Researchers have made a significant breakthrough in the development of integrated photon-pair sources, a crucial component in quantum computing and communication, by characterizing the spectral properties of photon pairs generated near 2 μm in (Al)GaAs-on-insulator waveguides. This wavelength range is particularly attractive for free-space quantum communication and low-loss transmission in emerging fiber networks. The study demonstrates the potential of (Al)GaAs-on-insulator waveguides as a viable platform for generating photon pairs at this wavelength, which could enable the creation of more efficient and compact quantum systems. The results of this study could pave the way for the development of more advanced quantum technologies, including chip-based quantum computing and metrology1. This matters to practitioners because it could lead to the creation of more efficient and secure quantum communication systems, enabling faster and more reliable data transmission over long distances.