IBM Corp. and Cisco Systems Inc. are charting a bold course to entangle quantum computers across vast distances, aiming to deliver a proof-of-concept by the end of the decade that could birth a quantum internet. Announced on Nov. 20, 2025, the partnership merges IBM's prowess in scalable quantum processors with Cisco's networking expertise, targeting a networked quantum ecosystem by the early 2030s. This move addresses a core bottleneck in quantum computing: isolation.

Quantum computers excel at tackling intractable problems in chemistry, materials science, and cryptography, but their fragility demands cryogenic isolation. Linking them requires preserving qubit coherence over fiber-optic cables, a feat demanding novel transducers to convert microwave signals to optical photons. IBM and Cisco plan to demonstrate entanglement between cryogenically separated processors within five years, as stated in their joint press release.

IBM and Cisco’s Quantum Network Gambit: Blueprint for a 2030s Internet Revolution

The ambition extends to a 'quantum computing internet' by the late 2030s, where distributed quantum resources enable fault-tolerant computation at scales beyond single machines. 'By combining IBM’s leadership in building useful quantum computers with Cisco’s quantum networking innovations, the companies plan to explore how to scale large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computers,' IBM noted in its newsroom announcement.

Quantum Hardware Meets Networking Muscle