Quantum 2.0 is here

We are on the verge of transitioning to a new era of quantum innovation.

There is emphasis on the word “new” because up until now we have been living in the first quantum era for nearly a century. Some of the most important innovations of the 20th century, from the laser to the semiconductor, originated from the field of quantum mechanics. In fact, one of Nokia Bell Labs’ greatest inventions, the transistor, is fundamentally a quantum technology.

These Quantum 1.0 technologies have served us well, but we are rapidly moving into the era of Quantum 2.0. What’s changed is that we have discovered how to manipulate individual particles of matter, making them do our bidding. There is enormous potential in these quantum particles. A single electron, for example, can be used as a quantum bit, or qubit, which is the fundamental building block of quantum computing. By entangling two photons of light, we can generate a communications channel that is impervious to eavesdropping. And we can put the highly sensitive nature of quantum particles to work detecting phenomena we have never been able to sense before.

These discoveries are unlocking a new generation of technologies that will impact all our lives in some way. And for specific industries, these innovations will trigger waves of radical transformation.

Quantum 2.0 paves the way for unprecedented computational capabilities, allowing us to create extremely complex digital twins at the molecular level and develop optimization solutions at the global level. With Quantum 2.0, we’re maximizing the amount of information we can transmit with a single photon of light. This will lead to new optical networks that consume far less energy or can send data into the deep recesses of our solar system. Quantum 2.0 also opens the door to a new generation of gravitational and electromagnetic sensors that will lead to heightened understanding of the universe we live in and the human bodies we inhabit.

We are at one of those key moments in history where scientific discovery and commercial innovation are colliding. And, as has been the case so many times in the past, Nokia is at the center of that convergence. Nokia brings a combination of factors to the quantum-technology table that few — if any — can match.

Our research arm Nokia Bell Labs has produced many of the key quantum innovations of the last 100 years, from the transistor and the solar cell to quantum dots and the key algorithms that underpin quantum computing. Our current research into Quantum 2.0 is equally broad, going far beyond communications to encompass computing, sensing and security. Nokia is a leading voice in many of the industry bodies that will incorporate quantum technologies into future standards. And Nokia’s unparalleled expertise in networking positions us perfectly to lead in connecting and securing the quantum infrastructure of the future.

The era of Quantum 2.0 is right in front of us, presenting both opportunities and challenges. Nokia is prepared to take them head-on.

Quantum is more than just computing

Pursuing a Quantum 2.0 strategy means taking a holistic approach to this new field of innovation. Quantum computing may be a hot topic right now, but computing is just one piece of the quantum puzzle. Quantum mechanics can be used as a tool for communication, for privacy or for detection. Ultimately, these technologies will all be interlinked.

At Nokia, we categorize quantum technologies into four distinct research areas:

• Quantum computing: By harnessing the quantum states of individual particles, we can perform complex calculations no classical computer could ever match. Our researchers are investigating topological and photonic approaches to quantum computing, as well as developing new quantum algorithms. 
• Quantum networks: We are researching how networks can carry quantum information, paving the way for a quantum internet. We are also using quantum mechanics to unlock new possibilities in communication.
• Quantum security: Quantum technologies will bring numerous benefits, but they will also produce the inevitable threat of quantum computers being used for malicious purposes. Nokia security experts are developing a new generation of encryption and communications systems to prevent future quantum attacks.
• Quantum sensing: We are researching both quantum photonic sensors and quantum magnetic-field sensors, which have several potential applications in optical and wireless communications, positioning services and medicine.

There is enormous potential for innovation in all these fields, but the point at which each will reach commercial viability varies greatly. It may well be a decade before we see a quantum computer capable of solving complex problems beyond the reach of classical computers. But we’re already seeing the first quantum networking links appear, laying the early groundwork for a future quantum internet.

Meanwhile, quantum security is a very real and immediate concern today. Malicious actors are harvesting and storing sensitive encrypted data, waiting for the day a quantum computer comes online that is powerful enough to decrypt it. Consequently, quantum-safe networking solutions have become one of Nokia’s most immediate product-development priorities.

Let’s take the quantum leap together

Nokia’s broad breadth of expertise in quantum technologies and networking places it firmly at the center of the Quantum 2.0 conversation. This is a conversation we want to have with our customers. Quantum technologies make up a vast, complex ecosystem, and Nokia is ready to help service providers, enterprises and governments navigate this landscape.

The United Nations has declared 2025 the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology. Nokia couldn’t agree more. In the coming months, you will see Nokia become more vocal about this revolutionary field of innovation. The Nokia quantum webpage just went live, and we recently published a one-stop guide explaining quantum technologies in detail. We have begun highlighting individual Nokia Bell Labs’ quantum research projects, starting with René-Jean Essiambre’s groundbreaking work in optical quantum networking. Soon you will hear more about the work we are doing in topological quantum computing, quantum sensing and post-quantum cryptography. And you will discover how Nokia is reconceptualizing our products and solutions to take advantage of the benefits — and mitigate the risks — of a Quantum 2.0 future.

There’s no question in our minds that quantum technologies will play a key role in the technology transformation of the next decade, alongside AI, 6G and Industry 5.0. But what makes Quantum 2.0 particularly exciting is that we have only just begun to unlock its potential.

Right now, we are taking the first intrepid steps into the Quantum 2.0 era, but those strides are rapidly increasing in size. As we steadily improve our ability to harness matter at the quantum level, the pace of quantum innovation will accelerate exponentially. There is the potential for quantum to change the very fabric of computing, revolutionizing fields from fundamental material science to communications networking. These new quantum tools will allow us to solve grand challenges deemed unsolvable today and make new discoveries about the natural world. And by exploring these new avenues of innovation, Nokia will find new ways to help the world act together.

Nishant is a global leader with broad experience in strategy and technology development and portfolio management, as well as in having significant profit and loss responsibilities across the telecom and enterprise sectors. He has been intimately involved in bringing cutting-edge products to market across industry domains and has a deep understanding of the silicon, software and system requirements necessary for innovation.

At Nokia, Nishant is the Chief Strategy and Technology Officer (CSTO) with responsibility for corporate strategy, technology architecture and pioneering research at Nokia Bell Labs; Nokia’s information technology (IT) infrastructure and digitalization initiatives; centralized security domains; and Nokia’s venture capital activities.

Michael S. Eggleston received his B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering and Physics from Iowa State University and his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from UC Berkeley. In 2015, he joined Nokia Bell Labs in Murray Hill, NJ where he currently leads the Data and Devices Group. An optical device physicist at heart, Michael’s research has included investigation into ultra-wideband wireless technologies, solar cells, environmental sensing, optical coherence tomography, low-power optical interconnects and devices, and integrated multi-wavelength lasers. His current research interests include battery-less sensing, non-invasive biochemical monitoring, and human-machine interfaces

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About Nokia

At Nokia, we create technology that helps the world act together.

As a B2B technology innovation leader, we are pioneering networks that sense, think and act by leveraging our work across mobile, fixed and cloud networks. In addition, we create value with intellectual property and long-term research, led by the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs.

With truly open architectures that seamlessly integrate into any ecosystem, our high-performance networks create new opportunities for monetization and scale. Service providers, enterprises and partners worldwide trust Nokia to deliver secure, reliable and sustainable networks today – and work with us to create the digital services and applications of the future.

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