Telstra spruiks itself in NBN letter

Telstra has sent out a letter to selected businesses and government officials to inform them of what is going on in the National Broadband Network process and bring its bid into the spotlight.

(Credit: ZDNet.com.au)

The letter, signed by Telstra CEO Sol Trujillo and chairman Donald McGauchie, has been sent to CEOs of Australia's top companys, Premiers, state ministers for education and health, small business, industry groups, community organisations, airlines and financial institutions, according to a spokesperson for the telco.

The letter first informs the reader that Telstra has submitted a bid to build the national broadband network and then sets out the bid's main points, calling the rollout "a FTTN upgrade to Telstra's existing network, a core asset in the business for which Telstra shareholders paid $45 billion to the government in T1, T2 and T3". It explains Telstra's reasons for not wanting separation and desiring "competitive returns".

The letter also outlines Telstra's experience in building out networks such as Next G and Next IP, and states that it was the "only company that indicated [on 26 November that] it had the financing behind its response".

It finishes off by assuring readers that Telstra would "keep [them] involved as the process unfolds".

The purpose of the letter, according to a Telstra spokesperson, was to reach those who would be directly affected by a NBN rollout. "We're informing them directly and personally of what we can do and what we can deliver," the spokesperson said.

The mass letter to raise the profile of Telstra's bid echoed a bill board campaign which Terria, now backing the Optus bid, started a few months ago.

• Related stories

• Alerts

Add your opinion

meh Anonymous -- 03/12/08

We received one of these at my place of work. It is now firmly attached to our office dartboard.

• Reply to comment
• Reply to story
• Report offensive content

"True Competition" Anonymous -- 03/12/08 (in reply to #320117792)

yeh come on admit anon...you are the idiot Michael Egan of the joke known as "Tierra"!! Ypou play darts because you have nothing else to do...

What this country needs is "True Competition" not the over regulated stuff under Howard/Coonan that Singtel/Optus love so much!!

• Reply to comment
• Report offensive content

dear anon... double anon! ahaha! -- 03/12/08 (in reply to #320117799)

"What this country needs is "True Competition" not the over regulated stuff under Howard/Coonan that Singtel/Optus love so much!!"

do you have this little gem of Phil Burgess permanetly mapped to ctrl-v or something? cause its like the main argument you telstra bois use and i seriously dont see much substance to it other than the sheer repitition...

• Reply to comment
• Report offensive content

re "True Competition" Anonymous -- 03/12/08 (in reply to #320117810)

''
ah aha ah

• Reply to comment
• Report offensive content

Why? Simon -- 03/12/08

In what way would NBN be of benefit to the big corporates? Don't they get most of their links by fibre already?

I thought the NBN was about connecting 98% of Australian households to 20th century infrastructure? Shouldn't Telstra be sending letters to the Mums & Dads not the Packers and bankers?

• Reply to comment
• Reply to story
• Report offensive content

Hold Tight Australian Taxpayer. Sydney Lawrence -- 04/12/08 (in reply to #320117837)

Excellent comment/suggestion Simon.

Telstra should explain to their 1,600,000 Australian owners and the other 20,000,000 Australian citizens who have a vital interest in the well-being of Telstra.

To be successful with an NBN build Telstra opponents would need to confiscate Telstra plant and equipment, and force Telstra customers to transfer from Telstra to an opposing company (probably foreign owned).

If this were to happen Australia's vital communication network would be controlled by a foreign power. Also, Telstra plan is to build the NBN with no advance from the long-suffering Australian taxpayer.

Finally, Telstra opponents do not have the required capital to build the 20 billion dollar roll-out and if the Rudd Government did grant them the NBN contract their snouts would soon be in the trough for more multi-billions.

• Reply to comment
• Report offensive content

I agree Anonymous -- 04/12/08 (in reply to #320117889)

Sydney you are spot on!! I agree!!

• Reply to comment
• Report offensive content

I disagree Anonymous -- 04/12/08 (in reply to #320117912)

Sorry Sydney but I'm going to have to pick you up on a few things...

"Telstra plan is to build the NBN with no advance from the long-suffering Australian taxpayer"

No Advance just means that the govt won't make any profit from their $4.7 billion, yes Telstra will pay it all back but that just means that Telstra will be the only ones to make a profit. Nothing wrong with that however I think it's a little dishonest to disguise it by wording it the way Telstra has been.

"Finally, Telstra opponents do not have the required capital to build the 20 billion dollar roll-out"

You simply don't know that. Not everything that David Quilty says is true. Putting the Optus/Telstra rivalry aside, Axia, among other bidders, has a great track record in doing these things and a lot of money.

Also the 20 Billion figure that Telstra pulled isn't agreed to by everyone.

"Telstra opponents would need to confiscate Telstra plant and equipment, and force Telstra customers to transfer from Telstra to an opposing company "

The plant and equipment aside, even if Telstra doesn't win this, it doesn't mean it won't have access to the network. Current Telstra customers could still remain Telstra customers under another providers NBN.

• Reply to comment
• Report offensive content

Similarities Anonymous -- 05/12/08 (in reply to #320117923)

Hmm another of those, take a comment and reply responses like Joe and Terry use and James Bell used to use.

Again i ask, coincidence? Who cares I suppose.

• Reply to comment
• Report offensive content

lol yeah, but joe -- 05/12/08 (in reply to #320117982)

anon does make a good rebuttal to syd's argument that only tesltra can build it... acacia (or axia i forget) has built, and is currently running a massive fibre network in canada, so they certainly have the 'telstra exclusive' track record and I'm sure i telco that big can get the 'telstra only finicial backing'... telstra has made absolutely no case against axia/acacia, only terria, it repeatedly comparing itself to terria to make it seem its the only 1 capable of building this network, its like a university proffesor comparing himself to a high school drop out to make himself look better, maybe if telstra was to make a coherent argument against all its competitors I'll listen but till then all i have is a coporate intranet full of anti-terria nonsense

• Reply to comment
• Report offensive content

dear joe ned kelly -- 05/12/08 (in reply to #320117996)

before enlightening us all, wouldnt it be best for you to know what you are talking about first, joe?

acacia or axia? it's axia from canada. little hint, acacia sounds a bit more aussie than canadian.

also from my understanding there isnt a terria bid, there's an optus bid, with terria now just tagging along as a non functioning replica. terria went from 9 members to 5 and since then two of them who remained, iiNet and Internode, have said it's all a waste of time anyway. now there's votes of confidence for you from your partners. no wonder they didnt bid.

however, at least now we know who we are dealing with, optus, and can measure their credibility on face value instead of wondering how multiple normally competing companies with their own agendas, would work together for our benefit. so perhaps this is a plus.

but i agree, there's been no real attack from telstra to discredit the 2 a's, which would meant 2 things. there's no or few negatives to attack because they are both very credible. or telstra know neither have a chance and would prefer to spend their time fighting optus, the actual opponent. Take your pick.

joe, perhaps your job would be more enjoyable if you spent your time trying to help the customer from the evil telstra, instead of whipping yourself into a telstra hating frenzy, by commenting here incessantly during work hours, while on telstras time, ooh wah.

• Reply to comment
• Report offensive content

ned joe -- 05/12/08 (in reply to #320118033)

I never said terria has a bid, All i said is telstra is comparing themselves constantly to them... a point i stand by, telstra is comparing themselves to non-bid,

well i personally believe the 2 a's, while most likely have faults are avoiding telstra fire, as to be picked on raises awareness of them, so i believe its a more leave the serious guys in the dark and make ourselves better by beating up the obviously easy guy... but as you say, take your pick

Lol, and ned, I only comment while on hold through to another department (I spend roughly 40% of my work day doing this) and this is one of the 4 sites i have access to, so after demolishing every bit of reading on both abc.net, ninemsn.com and telstra intranet, i head here, where i read every little bit i can, seriously, im not allowed books, magazines or anything else, so other than listening to the incessant telstra hold music, this is probably the 1 main source of updating entertainment through my 8 hr shift

• Reply to comment
• Report offensive content

• Just In

• Most Popular

• Most Discussed

Reader Services

Popular Topics

Essentials