IonQ (NYSE: IONQ), in collaboration with a Swiss consortium of academic, enterprise, and public institutions, has successfully deployed the Geneva Quantum Network (GQN), the nation’s first dedicated citywide quantum network. This infrastructure links key institutions across the region using hundreds of kilometers of existing fiber optic infrastructure.
The consortium includes the University of Geneva (UNIGE), CERN, Rolex SA, the Haute École du Paysage, d’Ingénierie et d’Architecture (HEPIA), and the Cantonal Office for Information Systems and Digital Technology (OCSIN). The network’s architecture relies on quantum key distribution (QKD) and quantum detection systems from ID Quantique (IDQ), an IonQ company.
The GQN is intended to advance quantum cybersecurity, communications, and metrology research. Key technical components of the network include:
- Quantum Key Distribution (QKD): Systems from IDQ are deployed across the OCSIN fiber optic backbone.
- Precision Timing: The network utilizes the White Rabbit synchronization systems, a technology born at CERN that provides sub-nanosecond synchronization, which is critical for distributing ultra-precise time signals.
- Atomic Clock Input: Rolex provides ultra-precise time signals generated by its optical rubidium atomic clock.
- Entanglement Experiments: Early experiments will distribute entangled photons between UNIGE, CERN, and HEPIA to explore quantum information transfer across distances.
The launch is positioned as a significant step in deploying quantum technologies in real-world conditions, providing a large-scale experimental platform for quantum communication, metrology, and synchronization. The GQN builds on IonQ’s strategic acquisitions, including its majority stake in ID Quantique, and reinforces the company’s focus on integrating quantum computing, networking, and sensing globally.
Read the full announcement here.
November 6, 2025