US Patent 11387991 Quantum enabled hybrid fiber cable loop

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, determining that quantum entanglement be established between first and second nodes of a service provider network including a software defined network (SDN) that facilitates delivery of a service to a subscriber and identifying a path between the first node and the second node based on pre-provisioned information supplied by the SDN. A path length of the path is estimated based on the pre-provisioned information supplied by the SDN, and a repeater node is selected responsive to the path length exceeding a threshold, wherein the path includes a first segment having a segment length that does not exceed the threshold. A quantum entanglement state is shared between the first and second nodes based on transportation of a first photon of a first entangled pair of photons via the first segment. Other embodiments are disclosed.