Telstra
Telstra Group Limited is an Australian telecommunications company that builds and operates telecommunications networks and markets related products and services. It is a member of the S&P/ASX 20 and Australia's largest telecommunications company by market share.[3]
Not to be confused with Japanese telecommunications company au (mobile phone company) or Telstar.Telstra
- Australian Telecommunications Commission (1979–1989)
- Australian Telecommunications Corporation (1989–1991)
- Australian and Overseas Telecommunications Corporation (1991–1993)
- Telstra Corporation Limited (1993–2023)
- ASX: TLS
- S&P/ASX 200 component
1 July 1975[1]
Telstra Corporate Centre
Melbourne, Australia
Australia
Worldwide (selected products)
Vicki Brady (CEO)
Michael Ackland (CFO)
John Mullen (Chairman)
Fixed line and mobile telephony, Internet, data services, network services, and pay TV
Belong
A$23.25 billion (2023)
A$3.392 billion (2023)
A$2.051 billion (2023)
A$45.03 billion (2023)
A$15.41 billion (2023)
c. 31,000 (2023)
Telstra has a long history in Australia, originating together with Australia Post as the Postmaster-General's Department upon federation in 1901. Telstra had transitioned from a state-owned enterprise to a fully privatised company by 2006.[4]
Controversies[edit]
On 20 March 2019, Telstra denied access to millions of Australians to the websites 4chan, 8chan, Zero Hedge, and Liveleak as a reaction to the Christchurch mosque shootings.[186]
In May 2021, the Federal Court of Australia ordered the company to pay a $50 million fine for mistreating their Indigenous customers.[187] In 2023, Telstra declared support for Yes in the 2023 Australian Indigenous Voice referendum, citing their "strong ties to Indigenous communities and employees".[188]
Market position[edit]
Since the Australian telecommunications industry was deregulated in the early 1990s, Telstra has managed to remain the largest provider of telecommunications services[222] despite the emergence of rivals Optus and TPG Telecom. A Harvard Business Review article from 2005 authored by a consultant to Telstra on this topic, reported "that a strategy of offering lower rates on some routes and at certain times of day, even though its prices, on average, were higher than its rivals", helped Telstra retain several points of market share it otherwise may have lost.[223]
In early 2011, Telstra successfully extended its market share lead by discounting its mobile phone products.[224]
By 2020, Telstra's revenue was $26.2 billion,[225] Optus' was $9.0 billion,[226] and TPG Telecom's was $4.4 billion.[227]
Selected events[edit]
WotNext[edit]
In January 2007 Telstra launched WotNext, a video-publishing website that allowed users to upload videos. The video content was then sold to mobile users for A$1, which the uploader and Telstra split equally.[237] The website was shut down in December 2007 after a media backlash over uploaded semi-pornographic videos.[238]
Privacy investigation[edit]
On 12 July 2011, the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) released the findings of its investigation into a mailing list error that resulted in approximately 60,300 Telstra customers' personal information being sent to other customers. The Australian Privacy Commissioner Timothy Pilgrim said "Our investigation has confirmed that while Telstra breached the Privacy Act when the personal information of a number of its customers was disclosed to third parties; this incident was caused by a one-off human error. It was not a result of Telstra failing to have reasonable steps in place to protect the personal information of its customers, as required by the Privacy Act."
The government probe determined that Telstra had security measures in place to protect customer personal information involved in mail campaigns. These measures included privacy obligations in agreements with mailing houses, privacy impact assessments, and procedures to ensure staff handle personal information appropriately during mail campaigns.
"In this instance, taking into account the range of measures Telstra has in place for mail campaigns, I consider that the one-off human error that occurred does not mean that Telstra failed to comply with its obligation to take reasonable steps to protect the personal information of its customers. Therefore, I consider that Telstra has not breached this particular aspect of the Privacy Act", the privacy commissioner said.
The commissioner determined that Telstra had acted "immediately" to prevent further breaches, notify customers, and review its data security practices.
In the report, Pilgrim related that the Australian government is currently considering recommendations from the Australian Law Reform Commission to introduce mandatory data breach notification laws in Australia.
