PQDigest — Quantum (Feb 5–19, 2026)

1) Cisco + Qunnect run a real metro-scale quantum network in NYC (Brooklyn ↔ Manhattan, 17.6 km) over existing fiber

They demonstrated a quantum networking setup in an actual urban fiber environment, dealing with practical headaches like polarization drift using automatic polarization control. Cisco frames this as groundwork for linking quantum computers across data centers and toward a “quantum internet.”
Multiple industry channels also described it as metro-scale entanglement networking / entanglement swapping demonstrations over deployed fiber (same announcement ecosystem).

2) Photonics hardware: ultra-smooth microscopic mirrors for future quantum networks

Harvard SEAS researchers reported a technique to fabricate tiny, extremely smooth mirrors that form high-performance optical cavities — components that matter for photon control, quantum networking modules, and integrated photonics.

3) Majorana qubits: “decoded/read” milestone (topological qubits)

A research result (via CSIC coverage) reports a method to read the hidden states of Majorana qubits, supporting the idea that topological encoding can be more noise-resistant, with millisecond-scale coherence reported in the summary.
(Translation: still early, still delicate — but this is the kind of step that turns “Majorana is mythical” into “Majorana is an engineering problem.”)

4) Infleqtion goes public via SPAC (Feb 17) — neutral-atom quantum + broader quantum product line

Infleqtion began trading after its SPAC merger (ticker INFQ), with coverage highlighting neutral-atom architecture and substantial proceeds (~$550M gross) to fund long-term goals.

5) China: “pathway” to long-distance quantum communications networks (reported prototype >3,700 km)

Coverage describes a Nature-linked result from Peking University with a prototype/networking capacity discussed at >3,700 km scale.
Related state-media coverage also framed progress around large-scale QKD networking and scale of users/network span (note: treat state media as directionally informative, best paired with peer-reviewed context).

6) India: first commercially available 8-qubit quantum computer installed on a Bengaluru campus (QpiAI + Alliance University)

Reported as a collaboration to bring an 8-qubit superconducting system into a university “experience center” setting — important more for workforce + ecosystem than raw qubit count.

7) India: Amaravati “Quantum Valley Tech Park” / 133-qubit IBM system announced in broader ecosystem push

IBM described construction and the plan for India’s first IBM quantum computer at Amaravati as part of a workforce and ecosystem drive.
Local reporting emphasized the partnership framing (IBM, TCS, L&T + Andhra Pradesh) and the 133-qubit target in the narrative.

The pattern underneath the headlines (why this two-week window matters)

Quantum networking is leaving “lab fiber spools” and entering ugly real fiber. NYC metro-scale demos are the vibe shift: stability, automation, and interoperability start mattering as much as raw quantum novelty.
Topological qubits (Majorana) keep crawling forward: fewer miracles, more measurement/control.
Commercial reality is loud and messy: SPAC-driven quantum firms keep testing whether “quantum” can survive the public markets’ impatience.
National ecosystem plays are accelerating (India, China): not just devices — training, parks, partnerships, and deployment narratives.