Fiber optic cables provide an ideal infrastructure for quantum communication, providing low-loss, reliable and long-distance data transmission. With the development of the quantum internet in the future, the role of fiber optic technology in this revolution will grow even more. Getty Images Northwestern University engineers are the first to. Researchers at Northwestern University, in Evanston, Ill. For decades, researchers have tried to squeeze quantum signals alongside classical signals. A new integrated chip demonstrates how quantum networks could communicate using today's internet protocols over existing commercial fiber-optic cables.