@Rykster and convoy63 summed it up perfectly. Telstra started out with tremendous advantages, but is gradually frittering them away.
Of all the Telcos, I found One Tel to be the best. Say what you like about Jodee Rich's business practices. However I note, he was acquitted on all charges in court. I guess it is the economy of scale with Telcos. If you lose a fraction of a cent per customer, you can burn through 20 million or more a quarter. Maybe One Tel tried to do too much too soon.
I, and my tenants, found them brilliant, one of them even won a bicycle, in one of One Tel's promotions. In the mid 90s, Telstra was out of action half of the time. Telstra would modify its software to fix one problem, and create three more. That is why I had both Optus and Telstra, as I have said earlier on this thread. For it was unlikely that they would both be out simultaneously. At least, when one has a business, one can afford more options. As they say: Never put all your Basques in the one exit.
Regards....Marum
(20min delay)