PITTSBURGH, PA — DQE Communications CEO Mike Sicoli was featured in Invest: Pittsburgh 3rd Edition, a regional business report published by Capital Analytics Associates that spotlights the leaders shaping Pittsburgh’s economy.
In the interview, Sicoli discussed DQE’s early transformation as a standalone telecommunications and managed services provider following its carve-out from Duquesne Light. Sicoli also spoke on Pittsburgh’s positioning as a destination for AI infrastructure and high-density data centers as well as DQE’s unique ability to serve those bandwidth-intensive initiatives.
The report highlights how Pittsburgh’s economy spans legacy industries and fast-growing technology sectors including autonomous vehicles, robotics, AI research, and biomedical innovation. Those sectors share a common requirement: always-on, high-capacity fiber connectivity that many national carriers can’t fully support. DQE’s network was built from the ground up for mission-critical use cases, first serving utility grid operations and wireless carriers before expanding to enterprise and carrier customers across Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Maryland.
“Connectivity may seem unglamorous — we’re essentially plumbing — but everything exciting or important in society today relies on bandwidth. DQE has the most comprehensive and resilient network in the region, making us a natural partner for critical infrastructure.”
— Mike Sicoli, CEO, DQE Communications
Sicoli also addressed Pittsburgh’s strategic advantage in the national push toward AI data center development. The city’s location above the Marcellus Shale provides access to reliable, locally generated natural gas power, a key factor for power-intensive facilities choosing where to locate. Fiber infrastructure is the next requirement after power, land, and water, and DQE is positioned to serve those facilities as demand grows.
Looking ahead, DQE’s priorities include growing its network footprint, maintaining zero preventable network outages, and continued expansion of its product portfolio to serve the region’s enterprise and carrier customers.
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Full Interview: Mike Sicoli, CEO, DQE Communications — Invest: Pittsburgh
Full Report: Invest: Pittsburgh 3rd Edition
About DQE Communications
DQE Communications is a business-only fiber-optic network provider headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1997, DQE operates 4,700+ route miles of fiber and serves 3,500+ on-net buildings across Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio. DQE provides enterprise-grade connectivity — including dark fiber, dedicated internet access, Metro Ethernet, wavelengths, and managed services — to businesses, carriers, and critical infrastructure operators across the region.
Learn more at DQE.com.
