Duquesne Light Co. has selected Siemens Enterprise Communications's OpenScape Unified Communications (UC) Server and OpenScape Voice Application as the foundation for a centralized, IP-based infrastructure that will help it improve communications and reduce costs.

With an extensive existing investment in solutions from Siemens and other vendors, Duquesne Light selected the OpenScape Voice Application because its OpenSOA architecture would enable it to expand Voice over IP (VoIP) endpoints throughout its network, migrate users with minimal impact to existing users, and expand the services offered over time as part of Siemens' OpenPath approach. Plus, since OpenScape Voice Application offers a centralized data center deployment model, it is not only simplifying Duquesne Light's infrastructure but is also streamlining management of all of the platforms they service, helping to reduce total cost of ownership (TCO).

Duquesne Light has deployed the OpenScape Voice Application at its primary communications site with a redundant, back-up unit at its data center to help ensure disaster recovery capabilities. In addition, the open, centralized architecture of the OpenScape Voice Application has enabled Duquesne Light to already reduce the number of systems in the infrastructure, helping to reduce overall administration and maintenance support costs.

The initial deployment has enabled Duquesne to act on its disaster recovery plans while gaining cost advantages from reducing the number of systems in its infrastructure.