From the Environment-Assisted Paradigm to the Quantum Switch

The quantum switch has been witnessing growing attention in the last years due to its advantage in several quantum technologies applications. In particular, it has been proven that the quantum switch can significantly improve the communication rates beyond the limits of conventional quantum Shannon theory. In this paper, we theoretically prove that the quantum switch can be interpreted as a particular instance of the Environment-assisted quantum communication paradigm. The developed analysis is crucial to better understand the limitations of the quantum switch. Furthermore, the analysis is key to shed the light on control strategies within the Environment-assisted communication paradigm.