan with two independent entanglement sources in Brooklyn. This real-world test had to contend with environmental disturbances such as subway vibrations and temperature fluctuations. - A key technical achievement was entanglement swapping, which is crucial for long-distance quantum communication. The trial produced record-breaking swapping rates of over 1.7 million pairs per hour in local tests and 5,400 pairs per hour across the deployed urban fiber, with a signal fidelity exceeding 99%. - Qunnect's hardware, including the Carina product suite, operates at room temperature at the network endpoints, a significant factor for practical deployment in existing data centers. This contrasts with the hub, which requires cryogenic cooling for its more sensitive detectors. - Cisco's contribution includes a quantum networking software stack that manages and orchestrates the network. This software handles the complex timing synchronization, coordination of distributed hardware, and automated data management required for stable operation. - The project is part of Qunnect's GothamQ network, a testbed for quantum technologies in New York City. Cisco's investment in Qunnect and its own establishment of Cisco Quantum Labs signal a strategic focus on building the infrastructure for a future quantum internet. - This hub-and-spoke architecture, with cryogenic equipment centralized at the hub and room-temperature hardware at the endpoints, is designed to be a scalable model for expanding quantum networks through commercial data centers. - Standardization bodies like ETSI, ANSI, ITU, and IEEE are actively working on developing standards for quantum communications, including for Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), to ensure interoperability and build end-user confidence. - A critical component from Qunnect used in the trial was its automatic polarization controllers, which stabilize the quantum signals against environmental disturbances found in dense urban fiber infrastructure.
