New Delhi, April 24 -- Cisco has introduced a Universal Quantum Switch prototype designed to connect quantum systems across different encoding formats, marking a step toward building scalable quantum networks, the company said on April 24, 2026 (Friday).

Quantum computers today operate using different encoding methods, limiting their ability to communicate with one another. Cisco said its Universal Quantum Switch is designed to overcome this barrier by routing quantum information while preserving it, something that has historically been difficult without degrading the data.

The prototype uses a patented conversion engine that translates between multiple quantum encoding modalities, enabling systems built on different technologies to int...