" Our users now expect XPhone as a standard tool at their workplace. A workstation without XPhone is no longer accepted."
The City of Bonn stands for progress, innovation and efficient public administration. Years ago, the city embraced digital communication solutions. Today, XPhone Connect has become a cornerstone of its “Modern Workplace” concept.
More than 4,500 office workstations are now equipped with XPhone. For many employees, the traditional desk phone has long been a thing of the past.
“Our users now expect XPhone as a standard tool at their workplace. A workstation without XPhone is no longer accepted,” says Stephan Siebert, Head of IT Communications at the City of Bonn.
Initial Situation
A growing range of communication tools needed structure
When the city administration began digitalising its communication processes around ten years ago, two priorities guided the project: efficiency and data protection.
Particularly in phone-intensive departments such as the public order office, it was essential to ensure that staff working from home remained reachable under their official extensions – without revealing private phone numbers.
“Data protection is of paramount importance for us,” explains Stephan Siebert. “If an employee contacts a federal authority from a private number, they simply won’t receive any information.”
The existing telecommunications systems (Unify OpenScape Voice and OpenScape 4000) were to remain in place. At the same time, a modern UC solution was required to extend functionality without replacing the infrastructure.
The Solution
XPhone as the key to the modern workplace
In 2016, the decision was made in favour of XPhone Connect. What convinced the team most was the seamless integration into the existing infrastructure and the flexible licensing model. The rollout began with a few pilot workstations in the public order office – and the potential quickly became clear:
- One-click dialling directly from applications and emails
- Easy self-management of call forwarding
- Access to central contacts with maximum data protection
“The concept behind XPhone Connect convinced us straight away – as did the straightforward integration with our telephony systems and the flexible licensing model.”
Over the years, the number of users grew steadily. As mobile working became more important, XPhone proved crucial in enabling flexible, location-independent communication.
One Number and Softphone: Flexible, secure, future-ready
Today, the City of Bonn operates a comprehensive one-number concept. Whether in the office, at home or on the move, employees always call and can be reached under their usual extension.
The XPhone Softphone is the central interface:
- No hardware phones required
- Consistent extensions and contact details
- Full control over privacy and availability
“Wherever you work, you’re always reachable under your office extension – and all outgoing calls use that number.”
Results
Efficiency, satisfaction and less hardware
The results at a glance:
- More than 4,500 workstations equipped with XPhone
- Around 10,000 telephones in stock - only a fraction of these will be needed in future
- Significantly lower administrative costs for telephony and IT support
- Faster and more secure communication across departments
The City of Bonn is now building on this flexibility with its next major initiative: the Shared Desktop model, allowing several employees to use workstations flexibly – supported by digital infrastructure, mobility and modern communication
