ITC Global calls the world home

HAVING secured a presence in more than 40 countries after operating for just three years, it's not surprising that West Perth-based ITC Global is optimistic about the future, despite the economic downturn.

The communications company has been assisting humanitarian organisations, multinational companies and governments with strategic networking and satellite communications capabilities across remote areas since its inception.

ITC Global co-founder and managing director Chris Hill said that while his company had dual headquarters, one in Miami in the US and the other in Perth, it was truly a Western Australian success story.

"What we've done is build a network capable of providing true global coverage and you can't do that from one central location, so we've got two main hubs - one is in Perth and the other is in Miami," Mr Hill told WA Business News.

"Those points are on almost exactly opposite sides of the earth to each other, so from those two locations we can see every geostationary satellite in orbit."

Mr Hill said the company provided communications that helped organisations link their head office with operations in remote areas.

"Volunteers operating in some of the most in-need parts of the world need to stay in touch with the head office so they can get logistical support, so they can report on their own welfare and on the welfare of the people that they're actually there to assist," Mr Hill said.

"We go to great lengths to make sure we understand what our clients are actually trying to achieve and then make the most appropriate solution for them.

"And we have very close relationships with the owners and operators of the satellites to make sure we can provide the capacity that's required."

Mr Hill cites some of the world's leading communications brands as key competitors, including Orange, Horizon and BT, but firmly believes his business has an advantage.

"For a lot of the companies we compete against, satellite is only a small part of their overall business," he said.

"So although it sounds like we are competing against some very large companies, when you actually look at it on an apples-for-apples comparison, we are on an equal footing, or in some cases a superior footing, to those companies when looking at the satellite communications into remote locations."

ITC Global was recognised at the recent Western Australian Information Technology and Telecommunications Industry Awards (WAITTA), taking home the exporter award.

More than two-thirds of the company's business is export oriented, and Mr Hill believes further opportunities will open up.

"The need for high quality corporate communications is going to increase and companies increasingly look to technology to ... lower the cost, and also minimise the risk, especially the implementation risk, as they look to bring various projects to life," Mr Hill told WA Business News.

"There's actually quite a buoyant mood at the moment. There are a lot of projects being brought back into the realisation or implementation stage after a bit of a hiatus late last year after the initial downturn hit, but we're seeing projects take off right across the region including inside Australia as well as over in Africa and Asia."