Bermuda, reports Mairi Mallon It looks like a command centre in a James Bond movie. There are huge screens and maps tracking communications lines across the globe, which are checked constantly by a team of highly trained experts.

But this impressive scene is not the stuff of science fiction.

It is the newly opened world headquarters of Concert, a little known but important joint venture between telecommunications giants America's AT&T and Britain's BT, which was set up in January, and is now billion dollar venture spanning the globe.

Yesterday Concert's Chief Executive Officer David Dorman jetted in to open the new state-of-the-art global HQ at the Swan building on Victoria Street.

So far the company, which is worth $7 billion, has 60 employees on site, and is looking to take that number up to 150 in Bermuda.

Mr. Dorman said: "We would like those jobs to be filled by Bermudians where possible. Some of the jobs are very technical, but we are working with the Government and Bermuda College on training.'' So far the company has two floors in the building, but is looking to expand into exempted company STW's space on the fourth floor when that company leaves Bermuda.

And while talking about the future of Concert, Mr. Dorman revealed the company could soon be put up for an initial public offering.

According to Mr. Dorman, the company, which is owned 50/50 by AT&T an BT, could be put up for an IPO to raise more cash.

Mr. Dorman would not be drawn on a possible time scale for the IPO, but said: "It is an option we are looking at and which is currently being considered by AT&T and BT.

"It would be a way of raising revenue for the continued expansion of the business and I believe it would be successful.'' According to Mr. Dorman, Concert is twice the size of Bermuda-based telecoms company Global Crossing and has the backing of two well established telecommunications businesses.

The command centre, which is based in the Hamilton office, will track the company's not insignificant telecommunications network.

So far Concert terminates 28 billion minutes to more than 240 countries, and its network has 6,000 nodes reaching 237 countries and territories.

"If something happens and say someone opens a controlled environment space in Kuala Lumpar, it will show up here. We will be able to make sure the problem is being tracked and dealt with as quickly as possible,'' said Mr. Dorman.

The whole Network Performance and Command Centre is entirely staffed by Bermudians or spouses of Bermudians. So far they have 12 staff who work in two day shifts, but by the end of the year the operation will be up and running 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Cathy Martine, President of the International Carrier Services, which is based in Bermuda, explained that the company was working to towards employing as many Bermudians as possible.

She said that many of the staff in Concert had volunteered their time to go to Bermuda College and help train and formulate courses for those interested in telecommunications.

Mr. Dorman is part of a consultative committee who advises US President Bill Clinton on IT training and will be using this expertise in his dealings with Bermuda College. Lee Jobe, President of Network and Systems, which is also based in Bermuda, said the company decided to locate its headquarters in Bermuda because of its geographic location, ease of access and highly developed infrastructure.

He added on recruitment: "The calibre of employees in Bermuda has been quite high.'' The team are still searching for their Miss Money Penny and will be actively recruiting for the rest of the year.