Fiber for Breakfast Week 42: From Classical to Quantum: An Infrastructure Roadmap for Fiber Operators 

Fiber for Breakfast Week 42: From Classical to Quantum: An Infrastructure Roadmap for Fiber Operators 

Quantum networking can sound like something that belongs in a research lab or a future roadmap. But for fiber operators, the starting point is much more familiar: the network already in the ground.  

That was the focus of this week’s Fiber for Breakfast, as Gary sat down with Vincent Celindro, Director of Strategic Sales & Technology at Quantum Foundry, to talk about how broadband providers can begin evaluating their existing infrastructure for quantum readiness. The conversation made clear that operators do not need to become quantum physicists to start preparing. They need to understand the fiber they already own, how it performs, and where the limits are.  

Celindro started with the basics. Fiber type matters. So do route length, total optical loss, splice history, connectors, and whether the network is aerial or buried. Records may show one thing, but the actual path in the field can be longer or different than expected. For quantum applications, those details matter because every bit of loss counts.  

That creates a practical first step for operators: inventory the network.  

Celindro recommended identifying fiber types route by route, understanding where amplifier huts and other secure facilities are located, and characterizing the loss on the spans that may eventually support quantum traffic. Those existing facilities could become especially important because today’s quantum systems have distance limits that operators will need to work around. 

One of the more encouraging points was that quantum does not necessarily require a completely separate network. Classical and quantum traffic can coexist on the same fiber. The challenge is that quantum signals cannot simply be amplified in the way classical traffic can, so operators need to separate the quantum channel at certain points and use trusted relay nodes to extend the route. Existing huts, shelters, and secure facilities can play that role today, while quantum repeaters may eventually extend those distances further.  

As Celindro put it, “Your first quantum asset is already in the ground. It’s the fiber that your fiber providers already own and operate.” 

That is the key point for the broadband industry. Fiber operators already have the most important piece. They also have the people, facilities, power, and operational experience needed to support what comes next. The work is less about starting over and more about adapting existing assets for a new kind of service.  

There will be changes in the NOC as well. Celindro described new metrics operators will need to monitor, including quantum key rates and error rates. Along with stricter timing and synchronization requirements. Maintenance practices may also need to evolve because touching or distributing a fiber strand could affect a quantum link in ways operators do not deal with today. That creates a workforce challenge, but also an opportunity to build new skills into existing technical teams.  

Gary also pushed on why operators should care now. The answer is not just security. It is also a business opportunity.  

Celindro said providers could eventually offer quantum key distribution as a managed service, adding another layer of security for customers that need to protect sensitive data. He also pointed to a broader opportunity for operators to become the on-ramp for customers looking to connect into quantum-safe networks. For providers with dark fiber, lit services or regional footprints, that can create new revenue opportunities without rebuilding the network from scratch.  

The conversation also reinforced something we have heard throughout this year: technology moves faster than most people expect. AI made that obvious. Quantum may follow a similar pattern. 

Fiber operators do not need to have every answer today. But they do need to know what they have, where their network is strong, where the constraints are, and how their existing infrastructure could support the next generation of secure communications. The good news is that for many operators, the foundation is already there.  

Fiber for Breakfast is sponsored by Amdocs.  

Click here to watch the full episode.