Telstra & SQC Pioneer Quantum Network Prediction

Telstra and Silicon Quantum Computing (SQC) have achieved a breakthrough that marks a significant moment for the telecommunications sector.

After a 12-month collaboration, the two Australian technology leaders have demonstrated how quantum machine learning can enhance predictive network analytics, a crucial capability for managing the performance and reliability of large-scale digital infrastructure.

The results move quantum computing from laboratory theory to a practical tool for connectivity prediction and optimisation, opening new pathways for efficiency and innovation across telecom networks.

Smarter networks through quantum-enhanced analytics

Predictive network analytics is at the heart of intelligent telecommunications operations.

By forecasting network behaviour, operators can pre-empt performance issues, manage demand dynamically and personalise customer services.

Telstra already uses AI-driven prediction models to monitor latency, bandwidth and other key metrics, allowing it to detect variances and initiate proactive responses before customers experience disruption.

The collaboration with SQC aimed to take it further by testing whether quantum computing could accelerate and improve these analytical capabilities.

Together, engineers and researchers from both companies evaluated SQC’s quantum-enhanced machine learning system, known as Watermelon, a quantum reservoir that generates unique quantum features for use in AI models.

The joint research pursued two objectives: first, to determine whether quantum-generated features could be used to forecast network metrics and second, to compare the results with a recently developed deep learning model.

Quantum reservoir matches deep learning – with less effort

The findings are striking.

The quantum reservoir model achieved the same accuracy as Telstra’s advanced deep learning network, yet required far less time and hardware to train.

Whereas traditional deep learning systems may take weeks of GPU-intensive computation, Watermelon reached comparable results in just a few days, without the need for specialist hardware.

As AI workloads grow increasingly resource-intensive, such efficiency represents a significant step forward for both energy savings and operational agility.

Shailin Sehgal, Telstra’s Group Executive of Global Networks and Technology, highlighted the strategic importance of the development: “We’re constantly looking ahead to technologies that can help us create smarter connectivity experiences for our customers, from increased personalisation to issue prevention.

"Quantum computing is a promising frontier we’re exploring. Working with SQC allows us to research the real-world potential of quantum systems in a uniquely Australian context.

“This trial shows how quantum capabilities could complement our existing systems and technology to deliver faster insights and better outcomes for our customers.

"The collaboration, and Telstra’s relationship with SQC, shows how Australian industries and homegrown innovation can work together to shape the nation’s digital future.”

Quantum feature generation for real-world telecoms

For SQC, the project validated the commercial potential of quantum systems within a real-world telecommunications environment.

Professor Michelle Simmons, CEO of Silicon Quantum Computing, says: “This is an exciting and important step forward in commercial adoption of quantum technologies.

"The collaboration with Telstra allowed us to test our quantum reservoir system, Watermelon, in a real-world telecommunications context – something few quantum companies have achieved.

"Watermelon’s quantum feature generation helps to reveal complex relationships within classical data, while dramatically reducing training time.

“We’ve always believed that the key to unlocking quantum’s full potential lies in building systems with atomic precision and purity.

“This partnership shows how quantum processors have moved beyond theory and into practical, scalable solutions that enhance Australia’s digital infrastructure.”

Laying the foundations for quantum-enabled networks

The success of the Telstra-SQC collaboration demonstrates how quantum computing can integrate with telecom networks to deliver faster, more efficient predictive insights.

By reducing computational load and training time, quantum reservoirs like Watermelon could redefine how network data is processed and acted upon.

For the telecommunications industry, the implications extend far beyond performance gains.

Quantum technologies promise a new era of adaptive network intelligence, where operators respond to real-time demand, predict service disruptions before they occur, and unlock deeper personalisation for enterprise and consumer customers alike.

The Telstra-SQC partnership represents a pioneering step towards that vision and a glimpse of the future where quantum and connectivity converge to shape the next generation of digital infrastructure.