The Communications Infrastructure Upgrade (CIU) project will enable Durham to meet the challenge of continuing to provide exceptional facilities for its UK and international students while achieving significant efficiency savings to allow reinvestment.

As part of the upgrade program, Durham is introducing Siemens Enterprise Communications' IP telephony platform, OpenScape Voice, and migrating 1,500 voicemail accounts to its Xpressions voicemail system, which will offer greater workplace flexibility for Durham's academic and support staff. The new system comprises 6,500 voice licenses, underpinned by a core university-wide dual vendor data network. To provide increased capacity and greater resilience, it will offer time-saving benefits and a reduction in overall call costs through a more streamlined communications program, replacing six legacy ISDX systems and a legacy voicemail system currently used at the university. The agreement includes a five year maintenance contract.

Durham has also chosen Siemens Enterprise Communications' OpenScape Contact Center application to significantly enhance its IT helpdesk function, which will help improve staff productivity and ensure user queries are answered quickly and effectively.

"We are committed to offering staff and students the best possible facilities. As such, the university is undergoing extensive renovations – including new buildings and new technology," said Colin Hopkins, head of CIS Network Support, Durham University. "As part of this project, we opted to implement IP telephony across the entire university, to create a more efficient phone network that will ultimately support our ambitious plans to deliver outstanding service to our student base."