By Joe O’Halloran
Publication Date: 2026-04-24 10:45:00
Cisco has advanced its journey into quantum networks by unveiling Universal Quantum Switch, a working prototype designed to connect quantum systems from different suppliers.
For some time, Cisco – with a number of partners – has been working on distributed quantum networks that it believes could lay the groundwork towards a quantum computing internet defined by quantum computers, sensors and communication in the late 2030s.
Explaining the background to the launch, Cisco said current quantum computers are powerful but limited, operating at hundreds of qubits when real-world applications in healthcare, financial services and aerospace will need millions to achieve unheard-of speeds and technological breakthroughs. The company believes networking and connectivity are central to bridging that gap. The quantum future will not be built by any one company or any one technology. It will be built by connecting them all.
Specifically regarding the new technology, Cisco suggested…
