Network Engineering is a distinctive discipline which converges Telecommunications and Computers, and can be considered that started with the invention of the electrical telegraph (1832). Already, the usage of digital processing, source coding, data compression, and encryption has led to the Networks of today: information theory, optimal source coding, compression algorithms, encryption and network security theories. In addition, the second relevant milestone of Networks was the invention of the automatic telephone exchange (1891). The concept of switching is fundamental to Networks, which has later evolved to the modern and complex theories of packet switching theory, routing, general traffic theory, and system modelling. Lastly, to complete the overlap between computing and communications, telecommunication networks and protocols were developed (1969) – now 50 years since then -, which marks a fundamental milestone in the history of modern Networks, enabling the creation of ARPANET (the first modern network specifically designed following the theories and principles of the discipline of Network Engineering).

Furthermore, 20 years ago, Network Engineers had already consolidated the field, which is now well known and recognized in all regions (Europe, Asia, America – still known within Electrical Engineering and Computer Science). In addition, at that time, Network experts already were envisioning the future of the field towards Quantum Communications and Computing, saying (Citation 2004) “Quantum mechanical effects will become important in just a few years! Then the classical bit will be replaced by the qubit, the quantum bit, that results from removing the approximation that the elements of information are independently manipulable. Quantum computation and communication will then give rise to a new kind of Networks”. Now, as predicted by Network Engineers 20 years ago, the time for the Quantum Networking has certainly arrived, together with the manifold of potential new discoveries and applications.