For multinational organisations, robust IT infrastructure is not just a luxury; it is the backbone of operational success. For the past 14 years, Rand Data has been the dedicated technology partner for a vast international church network, The Universal Church of the Kingdom of God, operating across approximately 150 countries. Through strategic infrastructure overhauls, enterprise-grade cyber security, and an unwavering 24/7 support model, Rand Data transformed a heavily bottlenecked system into a seamless, high-speed global network.
The client’s mission and global scale:
Led by board member and general overseer Pastor Clodoaldo Leandro Milesi, the church is a massive global entity dedicated to profound social work. Their operations are highly demanding, involving live television broadcasts from midnight to 4:00 a.m. to combat depression, and hosting stadium events that draw crowds of up to 50,000 people. With their international headquarters in Brazil, rapid, reliable communication across continents is critical for broadcasting life-saving messages and coordinating global directives.
The challenge of overcoming legacy infrastructure
Let’s go back in time together; to the “dark age of no internet”. The Church would send cassette tapes across branches and countries, this was done so that all of the branches across the globe could co-ordinate and communicate. As you can imagine, this was a long process and you kept your fingers and toes crossed that your vital information didn’t get lost along the way – however with the internet not yet existing, this was a pretty creative way of getting communications across the globe.
Enter the Internet Era: before partnering with Rand Data, the church’s connectivity was failing to support its global scale. Pastor Milesi described their previous IT setup as “terrible, and horrible” because they simply did not know how to resolve the constant connectivity failures.
They were constrained by a restrictive 10-megabit fibre line and ADSL connections, a setup derisively referred to as a “ADSL Line Bonding“, that only delivered functional speeds of 1 to 2 megabits. The lack of reliable internet caused unnecessary downtime and disruptions on a day-to-day basis – an expense no business can afford. Furthermore, they were paying an exorbitant fee of over a hundred thousand Rand a month to a previous provider for unstable connections that frequently crashed.
The solution
The Rand Data solution that had immediate impact and scalable innovation.
The partnership began with a simple test that immediately demonstrated Rand Data’ technical superiority. Brought in through a mutual connection, Wilhelm Dubber, the Director of Rand Data, tested the cathedral’s VIP office network and delivered full internet speed in “less than 5 minutes”.
Pastor Milesi says; “This immediate success confirmed that we had found the right IT partner.”
From there, Rand Data rolled out comprehensive, enterprise-level solutions:
- Massive bandwidth upgrades: Rand Data successfully migrated the church from a failing 10-megabit line to a robust 1-gigabit connection, significantly improving speeds while actually costing the Church “much less” than their previous providers.
- Cloud migration & centralisation: To streamline the church’s global financial reporting, Rand Data spearheaded a complex migration from an outdated Zimbra server to Google Workspace. Wilhelm secured specific non-profit discounts for the church, entirely centralising and modernising their global administration.
- Bespoke remote broadcasting: When the church needed to host a live Skype broadcast with their Bishop in a remote desert park with zero infrastructure, Rand Data engineered a solution. Using a laptop, a webcam cable-tied to a TV, and immense technical ingenuity, Wilhelm successfully delivered a flawless live feed in an environment where connectivity seemed impossible.
Enterprise-grade cyber security:
A global organisation inevitably attracts cyber threats. When the church was targeted by the sophisticated ‘Anonymous‘ hacking group, Rand Data provided critical, real-time cyber defence. Alerted late at night, Wilhelm immediately signed into the firewalls, actively monitored the attacks until 3:00 a.m., and ultimately directed the Pastor to unplug the hardware at the exact right moment. Thanks to the preventative tools Rand Data had already installed and their rapid crisis management, the hackers were hindered, and the Church’s highly sensitive global data remained secure.
The Rand Data difference:
“What truly separates Rand Data from conventional IT service providers is their unwavering dedication to customer service.” – Pastor Milesi
Drawing from experience managing 24/7 hotel IT networks, Wilhelm treats a 2:00 a.m. system fault as a critical work emergency, understanding that due to global time zones, a night in South Africa is peak working hours in Brazil.
Pastor Milesi highlights that Rand Data “don’t work for money,” noting that they are consistently available and never make excuses. Instead of dealing with anonymous call centres or help desks where service quality diminishes, the Church has direct access to top-level management.
This 14-year journey has been forged through honest communication and mutual respect. As Pastor Milesi notes, “If you don’t trust the person and you just leave it. You’re not going to create anything. But when you trust someone, you can have [an] argument, and grow that relationship, like brothers”.
Rand Data operates on the Japanese philosophy of Kaizen; continuously striving for improvement, faster speeds, and better technology for their clients.
Conclusion
For large-scale corporate decision-makers, this 14-year relationship serves as a testament to what a true IT partnership should look like.
When asked how Rand Data fits into their future plans for global expansion, Pastor Milesi’s response was definitive: “Always. They will always be with us”.
Thank you to Pastor Milesi for taking the time out of your day for us to make this portfolio possible. The work of the Church does not go unnoticed and neither does your passion for helping people.
We look forward to decades more to come in partnership with The Universal Church of the Kingdom of God.
