BY JAMES CARELESS
Headquartered in Calgary, Network Innovations is a communications/networking company that keeps people, places, and things connected anywhere in the world. “We were established back in 1989 as a reseller of terrestrial long distance phone services in Canada,” said Frank Czulo, President of Network Innovations’ Advanced Networks Division. “Today, we provide satellite-based communications and networking solutions globally, which is why we employ over 250 industry experts across five continents.” The company’s customer list includes government and defence, public safety, oil and gas, media, mining, utilities, recreation, and maritime clients.
IN AFGHANISTAN
When the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) was stationed in Afghanistan, Network Innovations was there with them. “In 2002, we began work with the federal government to provide welfare and morale services for our troops in that theatre, by giving soldiers more privacy and time to connect with their families via satellite,” said Czulo. “As the strength of our team and services became evident to many of the Coalition allies, our presence in Afghanistan grew to support not only morale and welfare but also the operational needs of many NATO forces operating in theatre.”
Back home in Canada, Network Innovations developed a robust mobile satellite presence while creating its own engineered products to bridge the gaps in third-party systems. Meanwhile, the success of Network Innovations in Afghanistan led to an international expansion that involved a number of strategic acquisitions and new office start-ups.
“We were very present during the Afghan conflict,” Czulo recalls. “I had about 158 personnel in Afghanistan at the time, including me. I think I got the last dozen donuts out of the Tim Horton’s that was across from my compound in Kandahar because they packed up and left while I was still there.” (According to CBC News, the Kandahar Tim Horton’s operated from 2006 to 2011, serving four million cups of coffee, three million donuts and half a million iced cappuccinos and bagels to more than 2.5 million customers during that time. All profits were donated to [the] military community and family support programs.)
SOLUTIONS AND SERVICES
Network Innovations has grown to become a wide-ranging provider of communications/networking solutions. They include cellular telephone extension/backhaul services and private LTE networks in this wireless spectrum; data connectivity via satellite, radio, cellular, and hybrid channels for fixed and mobile applications; emergency response and business continuity communications; marine electronics, navigation, and safety; network/system design, integration, and maintenance; and morale and welfare support services, among others.
“We focus on getting to know our customers and then building responses to their needs,” Czulo said. “We have four business units that handle this on a geographic basis, covering
EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa), the Americas and Asia, the US government, and the maritime world with a focus on North America. And then I head up our new business unit known as Advanced Networks. It builds bespoke networks for customers globally, predominantly focussing around data security — not just cybersecurity but qualities such as data resilience, diversity, and geographic security. For instance, we may build a worldwide network for somebody that particularly avoids certain countries, if required.”
A CLIENT-CENTRIC APPROACH
According to Frank Czulo, what makes Network Innovations stand out from the pack is its ability to solve problems.
“It’s no secret that as a company gets larger, it gets more bureaucratic,” he said. “Thankfully we’re at the perfect size to have the resources and the wherewithal to do what we need to do, while still being very entrepreneurial and down to Earth in our approach to fulfilling our customers’ needs — as opposed to people who have already invested millions of dollars into a solution which they’re simply trying to sell to you. Yes, we have invested millions of dollars in our products and systems, but we’ve purposely done so in a very customer-centric way. Our motto is that ‘we show up with nothing to sell’. We have tools and building blocks that we can bring to bear to solve issues, but we don’t show up with a canned response.”
“Secondly, we don’t have the arrogance of having to be the first in line to help,” continued Czulo. “We understand that there are defence contractors that have a broader view than we do. Our job is to make life better for our clients wherever we can, including collaborating with other defence companies to achieve this goal. I don’t view a lot of people in the Canadian defence market as our competition, to be honest. I view them as other people who can help us perfect the solution for the customer.”
READY TO DO MORE
FOR THE CAF
Network Innovations played an important role supporting the CAF in Afghanistan. But after our troops returned home, the need for the company’s satellite services in theatre ended. That’s understandable, but also a bit of a shame, because there is a lot that today’s Network Innovations can do for today’s CAF.
“We’ve done some unique things with General Dynamics Mission Systems in Canada, but not necessarily for the Canadian Armed Forces,” Czulo said. “That’s really what we’d like to remedy. I’ve had some conversations with some of the CAF leadership and they have a serious problem in their networking — particularly in the Royal Canadian Air Force — where they really need industry support. And it sounds a little hokey, but one of the things that we have a deep passion for are the missions that our customers have. We really think we can help! We have a great Canadian staff that is not only ready to go but cleared and ready to go. We are ready to do more for the CAF.”
Network Innovations certainly assisted with the CAF’s satellite communications needs in Afghanistan, and did this so well that they developed an international customer base among NATO members. But Canada is where this company’s heart and home is, which is why Network Innovations wants to do more to aid the CAF today.
James Careless is CDR’s Ottawa Bureau Chief
