TELSTRA COUNTRY WIDE'S FOURTH BIRTHDAY
4 June 2004
74/04Today, Telstra Country Wide celebrates four years of successfully delivering telecommunications services to rural and regional Australia.
The Australian Government is aware of the unique telecommunications service needs of rural and regional communities and appreciates the work that Telstra Country Wide is doing to address these needs throughout the country.
The Telstra Country Wide model - which involves regional-based representatives building strong working relationships with their local communities - has been so successful that it has been expanded to incorporate outer metropolitan areas.
The strength of this model was also recognised recently when Telstra Country Wide won the national Outstanding Excellence in Customer Service award from the Customer Service Institute in 2004.
Wherever I travel in regional Australia, I hear stories that confirm Telstra Country Wide's success in providing to its customers the types of service and the quality of service that they demand.
The Australian Government has a proud record of improving services in regional Australia through a range of targeted programs and has worked closely with Telstra Country Wide over the last four years.
Many of the Government's key initiatives to improve telecommunications services have been made possible by its close cooperation with Telstra Country Wide.
Examples include: expanded mobile phone coverage in more than 400 rural communities; a commitment to improve the worst performing exchange service areas and to address problems with poorly performing pair gain systems; and the replacement of all older radio telephone systems.
When Telstra Country Wide was formed, consumers were just beginning to demand broadband.
Through the Higher Bandwidth Incentive Scheme (HiBIS), the Australian Government is also making sure that all Australians can get access to broadband services at metropolitan type prices. Telstra Country Wide is one of a number of service providers that have been strong supporters of HiBIS.
I look forward to Telstra Country Wide building on the success of its first four years and continuing to deliver high quality telecommunications services to rural and regional Australia.
Media Contact: Carina Tan-Van Baren (02) 6277 7480 or 0439 425 373
