Qunnect Inc powers first Quantum entanglement network at MSU
Qunnect Inc.
Montana State University (MSU) launched the Northwest's first quantum entanglement network with Qunnect's Carina product suite. The university becomes a national quantum innovation leader with high-performance entanglement distribution on campus-scale telecommunications fiber.
New Quantum Research Era in Montana
The implementation is crucial to Montana State University's Applied Quantum CORE program, QCORE. This project promotes quantum science through top-tier research, training, and strategic connections. By adding the Carina suite, MSU is establishing a campus that integrates quantum computers and cutting-edge sensor technology.
This network will allow researchers to demonstrate theoretical models and execute actual demonstrations as a “powerful testbed.” Focus areas for this infrastructure include:
Secure quantum communication
Quantum distributed computing
Quantum-capable sensors
Scalable quantum network
Tech Breakthroughs: Carina Advantage
The Carina product suite is unique because it incorporates numerous complex quantum networking components into a rack-mount unit for traditional telecommunications fiber. Unlike many laboratory settings that require certain circumstances, Carina is designed for real-world deployment.
Atom-based entangled-photon generators produce high-rate photon pairs with sub-GHz linewidth, making them more efficient than crystal-based methods for many research purposes.
Over fiber distances up to 100 km, adaptive polarization correction maintains entanglement integrity even in changing environmental circumstances.
Module integration: The system operates with both traditional data channels and current DWDM networks, making it a “turnkey solution” for fiber-based entanglement dissemination.
Global Context and Success
One of the few colleges using Qunnect's technology is MSU. In the GothamQ project in New York City, the Carina rack set commercial-grade fiber performance records. The technology has also helped Deutsche Telekom's Berlin project BearlinQ achieve record entanglement dispersion distances since 2024.
Qunnect CEO Noel Goddard says MSU has been experimenting with entanglement for over a year. This latest deployment is the “next step in moving practical quantum networks out of the lab and into real-world research deployments”.
Generational Empowerment
The network's technical achievements and instructional value are important. Prof. Krishna Rupavatharam, CTO of QCORE, calls photonic quantum networking experience a “major accelerator” for students. This infrastructure lets researchers and students immediately examine and build on quantum networks to prepare them for the rapidly increasing quantum sector.
QCORE received a $31.5 million contract from the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to expand its research and test beds, demonstrating its speed. MSU teamed with Rigetti Computing to further quantum research.
Economic and Scientific Impact
This network is expected to boost Montana's economy by attracting top scientists, research grants, and high-tech partnerships. By building the infrastructure for the “next era of quantum science,” MSU can lead the quantum internet.
In contrast to lab-bound experiments, the Carina suite allows MSU researchers to study next-generation applications with infrastructure that matches global telecommunications complexity.
