| Media Releases
Southern Phone Declares Third $50,000 Community Dividend - 8 December 2009
For the third straight year Southern Phone has declared a $50,000 community dividend.
The dividend is returned to the community through the company's 41 local council shareholders.
Southern Phone Chairman Bill Hilzinger said the dividend payout was exceptionally pleasing in a challenging year and was possible because of the very strong financial position of the company.
"Southern Phone is a very different company because we are here to provide services to the community at the lowest possible cost, rather than to make huge profits," he said.
"The savings people make on phone services are the real benefit, but we deliver a community dividend each year as well."
Mr Hilzinger said the company saw amazing growth in the last financial year.
"Our business has doubled in size, with 120 per cent growth on the mobile business as people from right across Australia take up our services," he said.
"We service all our customers from regional Australia so that has also meant a rapid growth in local employment."
The company has commenced construction of a new $2.5 million call centre in Moruya to cater for the growing customer base that will house up to 100 staff
Southern Phone revenues for the last financial year increased to $20.4 million.
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New $2.5m Call Centre for Moruya - 30 October 2009
The economy of the Eurobodalla Shire will receive a major boost following the announcement today of a new $2.5 million call centre to be built in Moruya.
The new centre, expected to cater for up to 100 staff is being built by Southern Phone Company.
The company’s General Manager Phil Herrick said the development was required because of the rapid growth of the telecommunications provider.
“We are seeing very strong growth at present as people right across Australia switch to our service,” he said.
“That means we need to hire more staff to serve those customers and we have outgrown the premises that have housed us for the last seven years.”
The new two storey building will be at the corner of Page and Queen Streets in Moruya.
Designed by Moruya architects Smith and Freeman, the building has a strong emphasis on environmental sustainability while allowing the latest technology to be deployed. It will be built by local firm South Building Company with work starting immediately.
Mr Herrick said the development approval process had run very smoothly through the Eurobodalla Shire Council.
“All the council’s issues were identified and met in the pre-application meetings and the approval process was rapid,” he said.
“The council clearly appreciates the importance of the employment Southern Phone is creating in the shire and the value of a rapidly developing 21st century industry that injects millions into the local economy each year.”
The new building is planned to be completed by July 2010.
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An artist's impression of the new Southern Phone building in Moruya. |
Southern Phone Slams Telstra's New Payment Charges - 21 July 2009
The announcement from Telstra that it will charge customers for paying their phone bills in person has been strongly criticised by Southern Phone Company.
Telstra announced this week that from 14 September it will charge most customers $2.20 to pay their bill at a Post Office or Telstra shop. It has also increased the surcharge for credit card payments.
Southern Phone's General Manager Phil Herrick said Telstra's move was simply a money grab.
"How can any company charge you for a service, then charge you to pay your bill?" he asked.
"It is just another regrettable sign of how far Telstra has moved away from our community.
"Southern Phone does not charge people to pay their account, nor do we penalise people paying by credit card.
"We live in regional Australia and we understand that going into the local Post Office is the easiest way to pay a bill."
Mr Herrick said Southern Phone had seen a marked increase in people calling to transfer their services following Telstra's announcement of its new bill payment charges.
"We've grown to be the largest phone company headquartered in regional Australia because we understand what regional Australians want," he said.
"That's simply a fair deal and to talk to other Australians when they contact their phone company."
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Southern Phone Declares $50,000 Community Dividend - 3 October 2008
For the second consecutive year Southern Phone has declared a $50,000 dividend that will be returned straight to the community through the company's local council shareholders.
Southern Phone Chairman Bill Hilzinger said the dividend delivered on the promise to the community that profits made by Southern Phone would be returned for community benefit.
"The company is owned by 41 local councils on behalf of their local communities and they paid just $2 each to take part," he said.
"We had agreed when the company was started in 2002 that the first three years would see profit ploughed back into the company to ensure its growth and we would aim to deliver a dividend after that.
"We're very pleased to have met that promise on time and in such a solid fashion and to return $100,000 in the last two years to the community."
The dividend to councils will be paid in proportion to the amount of business generated in each council area.
Southern Phone revenues for the last financial year increased to $17.9 million.
Southern Phone has a national customer base, employs a total of 45 people at its Moruya and Nowra offices and is a major contributor to the regional economy.
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Narooma's Business Community Supported By Southern Phone - 1 August 2008
The achievements of Narooma's business community will be recognised this year when the annual awards for excellence are presented at the Narooma Golf Club in October and once again the south coast's community owned telco Southern Phone will be lending support.
The Narooma Chamber of Commerce organises the annual awards, known as "The Monties".
Southern Phone is a long-term supporter of the awards and this year will be sponsoring the Excellence in Customer Service Award.
Southern Phone's General Manager, Phil Herrick said the awards were an opportunity for the town's business community to get together and celebrate.
"Narooma offers a special experience for both locals and visitors," he said.
"The beauty of the area must have some kind of influence because the town is very special, with a relaxed and friendly atmosphere and Southern Phone is an integral part of that.
"Many of our employees are Narooma residents and we've been able to assist Narooma's business community with their telecommunications for the last six years."
The Monties will be held on 11 November. There are eight categories, topped by the prestigious Gold Montie Award
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Southern Phone Pays $11,510 Dividend To Eurobodalla - 22 January 2008
The $2 investment made in 2002 by the Eurobodalla Shire Council in the community owned telecommunications company, Southern Phone paid off handsomely today with the handover of a cheque for $11,510 which is the council's share of the company's dividend this year.
The council holds two shares in the company on behalf of the local community.
Southern Phone Company Chairman Bill Hilzinger said the dividend delivered on the promise made to the community that profits made by Southern Phone would be returned for community benefit.
The dividend is paid to councils in proportion to the amount of business generated in each council area. Neighbouring communities have also done well from Southern Phone this year with the Shoalhaven receiving $9,962 and Bega Valley $4,228.
"The Eurobodalla Shire is the home of Southern Phone and it is great to see the biggest dividend cheque coming back to this community," said Mr Hilzinger.
"And the dividend is not the only benefit the company brings, with a payroll of around $1.3 million each year injected into the local economy.
Southern Phone revenues for the last financial year were $16.5 million. The company is enjoying strong growth in its mobiles division with a 22% increase in the year.
The company employs a total of 49 people at its Moruya and Nowra offices and is a major contributor to the regional economy.
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Southern Phone Declares $50,000 Community Dividend - 8 November 2007
The south coast's community owned telecommunications company, Southern Phone, has declared a $50,000 dividend and it will all be given to straight to the community through local councils.
The dividend was declared at the company's Annual General Meeting held in Moruya this week.
Company Chairman Bill Hilzinger said the dividend delivered on the promise made to the community that profits made by Southern Phone would be returned for community benefit.
"The company is owned by 41 local councils on behalf of their local communities and they paid just $2 each to take part,"' he said.
"We had agreed when the company was started in 2002 that the first three years would see profit ploughed back into the company to ensure its growth and we would aim to deliver a dividend after that.
"We're very pleased to have met that promise on time and in such a solid fashion."
The dividend to councils will be paid in proportion to the amount of business generated in each council area.
Southern Phone revenues for the last financial year were $16.5 million. The company is enjoying strong growth in its mobiles division with a 22% increase in the year.
Southern Phone has a national customer base with 47 per cent of customers in New South Wales, 25 per cent in Victoria, 16 per cent in Queensland and the balance in other states.
The company employs a total of 49 people at its Moruya and Nowra offices and is a major contributor to the regional economy.
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Regional Telco Board Meets In Goulburn -Where It All Began - 25 June 2007
Five years ago a meeting was held in Goulburn that launched the very successful regional telco Southern Phone Company.
Today the Board of the company returns to the place it all began - the Goulburn Soldiers Club - for the one of their regular meetings.
Southern Phone is part owned by Goulburn-Mulwaree Council and the Upper Lachlan Shire Council - along with 42 other NSW councils who own a share on behalf of their community.
Company General Manager Phil Herrick said that today's meeting at the Soldiers Club provided an opportunity to measure how far the company had come.
"Back in 2002 when representatives from all the councils in the south east of NSW met to set up Southern Phone we had great plans to make a difference to regional telecommunications," he said.
"We have achieved a great deal of what we set out to do and today Southern Phone is a national telecommunications company with customers in every state.
"We are a full service telco offering fixed line, mobile and internet services and we have been instrumental in reducing the cost of services for regional Australians."
Mr Herrick said the company had seen strong growth in recent years with revenues increasing by 43 per cent in the last financial year from $12.2 million to $17.4 million.
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Community Radio boosted by community owned Southern Phone - 11 January 2007
The volunteer operated community radio station 2EAR-FM was given a boost this week with a cash donation from the South Coast's community owned telco, Southern Phone.
The funds were raised from a share of calls made by Southern Phone customers who nominated the 2EAR-FM as a community organisation they wanted to support.
According to the radio stations Kathy Shields the funds from Southern Phone will help the station deliver its programs to the Eurobodalla Shire community.
"The station has 40 volunteer presenters who provide programs that cover all areas of interest," she said.
"This support from Southern Phone will help us continue to deliver our services to the community."
Southern Phone has also provided support to the Moruya Basketball Association this week and recently sponsored the Make it Moruya campaign run by the local Chamber of Commerce.
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Southern Phone Celebrates Four Years - 29 November 2006
The south coast’s community owned telecommunications company, Southern Phone, is celebrating four years of growth and has marked the occasion with a major sponsorship of the Make it Moruya campaign.
Southern Phone was established in 2002 by a consortium of councils led by Eurobodalla Shire Council with the aim of building the local economy by reducing telecommunications costs for the community.
In the last four years it has grown to be a national telecommunications company providing fixed line, mobile and internet services as well as a telecommunications wholesaler. The company also recently opened a digital publishing division.
At the same time it has become a major contributor to the south coast economy with revenues last year of $17.4 million and jobs created for 55 local people.
Southern Phone Company General Manager Phil Herrick said the company has celebrated its fourth birthday by contributing a major sponsorship package to the Make It Moruya campaign that was launched this week.
“Building the local economy is the primary purpose of Southern Phone so it makes good sense to get behind the Make It Moruya campaign because Moruya is where we have our headquarters,” he said.
Mr Herrick also thanked the staff of Southern Phone.
“Our success has been a direct result of the talents and enthusiasm of a great group of people who come from all parts of the Eurobodalla Shire and also the northern Bega Valley,” he said.
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Southern Phone records strong growth - 7 November 2006
The south coast’s community owned telecommunications company, Southern Phone, reported a year of very strong growth at the company’s Annual General Meeting that was held in Moruya yesterday (Monday 6 November).
Company revenues increased by 43 per cent in the 2005-06 financial year from $12.2 million to $17.4 million.
At the same time the Moruya-based company’s contribution to the south coast economy grew with 55 people now employed and an annual payroll of $1.64 million.
Southern Phone was established in 2002 by a consortium of councils led by Eurobodalla Shire Council with the aim of building the local economy by reducing telecommunications costs for the community.
Southern Phone Company Chairman Bill Hilzinger said the exceptional growth during the year was achieved in an extremely competitive market.
“The strong cash flow has also allowed us to develop a new business venture in digital publishing that ties in well with Southern Phone’s charter as a regional communications company,” he said.
“As well we negotiated an agreement with Telstra that has allowed us to expand our operations and become a wholesaler of mobile phone services from mid 2006 and our first two wholesale agreements have been signed, both with Victorian operators.”
Mr Hilzinger paid tribute to the staff and shareholders of the company for their efforts and support during the year.
“We now have 42 NSW local councils holding shares in Southern Phone on behalf of their communities and we look forward to an exciting year ahead,” he said.
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Broadband Network to Reach Shoalhaven
Communities - 18 April 2005
Broadband services in the Shoalhaven region on
the NSW south coast will be greatly improved with the establishment
of a new network by Southern Phone in a joint venture with Shoalhaven
City Council.
The wide area network linking Nowra, Vincentia,
Sussex Inlet and Ulladulla will allow council to deliver up-to-date
service levels to the Shoalhaven community at affordable cost.
Shoalhaven Mayor Greg Watson will announce the
latest joint venture during a luncheon at Shoalhaven City Centre
on Monday April 18.
Southern Phone will provide funds for the hardware
with council providing the sites and ongoing maintenance. Construction
is expected to begin later this month.
Bega Valley Shire joined the Southern Phone regional
broadband network in November 2004 when agreement was signed with
the local council to linking the towns of Bega, Eden, Merimbula
and Bermagui to the network.
“For regional economic development reasons the
councils have formed a partnership that will see Southern Phone
facilitate commercial access to the council-owned network at an
affordable cost” said Southern Phone Chairman Bill Hilzinger.
“These networks are terrific new infrastructure
that can help businesses grow and build employment.”
Southern Phone is owned by 42 NSW councils and
was established two years ago with Commonwealth Government funds
drawn from the sale of the first part of Telstra to increase regional
telecommunications competition through lower prices and better service.
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Southern Phone Goes Australia
Wide - 3 March 2005
The South Coast’s own telecommunications company,
Southern Phone, is now extending its services to all states of Australia.
Originally established by Eurobodalla Shire Council
in November 2002 and funded by the Commonwealth Government, Southern
Phone currently includes 41 councils from NSW as shareholders.
However, with more than half of customers now located
outside NSW, and shareholder enquiries coming from councils in Queensland,
South Australia, Western Australia and Victoria, it was decided
at the recent annual general meeting to change the constitution
allowing Southern Phone to become a national company.
Eurobodalla and other southern councils spent five
years preparing before receiving a grant of $4.773 million from
the Commonwealth Government’s Networking the Nation scheme.
The objectives of NTN are to improve telecommunications
services in regional Australia.
Southern Phone General Manager, Phil Herrick, said
the company has grown beyond expectations and now has members in
all states in Australia and provides local call, mobile and internet
services.
“It started with a focus of 17 councils but there
has been wide interest with enquiries from all over Australia wanting
to know what Southern Phone is all about. It was decided to allow
these other councils to become shareholders.”
Mr. Herrick emphasised that only councils can become
shareholders, and the shares are a means of returning profits to
the community.
Local organisations assisted by Southern Phone
include the Moruya Basketball Association, the Illawarra Breast
Cancer Support Group and Sunshine Bay Primary School P&C.
Southern Phone has contracts with Greater Southern
Area Health and the Department of Education so Moruya and Batemans
Bay hospitals benefit from affordable broadband services allowing
rapid improvements in service delivery while school students have
access to videoconferencing and super fast web access and emails.
Southern Phone has been recognised as an innovative
company with a national award for its role in developing regional
communications, a prestigious Regional Telco of the Year nomination
and, locally, an Australia Day Achievement award.
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Southern
Phone Receives National Best Practice Award - 7 January 2005
The community owned telecommunications carrier,
Southern Phone has been recognised with a national award for its
work in developing regional communications.
The award for Australia-wide Best Practice in Community
Telecommunications and Communications Innovation was given on the
Gold Coast recently by the Local Government Association of Queensland.
There are 41 local councils that hold shares in
Southern Phone on behalf of their communities and the award was
presented at a showcase of council innovations attended by councils
from all Australian states and New Zealand.
Southern Phone General Manager Phil Herrick said
the award was recognition of both the company and also the local
council shareholders that helped the company grow to being a national
provider of telecommunications services.
“In particular the award should be shared by the
Eurobodalla Shire Council on the NSW south coast, who drove the
initial development of the company,” he said.
Southern Phone was established two years ago with
Commonwealth Government funds drawn from the sale of the first part
of Telstra to increase regional telecommunications competition through
lower prices and better service.
In the last two years the company has grown to
become a full service telecommunications carrier with fixed line,
mobile and internet services provided to the community at low prices.
It has also developed a regional broadband network in south east
NSW.
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Broadband
Delivery via the Electricity Network Successfully Trialled
- 14 December 2004 Technology that allows the use of the electricity
network to deliver broadband services has been successfully trialled
on the NSW South Coast.
Called “Power Line Carrier”, the technology promises
to provide a competitive alternative to the telecommunications network
owned by Telstra.
The trial was conducted at the North Moruya Business
Park and was supported by the community-owned regional telco Southern
Phone along with Country Energy, Optus and Woomera Online, a consortium
made up of equipment builder InnovaTech, installation experts Bytcan
and Imagine Telecommunications.
The six week trial saw a number of businesses connected
to broadband through the power lines running down the street allowing
voice calls to be made through the internet, high speed internet
use and downloads of movies on demand simultaneously.
Southern Phone Company General Manager Phil Herrick
said the trial was a success in showing the technology works, but
there is still some way to go before commercial rollout occurs.
“Demonstrating that the equipment can work on a
live electricity network in an industrial area in regional NSW is
a considerable achievement,” he said.
“The next step will come with the development of
the next generation of the technology, the clear definition of standards
by the Australian Communications Authority and the development of
a commercial model.
“There is lot of development work underway around
the world on using power lines for communications as the advantage
to the community of the introduction of a competitive broadband
distribution network that is essentially already in place is so
clear.”
Mr Herrick said Southern Phone was actively exploring
a number of emerging technologies with a particular interest in
finding a sustainable means of delivering broadband to people in
regional areas unable to get ADSL because they live outside major
centres.
Southern Phone is owned by the community through
41 local councils and has been funded by the Commonwealth Government’s
Networking the Nation Program to lower the cost of telecommunications
across Australia.
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Bega Valley Shire Council Mayor David Hede
(right) and Southern Phone Chairman Bill Hilzinger complete
the landmark agreement |
Bega Valley Shire Council
and Southern Phone Combine To Extend Broadband Access - 22 November
2004
Broadband services in the Bega Valley Shire on
the state’s far south coast moved to a new level today (Monday 22
November) with the signing of an agreement between Southern Phone
Company and the Bega Valley Shire Council.
The council, along with 40 other NSW councils is
a shareholder in Southern Phone with the benefits being passed through
to their communities.
The agreement, signed at the Southern Phone Company
Annual General Meeting in Moruya means businesses and other large
broadband users in Bega, Eden, Merimbula and Bermagui will have
access to a new network recently completed by council to create
wide area networks to link branch offices.
Bega Valley Shire Mayor David Hede said the supply
arrangement meant that the investment made by council in the network
would not only deliver improved council administration, in accordance
with its original purpose, but also be available as a tool for economic
development.
Southern Phone Company Chairman Bill Hilzinger
said the addition of the four centres to the Southern Phone network
takes the company to a new level of development.
“They join Moruya, Batemans Bay, Queanbeyan, Young
and Sydney as operational centres and they will soon be joined by
Nowra, Vincentia, Sussex Inlet and Ulladulla,” he said.
Southern Phone has been funded by the Commonwealth
Government’s networking the Nation Program to lower the cost of
telecommunications across Australia.
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Price
Control on Local Calls Welcome says Southern Phone - 10 November
2004
The announcement yesterday (Tuesday 9 November)
by the ACCC that it will control the price Telstra charges for local
calls for at least the next three years has been welcomed by the
community owned regional telco, Southern Phone.
The ACCC has said the price of a local call cannot
exceed 22 cents and line rental prices will also be controlled.
Southern Phone General Manager Phil Herrick said
it was extremely important for the community that the ACCC provide
strong regulatory control in this area.
“For the ACCC to make this announcement on local
call charges indicates their concern that the community may be forced
to pay more without strong control,” he said.
“With the Government now actively moving towards
the full privatisation of Telstra, the role of the ACCC in ensuring
fair telecommunications prices for all Australians will become even
more important.
“Southern Phone’s local call charges are well below
22 cents.
“They are just 16 cents to business and 17.5 cents
to residential users and we will continue to provide strong competition
to Telstra in line with our charter to introduce greater competition
into the regional telecommunications market,” said Mr Herrick.
Southern Phone is owned by 41 local councils and
has been funded by the Commonwealth Government’s Networking the
Nation Program to lower the cost of telecommunications across Australia.
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Sunshine Bay Kids Get
a Helping Hand From Southern Phone - 5 May 2004
Students at Sunshine Bay Primary School will have
better facilities thanks to the efforts of the school P&C Association
and community owned Southern Phone.
Company General Manager Phil Herrick today (Wednesday
5 May) presented a $250 cheque to the school P&C, the proceeds
of a joint fundraising effort.
Students at the school currently enjoy a high speed
broadband learning environment thanks to Southern Phone.
Mr Herrick said the support for the school was
in keeping with the company’s commitment to strengthen the local
community.
“Being community owned means that we have a real
focus on delivering community benefit, both through low cost services
and community support,” he said.
“For Southern Phone, the really exciting outcome
for us has been the difference we have made to education and health
services in both Batemans Bay and Moruya with the delivery of 21st
century broadband to all the public schools and hospitals.
“It is essential for country towns to have affordable
broadband connections if our community is going to take part in
the benefits of the information age.”
Southern Phone is owned by 41 local councils including
the Eurobodalla and Bega Valley Shire Councils and has been funded
by the Commonwealth Government’s Networking the Nation Program to
lower the cost of telecommunications.
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A Big Mothers Day Present
To Breast Cancer Support Group - 3 May 2004
The community owned regional telco Southern Phone
Company has honoured its pledge to strengthen and support the region
by returning profits to the community and this Wednesday (5 May)
is handing over a $1,833 cheque to the Illawarra Breast Cancer Support
Group.
The is the first of many community groups Southern
Phone has worked with to build the strength of the region and the
cheque is a share of the company’s revenue over the last year. The
cheque will be presented to Sister Gloria Swift and a number of
support group members at the Wollongong City Council by company
Chairman, Bill Hilzinger and company Director and City General Manager
Rod Oxley
“We have given 5 per cent of the full year’s bill
for long distance calls of everyone who became a member of Southern
Phone and said they wanted to support the Illawarra Breast Cancer
Support Group,” said Mr Hilzinger.
“Now we are delivering on our objective to strengthen
our community and saying to people, not only will you save money
yourself, but part of what you spend will go to a cause you care
about.”
Mr Hilzinger said the company is supporting many
groups in the region from charities to schools and sporting teams.
“The recent price rise by Telstra shows again how
the big city based telephone companies view the community,” he said.
“Southern Phone has focussed on economic development
in the region and we’re proud to have saved people money with our
low long distance rates for business and the residential phone users
as well as supporting our community”.
Southern Phone is owned by 41 local councils and
has been funded by the Commonwealth Government’s Networking the
Nation Program to lower the cost of telecommunications.
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Telstra Increases a Disgrace
says Regional Telco - 30 April 2004
The increase in line rental and call connection
fees announced yesterday by Telstra have been branded a disgrace
by the community owned regional telco Southern Phone.
The line rental increases of up to $3.45 a month
and the jump in call connection charges to 35 cents a call will
hit people hard, especially in regional Australia, says Southern
Phone General Manager Phil Herrick.
“Southern Phone was established with help from
the Australian Government to reduce the cost of long distance phone
calls for people in regional areas and this latest Telstra price
hike shows how important the initiative is,” said Mr Herrick.
“Our prices will not increase and the price gap
has now widened with Telstra residential customers now paying 35
cents which is 6 cents more that Southern Phone to connect every
long distance call or fixed to mobile call and then being slugged
again with per minute rates up to 50% higher than those we charge.
“It all adds up to a huge hit on ordinary people,”
he said.
Telstra is also hitting people with new charges
if payments are made by credit card.
Mr Herrick said Southern Phone did not charge its
customers any more for this service and did not intend to introduce
a charge.
Southern Phone, which was nominated as regional
telco of the year in 2003, is owned by the community through 41
local council shareholders and all profits the company makes are
returned to the community.
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Meeting the people behind
a regional success story - Industry, Tourism and Resources
Minister Ian Macfarlane (left) and Gary Nairn, MP for Eden-Monaro
chat with Southern Phone's Julie Jackson (centre) and Linda
Bennett (right) |
Cabinet Minister Visits Regional
Success Story - 14 April 2004
The community owned telecommunications carrier,
Southern Phone Company which is one of the most successful regional
development initiatives in NSW was visited today (Wednesday 14 April)
by the federal Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources, Ian
Macfarlane.
The regional telco, based in the small country
town of Moruya on the NSW south coast was established with assistance
from the Australian Government just over a year ago.
In that time the company has created jobs for 31
people in Moruya and has developed a customer base across Australia,
as well as building a regional broadband network.
The visit to the Moruya headquarters of the company
was organised by the local federal Member of Parliament, Gary Nairn,
who accompanied the Minister.
General Manager of Southern Phone, Phil Herrick
said the visit was another indication of the strong support the
company had enjoyed from the Australian Government.
“We are community owned and our objectives are
to improve regional social and economic development,” he said.
“The support of the government has allowed us to
deliver telephony services that have dramatically reduced the cost
of keeping in ouch for regional Australians and our broadband network
is now providing the means for improved health and education services.
“The employment created in Moruya has also had
a significant effect on the town’s economy as Moruya previously
suffered from one of the highest levels of unemployment in the state.”
While at the company offices Mr Macfarlane took
the opportunity to meet staff and also met with local civic leaders.
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Southern Phone’s Broadband
Network Extended to Young - 25 March 2004
The regional broadband network operated by the
community owned Southern Phone Company has been extended to the
major regional centre of Young.
The new link comes on line today (18 March) and
has been put in place to serve the new Young District Hospital which
opened this week, replacing the old hospital that had served the
town since 1900..
Southern Phone already provides telecommunications
services to a number of hospitals in the south east of NSW and the
new link means health services provided to the Young community from
their new hospital will be supported by a brand new broadband network.
Southern Phone works in partnership with the Southern
Area Health Service to improve community and health services, a
link that has been formalised in a Memorandum of Understanding between
the two community-focussed organisations.
Southern Phone Company Chairman Bill Hilzinger
said the extension of the community owned network to Young is a
milestone in regional social development.
“The aims of Southern Phone and the Health Service
are very similar, with improvements to regional services a number
one priority,” he said.
“The partnership is bringing immediate benefits
to our community with affordable access to broadband advancing improved
health delivery in the south east of the state.”
“Southern Phone is committed to building the regional
community through improved health and education services that are
central community needs so we’ll continue to roll out our network
and locate Points of Presence in as many regional centres as possible.”
Broadband connections have already been installed
by Southern Phone at hospitals in Queanbeyan, Batemans Bay and Moruya
as well as a link to the Department of Health in Sydney.
Southern Phone’s Network rollout has been funded
by the Australian Government’s Networking the Nation Program. The
company is owned by 41 local councils in regional NSW.
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Southern Phone Improves Bega
and Moruya Hospital Communications - 18 February 2004
Telephone services at the Moruya and Bega District
Hospitals have received a $200,000 upgrade thanks to the south coast
based and community owned Southern Phone Company.
Both hospitals have seen new, state of the art,
PABX equipment and associated phones installed, replacing aging
equipment dating from the 1980s.
The new equipment will allow the hospitals to move
into the future when new technologies that will allow voice calls
to be made at very low cost through data networks come into play.
Southern Phone has already installed broadband
data services to hospitals in Moruya, Batemans Bay, Queanbeyan and
Sydney with Young Hospital soon to come on line.
Chairman of Southern Phone, Bill Hilzinger said
the installation of the new PABXs at the hospitals was a key component
of the company’s focus on improving regional health and education
services.
“We are owned by local councils and have been funded
by the Australian Government with the primary objective of improving
social and economic development in the region,” he said.
“We have a Memorandum of Understanding in place
with the Southern Area Health Service, who operate all the hospitals
in the south east.
“This means we have a focus on providing them with
broadband and other telecommunications services at very low cost
so the savings can be used for health services.”
Mr Hilzinger said other hospitals in the region
would also have their phone systems upgraded with Yass District
Hospital next in line.
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Moruya and Bay Students to
Benefit From Southern Phone Broadband - 24 January 2004
When school students at public high schools and
primary schools in Moruya and Batemans Bay return to their studies
this year they will enter a new world of high speed broadband learning
thanks to the community owned Southern Phone Company’s new broadband
network.
During the school holidays high-speed broadband
links have been established by Southern Phone between the schools
and the state’s broadband education network and are now in their
final test phase. The schools connected to the network are the Moruya
and Batemans Bay High Schools and the Moruya, Batemans Bay and Sunshine
Bay Primary Schools.
The Southern Phone broadband network is already
installed at the Moruya and Batemans Bay District Hospitals where
it has been aiding the delivery of health care services in the Eurobodalla
Shire for some months.
Southern Phone Chairman Bill Hilzinger said the
connection of the schools was a major step in fulfilling a dream
to improve regional education by opening the opportunities available
through broadband.
“Each school will use the resource differently,
but the end result will be a wider range of educational opportunities
for students at the schools,” he said.
“Southern Phone will be continuing to roll out
its broadband network in the region and we hope to be able to connect
as many schools as possible.”
The network which is owned by the community local
councils has been funded by the Australian Government’s Networking
the Nation Program.
It is being used to provide affordable distance
education, telemedicine, videoconferencing and internet access services
for hospitals and schools in the south east of NSW. At this time
Southern Phone does not offer broadband to residential or small
business users but is about to start trialling new technology to
make this possible.
Southern Phone also provides very low cost long
distance phone services. The profits made by Southern Phone will
be returned to the community through the 44 local councils that
hold shares on behalf of their communities. All south coast councils
are shareholders in Southern Phone.
[ back to top ]
Orange Becomes 44th Shareholder
in Southern Phone - 10 January 2004
Orange in the state’s central west has become the
44th community to take shares in the community-owned Southern Phone
Company, one of the most successful regional development initiatives
underway in Australia.
The regional telco has been established with funds
from the sale of the first part of Telstra provided by the Australian
Government. It aims to improve services and reduce the cost of telecommunications
with a particular focus on regional Australia.
Since it started operations just over a year ago
the company, which is based in the small town of Moruya on the NSW
south coast, has grown strongly and now serves customers in all
Australian states and operates a regional broadband network.
Southern Phone Company Chairman Bill Hilzinger
has welcomed the Orange community as shareholders in Southern Phone.
“The company has made low cost long distance calls
a reality for the region and now all profits generated in Orange
will be returned to the local community through the Orange City
Council,” he said.
Forty four councils from all parts of NSW have
now taken two shares in the company, priced at $1 each. Only councils
can hold shares, which are a means of delivering profits back to
the community.
Councils do not invest capital in the project,
or carry any risk, as the company has been funded by a $4.8 million
grant from the Australian Government’s Networking the Nation program.
Mr Hilzinger said the company has proved to be
a major stimulus to economic and social development in regional
areas by reducing long distance phone charges.
“With long distance call costs now dropping to
12 cents a minute to anywhere in Australia at anytime, the regional
community has a major barrier to doing business and keeping in touch
with family and friends dramatically lowered,” he said.
“Our Broadband Network has allowed the introduction
of improved education, health care and business opportunities in
a number of regional centres through more affordable broadband access.”
[ back to top ]
Southern Phone - Too Good
to be True - 28 October 2003
The new community owned Southern Phone Company
has encountered a rather unusual problem, with formal complaints
being registered with industry and consumer watchdogs by people
convinced that the story of community ownership and low cost phone
calls is simply too good to be true.
Company General Manager Phil Herrick said that
as the company has expanded its marketing, complaints had been lodged
by a number of people with the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman
and this week, with the Queensland Department of Fair Trading.
“It’s amazing, but for some people the concept
of a community owned company that has been established with Commonwealth
Government assistance to provide low cost services, especially for
regional areas seems just too good to be true,” he said.
“We’ve had two formal complaints lodged with the
Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman and we’ve had people call
from as far away as Western Australia and Cooktown to check that
we were fair dinkum.
“We’ve been able to deal with all the complaints
easily by assuring both the regulators and the people who have called
us that we really have been established to meet those objectives
and that we give all our profits back to the community through our
local council shareholders.
Mr Herrick said he’d be very pleased if this continued
to be the nature of complaints and that after nearly a year of operations
there had been no substantiated complaints made to the industry
watchdogs about the company.
[ back to top ]
Southern Phone a Finalist
as Best Regional Telco - 24 September 2003
The community owned Southern Phone Company was
a finalist in the Best Regional Telecommunications Provider category
of the prestigious Australian Telecom Annual Awards announced jointly
in Sydney this week by Communications Minister Senator Richard Alston
and ACCC Chairman Graeme Samuels.
Southern Phone was the newest company at the awards
and named as a finalist in recognition of the tremendous growth
achieved in the last year and the impact it has made on reducing
the cost of phone services in the region.
Southern Phone Chairman Bill Hilzinger said that
being a finalist and on the platform with the major players in the
telecommunications industry was an award in itself for the achievements
of the regional company.
“Because we have a regional focus we have delivered
the lowest advertised rates for business in Australia and the lowest
freely available residential rates in regional areas,” he said.
“We have also built the first stage of our broadband
network in the south east of NSW that will have a significant impact
on health and education services on the region.”
The community owned company has been funded by
the Commonwealth Government’s Networking the Nation Program and
one of the major benefits has been the introduction of competition
in regional centres.
The company has also generated 25 new jobs in the
Eurobodalla Shire on the state’s South Coast.
The profits made by Southern Phone will be returned
to the community through the 40 local councils that hold shares
on behalf of their communities.
[ back to top ]
Highlands Community to Benefit
From Partnership - 2 September 2003
A partnership between the Wingecarribee Community
Foundation and Southern Phone has shown the community owned regional
telco is moving ahead in leaps and bounds in its promise to support
local communities.
The community based and owned Southern Phone’s
main aim is to share its profits with local communities, which is
done primarily through its work with community organisations.
Like Southern Phone, the Foundation aims to strengthen
the local community by encouraging and supporting development in
the area, and through partnerships with local businesses and individuals
are able to establish funds and programs to support the changing
needs of the Wingecarribee Shire.
The partnership between the two organisations will
see Southern Phone give the Foundation five percent of the full
year’s long distance bill of all business and residential customers
who join Southern Phone and nominate the Foundation as a group they
would like to support.
This means the partnership is ongoing with a constant
contribution from Southern Phone to the Foundation.
“This partnership with Southern Phone will allow
the Foundation to deliver on its promise to strengthen the local
community more quickly,” said Southern Phone Chairman Bill Hilzinger.
The Foundation are equally as enthusiastic about
the partnership with Board Member Nick Cleary saying, “it is wonderful
to find an organisation who wish to put back into the community
and by choosing the WCF as a partner Southern Phone will be able
to reach and have some impact on the community as a whole.”
Southern Phone is owned by local councils throughout
south east NSW, one of which is the Wingecarribee Shire Council.
The Foundation has already set up a youth philanthropy
program and WCF Funds have been established to work in the areas
of palliative and respite care, youth and the aged. Two scholarships
for post graduate training in palliative care have been granted
to local nurses this year, and professional development seminars
in aged care are planned for October.
[ back to top ]
|
Celebrating the opening
of Southern Phone’s Regional Broadband Network (from left):
Senator Richard Alston, Southern Phone Chairman Bill Hilzinger
and Federal Member for Eden-Monaro Gary Nairn |
Communications Minister Launches Broadband Network – 21
July 2003
Southern Phone yesterday marked one of the most
important events in the company’s short life with the celebration
of its official opening.
It was described by General Manager Phil Herrick
as “a wonderful day for Southern Phone. Our values are all about
community- maximising community and social benefit, not profit”.
The network was officially opened by Senator the
Hon Richard Alston, Minister for Communications, Information Technology
and the Arts, who was also given a tour of the transmission facilities
at Round Hill.
In his speech at the celebratory function, Sen
Alston said, “I have always considered the establishment of a regional
phone company to be a good indicator of the success of the Government’s
policy to enhance competition, yet this concept has not been translated
until now.”
“I hope the community can point to Southern Phone
as one of the great regional success stories”.
Southern Phone, a community based company with
38 local council shareholders throughout NSW has only been established
in the telecommunications market for six months.
It was established through what Federal Member
for Eden-Monaro, Gary Nairn considered to be both challenging and
interesting process.
He said, however, “the great thing is that in the
end we got it really right”.
Southern Phone Chairman Bill Hilzinger said, “we
hope the company will have a positive impact on health, education
and business by allowing them to operate in a more competitive economic
environment”.
“Southern Phone is great example of three systems
working together- federal, state and local government,” he said.
“To continue working along these lines will mean
great things for Australia”.
[ back to top ]
Southern Phone Demolishes
High Charges for Business Calls – 11 July 2003
A community owned regional telecommunications company
has added a new dimension to the debate about services in regional
Australia and the proposed sale of Telstra by demolishing traditional
long distance call pricing and introducing a plan for businesses
that gives the first five minutes free for calls to anywhere in
Australia at anytime
The community owned and Commonwealth Government
funded Southern Phone Company has launched the plan that has a standard
33 cent connection fee, gives the first five minutes of call time
for free and then moves to a very low 14 cents a minute – all with
no plan fees, no contracts or hidden charges.
It all means that businesses can now call anywhere
in Australia, anytime and talk for five minutes for not much more
than the price a local call.
The innovative plan is the latest in a series of
moves the community owned company has made to drive down the cost
of telecommunications and then return the profits that are made
straight back to the community.
Southern Phone Chairman Bill Hilzinger said the
company has been funded by the Commonwealth as part of the Government’s
response to the concerns of the regional community about the sale
of Telstra and questions raised about competition in the bush.
“We’ve been set up to lower the cost of living
for country people, introduce real competition to the regional telecommunications
market and keep the profits in the local areas where they are generated,”
he said.
“Our new business plan has thrown out the comfortable
pricing models that have kept the big city based companies fat for
so long.
“It means that for not much more than a local call
you’ll be able to do business anywhere in Australia, whether it
is in Sydney, Hobart, Cairns or Broome and that has to be good for
regional economic development.
“The five minutes for free offer is available to
all businesses no matter where they are in Australia - in the country
or the city.”
Southern Phone has been funded by the Commonwealth
Government’s Networking the Nation Program and one of the major
benefits has been the introduction of competition in regional centres.
“We’re here to help create jobs by lowering the
cost of doing business and also make it easier for residential long
distance callers to keep in touch with family and friends with cheaper
call prices,” said Mr Hilzinger.
“We are also building a broadband network in the
south east of NSW that will have a significant impact on health
and education services on the region that will be launched by Communications
Minister Richard Alston on Monday 21 July.”
The profits made by Southern Phone will be returned
to the community through the 38 local councils that hold shares
on behalf of their communities.
[ back to top ]
Broadband Network to Deliver
Improved Services for Regional Areas – 10 July 2003
Health, education and community services in regional
areas are set to benefit from the rollout of Southern Phone’s broadband
network.
The network, which has been funded by the Commonwealth
Government’s Networking the Nation Program, will be used to provide
affordable distance education, telemedicine, videoconferencing and
Internet access services for hospitals, schools and community groups
in regional areas.
The network will be officially launched in Moruya
on Monday 21 July by the Minister for Communications, Information
Technology and the Arts, Senator Richard Alston.
The first beneficiaries of the new services will
be the communities of Batemans Bay and Moruya where Southern Phone
has already established network access points. Additional access
points will be established in the next few months in other parts
of southeast NSW, including Queanbeyan and Bega. Southern Phone
also has a network access point established in Sydney.
Southern Phone Chairman Bill Hilzinger said the
new network will open exciting opportunities for the south east
of the state.
“Thanks to the support of the Commonwealth Government
this region will have access to some of the cheapest bandwidth in
regional Australia,” he said.
“That in turn will allow the economic and social
development of the region to accelerate given the increasing reliance
on business and service delivery agencies on affordable, abundant
bandwidth to allow them to take full advantage of the opportunities
presented by the information age.”
Connections have already been made to hospitals
in Moruya and Batemans Bay and the Department of Education has requested
connections to all the high schools and primary schools in both
towns.
Southern Phone’s broadband network is based on
digital microwave and fixed line connections.
About the new network
Southern Phone has been established with a grant
of $4,773,000 from the Commonwealth Government’s Networking the
Nation Program which was established with funds raised from the
sale of the first part of Telstra with the aim of improving regional
telecommunications.
To avoid duplication of existing infrastructure,
Southern Phone has formed a relationship with NTL Telecommunications,
who operate a trunk broadband backbone through the region. The grant
funds have been used to provide access to this backbone to regional
centres and introduce competition into the bandwidth market in those
towns.
Connections are in place in Moruya, Batemans Bay
and Sydney, with Queanbeyan to come on line before the end of July.
Other regional centres including Bega and Cooma will be connected
in coming months.
Marconi Australia has been engaged as Southern
Phone’s primary equipment supplier and they also provides network
management and monitoring services through their Network Operations
Centre.
In keeping with Southern Phone’s goal of promoting
regional economic development, Nowra-based organisations Shoalcom
and Sight & Sound Installations installed the network equipment
in the first phase of the rollout.
Southern Phone also provides very low cost long
distance phone services. The profits made by Southern Phone will
be returned to the community through the 38 local councils that
hold shares on behalf of their communities.
[ back to top ]
Southern Phone Nominated
As Best Regional Telco – 3 June 2003
The new community owned Southern Phone Company
has been nominated as the Best Regional Telco in the 4th Annual
Australian Telecom Awards.
The awards will be announced in Sydney this September
at a function organised by Australian Telecom Magazine.
Southern Phone Chairman Bill Hilzinger said the
nomination was recognition of the impact community owned Southern
Phone has made on the regional telecommunications landscape.
“We have been able to deliver the lowest advertised
rates for business in Australia and the lowest freely available
residential rates in regional areas,” he said.
“Our community owned company has been funded by
the Commonwealth Government’s Networking the Nation Program and
one of the major benefits has been the introduction of competition
in regional centres.
“We are also building a broadband network in the
south east of NSW that will have a significant impact on health
and education services on the region.”
The company has generated 22 new jobs in Moruya
on the state’s South Coast and has signed up over 1,600 members
in the last few months.
The profits made by Southern Phone will be returned
to the community through the 38 local councils that hold shares
on behalf of their communities.
[ back to top ]
Southern Phone To Support
Narooma Community Health Centre - 2 June 2003
The fantastic work the Narooma Community Health
Centre Auxiliary has been doing to improve the equipment in the
newly-opened centre is to continue with the support of Southern
Phone Company and the Narooma Golf Club.
Community based and community owned Southern Phone
has made an offer to all residents and businesses in the Narooma
area that will allow them to save on phone calls and support the
Health Centre Auxiliary at the same time.
The Golf Club is letting people know about the
proposal through its community newsletter 3 Putt.
The offer from Southern Phone is to give 5% of
the full year’s bill for long distance calls of everyone who joins
Southern Phone and says they would like to support the Community
Health Centre to the Auxiliary.
Auxiliary President Sandra Creighton said, “This
is a great assistance to the charities in their local communities.”
“We are thrilled that we have been selected to
be a part of this. It’s great to see something put toward much needed
equipment for the community centre.”
The offer is open to residential and business customers,
so the more people who sign up, the greater the contribution.
The work the Auxiliary has already undertaken has
proved invaluable, and this ongoing contribution from Southern Phone
will help them to continue providing the Health Centre with up-to-date
equipment and technology.
Southern Phone is owned by local councils throughout
south east NSW and its primary goal is to give back to the community,
particularly through supporting local organisations.
The Narooma Community Health Centre Auxiliary is
just one of many community organisations Southern Phone will work
with to ensure the goal is achieved.
[ back to top ]
Moruya Basketball To Score
A Share Of Southern Phone Profits - 26 May 2003
Moruya Basketball Association will be helped on
their way to achieving a major goal of building a new stadium with
the support of Southern Phone.
The Association is the latest in a growing number
of community groups to receive support from the community based
and community owned Southern Phone.
When people sign up to Southern Phone, all they
need to do is tell the operator they would like to see a donation
made to Moruya Basketball and Southern Phone will donate 5% of that
person’s full year’s bill for long distance calls to the Association.
The offer means Moruya Basketball will receive
an ongoing contribution from Southern Phone rather than a one off
donation.
Junior Director of the Moruya Basketball Association
Donna Berry said the organisation was very enthusiastic to be working
with Southern Phone.
“We were very impressed with Southern Phone putting
money back into the community,” she said.
“We feel very lucky to be able to take advantage
of this for the benefit of Moruya Basketball and hopefully with
our members support we can gain a great deal from the offer.”
The Association have been lobbying to build a new
multi-sport stadium for some time now, which they hope will not
be used just for basketball but other sports such as indoor volleyball,
soccer, cricket and netball.
Southern Phone is owned by local councils throughout
south east NSW and it is their main goal to give back to the community,
sharing their profits with community organisations.
Groups that Southern Phone has worked with already
include the Illawarra Breast Cancer Support Group and the Narooma
Community Health Centre Auxiliary and are about to embark on campaigns
with a number of other organisations.
[ back to top ]
Southern Phone Gives Back
To Community - 23 April 2003
Today (Wednesday 23 April) will mark the beginning
of the community owned Southern Phone Company’s pledge to strengthen
and support the region by returning profits to the community.
The Illawarra Breast Cancer Support Group is the
first of many community groups Southern Phone will be working to
build the strength of the region. The group will be taking part
in a new television advertisement being filmed in Wollongong today,
that will be on air on the South Coast until Mother’s Day.
Southern Phone Company Chairman Bill Hilzinger
said the support would not be a one off sponsorship, but an ongoing
share of the company’s revenue.
“We will give 5 per cent of the full year’s bill
for long distance calls of everyone who becomes a member of Southern
Phone before Mothers Day to the Illawarra Breast Cancer Support
Group,” he said.
“All that people need to do is tell us when they
join Southern Phone that they would like to see that contribution
made and it will be given in their name.”
Mr Hilzinger said the support for community groups
will continue indefinitely, with many groups in the region to be
assisted from support groups and charities, to schools and sporting
teams.
“The big city based telephone companies make offers
that can be pretty confusing and sometimes they give rebates if
a customer brings all their services over, often at premium prices,”
he said.
“Southern Phone has focussed on economic development
in the region and we’re proud to have the lowest advertised long
distance rates for business and the lowest freely available residential
rate in regional areas.
“Now we are delivering on our objectives to strengthen
our community and saying to people, not only will you save money
yourself, but part of what you spend will go to a cause you care
about.”
Southern Phone is owned by 38 local councils and
has been funded by the Commonwealth Government’s Networking the
Nation Program to lower the cost of telecommunications. Dividends
declared by the company will be returned to the community through
the council shareholders.
[ back to top ]
Southern Phone Signs 1,000th
Customer – 15 April 2003
Just four months after opening for business the
community owned Southern Phone Company today (Tuesday 15 April)
celebrated the signing of its one thousandth customer.
The landmark customer is Leanne McLaren from the
south coast village of Milton, who discovered Southern Phone after
seeing “those cute ads on television.”
“They really show that it is community based”,
she said
This is welcome news for the company, as the advertisements
have played a major part in underlining its role as an organisation
whose primary purpose is to support and strengthen the local community.
The advertisements, which feature many local people
and landmarks have been shown along the coast for the last two and
a half weeks.
The company now also has the endorsement of 1,000
customers to spread the word even further, with Ms McLaren saying
“I’ve rung my mum to tell her about it so she will probably be ringing
in soon and my mother-in-law will be ringing in today. I’ll be telling
everyone I know.”
Southern Phone’s low rates apply to long distance,
international and fixed-to-mobile calls and the company has the
lowest advertised rates for business in Australia and the lowest
freely available residential rates in regional areas.
It is currently in the process of developing a
broadband network.
If the company’s first four months are anything
to go by, it will not be long before it proves itself in the telecommunications
world, which has shown that people are prepared to move away from
the big name brands to support a community initiative.
As Ms McLaren said, “It is worth doing your homework
because it only costs a local call and can save you a lot.”
[ back to top ]
Carrier Licence moves Southern
Phone to next stage of development – 6 March 2003
The Southern Phone Company has moved to the next
stage of development with the granting of a Carrier Licence by the
Australian Communications Authority.
The new community owned telecommunications company
is in the process of building a regional broadband data network
with the first two centres expected to be line by May.
The company also provides very low cost long distance
phone services with the aim of reducing the cost of living for country
people.
Batemans Bay and Moruya on the state’s south coast
have been chosen as the first links in what is expected to become
a major regional broadband network serving a number of centres in
the south east of the state.
Southern Phone Company Chairman Bill Hilzinger
said the gaining of the Carrier Licence means the company can now
roll out its network and offer low cost bandwidth that will be a
major stimulus to regional economic and social development.
Our community owned company has been funded by
the Commonwealth Government’s Networking the Nation Program to build
a broadband network in the south east.
One of the major benefits will be in the introduction
of competition in regional centres and the subsequent lowering of
bandwidth cost for all users.
At this stage of our development we will only be
able to provide broadband links to larger users and not residential
or smaller businesses. However, we hope that in future we will be
able to offer services to a wider range of users as the business
expands, he said.
The Southern Phone broadband network is being developed
using an existing network in the region owned by NTL Telecommunications
as a backbone. Southern Phone is using its grant funds to extend
the reach of that network into regional centres. This strategy means
there is no duplication of existing infrastructure and the grant
funds will benefit the maximum number of regional communities.
[ back to top ]
First phase of broadband
network rollout to commence – 4 February, 2003
The first two regional centres to be served by
the Southern Phone Company’s new community owned broadband data
network will be on line in April this year.
Batemans Bay and Moruya on the state’s south coast
have been chosen as the first links in what is expected to become
a major regional broadband network serving a number of centres in
the south east of the state.
Southern Phone Company Chairman Bill Hilzinger
said that along with the low cost long distance calls already offered
by the company the broadband network will stimulate regional economic
and social development.
“Our community owned company has been funded by
the Commonwealth Government’s Networking the Nation Program to build
a broadband network in the south east,” he said.
“One of the major benefits will be in the introduction
of competition in regional centres and the subsequent lowering of
bandwidth cost for all users.”
Mr Hilzinger said the first phase of the Southern
Phone network would provide broadband links to schools in Batemans
Bay and Moruya.
“It means these schools will have the opportunity
to open exciting new horizons in education, with videoconferencing,
high speed internet and a range of other applications that will
expand the options available to students.
“At this stage of our development we will only
be able to provide broadband links to larger users and not residential
or smaller businesses,” he said.
“However, we hope that in future we will be able
to offer services to a wider range of users as the business expands.”
The Southern Phone broadband network is being developed
using an existing network in the region owned by NTL Telecommunications
as a backbone. Southern Phone is using its grant funds to
extend the reach of that network into regional centres. This strategy
means there is no duplication of existing infrastructure and the
grant funds will benefit the maximum number of regional communities.
Anyone interested in finding out more about Southern
Phone can call 13 14 64 or visit http://www.southernphone.com.au/.
[ back to top ]
Southern Phone business rates
are lowest in Australia, says independent survey – 13 January 2003
An independent survey has found that Southern
Phone, the new regional community owned telecommunications company,
has the lowest peak hour long distance rates for business calls
and the cheapest freely available residential calls in Australia.
The survey is conducted by Phonechoice, an independent
monitoring firm with researchers who constantly watch the prices
offered by phone service providers.
The findings have been welcomed by Southern Phone
Company Chairman Bill Hilzinger, who said he was not surprised to
find Southern Phones rates were cheaper than other providers.
"Southern Phone was set up to reduce the cost
of living and doing business in regional Australia and return profits
to the community", he said. "As a community owned business we have
set out to deliver the lowest possible pricing and this survey shows
we have achieved our aim."
Phonechoice compares the advertised rates of
major providers. On comparing the cost of a 3 minute intercapital
long distance call it found a business would pay Southern Phone
just 48 cents for the call, while a Telstra BusinessLine Plus Standard
Option or AAPT Business Reach customer would pay 70 cents for the
same call.
While Southern Phone came in third lowest in
residential pricing, the two cheaper providers either did not serve
all regional areas or required stringent conditions to be met.
The comparisons can be seen at the website phonechoice.com.au.
[ back to top ]
Community owned Southern Phone
Company opens for business – 20 November 2002
Southern Phone Company, the new community owned
regional telecommunications company will open its doors for business
this Friday (22 November) with the placing of its first advertisements
in the local paper in the Far South Coast rural centre of Bega.
The company has been established by local councils
with Commonwealth Government funding to improve regional telecommunications.
The cost of long distance calls will fall to
just 12 cents a minute for calls over 50 kilometres and seven cents
a minute for calls up to 50 kilometres. The low rates apply at all
times, both day and night.
Southern Phone Company Chairman Bill Hilzinger
said that while low cost phone services are available from Friday
to every residence and business, no matter where they were in Australia,
the company would begin marketing in a measured way.
“As a new business it is important that we don’t
rush things, especially with the huge level of interest and community
involvement we have,” he said.
“We will build our marketing presence over coming
months and when all our systems are bedded down we’ll organise a
celebration and formal launch of the company, which is one of the
most significant regional development initiatives to happen in Australia
in recent years.”
The Southern Phone Company is based in Moruya,
a small town in the Eurobodalla Shire on the NSW South Coast.
It has been funded by the Commonwealth Government’s
Networking the Nation Program, and as well as providing low cost
long distance, international and fixed to mobile calls, will roll
out a broadband network to a number of regional centres over the
next three years.
Twenty-eight councils have taken or applied for
shares in the company, with the shareholding being a means of returning
profits generated by the company to the community.
Mr Hilzinger said the partnership between the
federal government and local councils shows how significant improvements
could be made to the regional community with vision and effort.
“The Eurobodalla Shire Council which has led
the development of Southern Phone should be especially commended,”
he said.
“And the support and interest now being shown
by councils from all around NSW shows the genuine need to provide
regional Australians with a competitive telecommunications market.”
People interested in finding out more about the
company’s services can call 13 14 64 or visit the website at http://www.southernphone.com.au/.
[ back to top ]
Southern Phone Company signs
broadband network contract – 11 October 2002
The new community-owned Southern Phone Company
signed a five-year contract with the major regional telecommunications
carrier ntl Telecommunications in Wollongong today (Friday 11 October).
The contract will allow the development of a
broadband network into regional centres in the south east of the
state.
Chairman of the Southern Phone Company Board,
Bill Hilzinger said the new broadband network will have a major
impact on economic and social development in the region.
“The community-owned Southern Phone network will
mean schools, hospitals and businesses in the region will be able
to offer greatly improved services at a lower cost,” he said.
“The relationship we have formed with ntl Telecommunications
means we will have the support of one of the largest regional networks
in Australia and we will avoid duplicating existing infrastructure.”
The contract will allow Southern Phone to use
the existing trunk backbone owned by ntl Telecommunications that
runs down the south coast and west to Canberra and the Riverina.
Spur links will be built by Southern Phone to
regional centres using a $4.8 million Commonwealth Government grant
that was delivered by the Networking the Nation program.
Construction of the first stage of the Southern
Phone network will commence before the end of the year.
The Southern Phone Company is owned by the local
councils of the south east of NSW and aims to reduce the cost of
many long distance calls by about half and will also develop a broadband
data network to serve regional centres.
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Southern Phone Company and
Eurobodalla Shire Council sign $4.8 million funding agreement –
25 September 2002
A milestone in the development of the Southern
Phone Company was reached today (Wednesday 25 Sept) with the signing
of an agreement in Moruya for the transfer of $4.8 million in Commonwealth
Government grant funds from the Eurobodalla Shire Council to the
company.
The community owned regional telecommunications
company has been funded by the Commonwealth Networking the Nation
program to reduce the cost of long distance phone calls and develop
a broadband data network in the south east of NSW.
Development of the project over the last five
years has been led by Eurobodalla Shire Council, which has now been
joined by 23 other councils in the region as shareholders in the
company, with all profits to be returned to the regional community
through their council.
Eurobodalla Shire Council secured the federal
grant funds for the project and they have now been passed to the
Southern Phone Company to implement the project objectives.
Eurobodalla Shire Mayor Pam Green said the council
has a real sense of achievement in getting the project to this stage.
"Southern Phone is one of the most significant
regional development initiatives undertaken in Australia in recent
years" she said.
"It has the potential to be a major stimulus
to economic and social development by reducing the high long distance
phone charges borne by country people and allowing the introduction
of improved education, health care and business opportunities through
more affordable broadband access."
Southern Phone Chairman Bill Hilzinger said the
work done by the Eurobodalla Shire Council, supported by Shoalhaven
City Council and other regional local governments, would have a
huge impact on the regional community.
"Southern Phone will be introducing a new level
of competition to the regional telecommunications market, cutting
the price of many long distance calls by about half" he said.
"There will be new jobs created in the region
and the first jobs will be in the company call centre being established
in the small coastal town of Moruya which has a very high unemployment
rate at present.
"Southern Phone is all about reducing the cost
of living in the country to both businesses and residential users
and we hope to see those saving go towards creating new employment
opportunities across the region."
Mr Hilzinger also presented Eurobodalla Shire
Council with the first share certificate for the new company. Councils
in the region have been offered two shares at $1 each that will
allow them to share in the profits of the company and return them
to the community through works and services for community benefit.
The company expects to begin offering services
before Christmas. Anyone interested in finding out more about Southern
Phone, or register to become a customer, can visit the new website
at http://www.southernphone.com.au/.
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Southern Phone Company
development moves ahead – 12 September 2002
The development of the new community-owned regional
telecommunications operator, the Southern Phone Company is moving
ahead with low cost long distance phone calls expected to be available
to the public before the end of the year.
Chairman of the Southern Phone Company Board,
Bill Hilzinger said constant progress was being made.
"Every day brings us a step closer to the goal
of reducing the cost of telecommunications in the region and this
week has seen the fitout of the company headquarters and call centre
in the small coastal town of Moruya get underway" he said.
"Today (Thursday 12 Sept) we launched our new
website at http://www.southernphone.com.au to give people in the community the opportunity to learn more about
the project and to allow them to register an interest in making
use of the low cost services we will offer"
Mr Hilzinger said one obstacle to confront the
company was gaining affordable insurance cover.
"Like community groups and small businesses around
Australia we have found the cost of insurance to be a real problem
and there have been some delays while we try to get reasonable quotes
from the market" he said.
"However we expect to have this issue resolved
shortly and will be able to put the foundations down to allow services
to commence."
The Southern Phone Company is targeting the high
cost of long distance calls faced by country people.
The company is owned by the local councils of
the south east of NSW and is funded by the Commonwealth Government's
Networking the Nation Program.
The company aims to reduce the cost of many long
distance calls by about half and will also develop a broadband data
network to serve regional centres.
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First meeting of the Southern
Phone Company Board – 8 August 2002
The first meeting of the Board of Directors that
will oversee the operations of the new community-owned regional
telecommunications operator, the Southern Phone Company, will be
held at the Queanbeyan Council Chambers this Monday (12 August).
The Board was appointed by the project Steering
Committee after extensive advertising in the region.
According to Sue Whelan, the Chair of the Steering
Committee and Queanbeyan City Deputy Mayor the new Board will bring
a wealth of knowledge and business experience.
“They will guide the company as it strives to
deliver community economic and social benefit through cheaper and
better telecommunications,” she said.
“The development of the new company is entering
an exciting stage with contracts being negotiated for the supply
of services and Tender responses being evaluated for the building
of a new regional broadband network.”
Cr Whelan said there has also been a very strong
response from regional councils in getting behind the venture that
promises to have a major impact on regional economic development.
“Already 15 councils have indicated they will
be taking shares in the company and that means their communities
will be able to share in profits from the venture,” she said.
Southern Phone is an unlisted public company,
with two $1 shares available to each local council in the region.
Profits distributed by the company will be returned to the shareholding
councils for community benefit.
The company expects to begin offering low cost
long distance, fixed to mobile and international calls in October
this year and to begin construction of the Broadband network by
December.
The headquarters of the company will be in the
region, in Moruya on the NSW south coast.
The Southern Phone Company Project is supported
by the Commonwealth through the Networking the Nation Program of
the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the
Arts.
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Board named for Southern Phone
Company – 26 July 2002
The Board of Directors that will oversee the
operations of the new community-owned regional telecommunications
operator, the Southern Phone Company has been named.
According to Sue Whelan, Queanbeyan City Deputy
Mayor and Chair of the Steering Committee that has overseen the
first stage of the company’s development, the new Board will bring
a wealth of knowledge and business experience.
“They will guide the company as it strives to
deliver community economic and social benefit through cheaper and
better telecommunications,” she said.
“All Directors have strong ties to the region
and strongly support the concept of providing services for community
benefit rather than maximising profit.
“Their experience ranges from large agribusiness
to the energy industry, running the nations biggest media organisation,
local government and the IT industry.”
The Directors of Southern Phone are:
Darral Ashton, Chairman of the Batlow Fruit Co-operative
and Vice Chairman of the Australian Apple and Pear Growers Association.
Bill Hilzinger, previously Chairman of Integral
Energy and the Superannuation Services corporation.
Brian Johns, previously Managing Director, ABC,
CEO of SBS and Publishing Director of Penguin Books
Greg Malavey, Chairman of the federal government’s
South East Area Consultative Committee, publisher and regional businessman
Rod Oxley, General Manager, Wollongong City Council.
Andrew Riley, Director of APIR Systems Pty Ltd,
previously has held executive positions in various IT companies
over the last 20 years.
The Company’s Interim CEO, Phil Herrick is the
seventh member of the Board.
Southern Phone is an unlisted public company,
with two $1 shares only available to each local council in the region.
Profits distributed by the company will be returned to the shareholding
councils for community benefit.
The company expects to begin offering low cost
long distance, fixed to mobile and international calls in October
this year.
The headquarters of the company will be in the
regional town of Moruya on the NSW south coast.
The Southern Phone Company Project is supported
by the Commonwealth through the Networking the Nation Program of
the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the
Arts.
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Board members wanted for Southern
Phone Company – 3 June 2002
Following the announcement last week that a new
community owned telecommunications company is to be formed to serve
south east NSW, an invitation has been issued to people with business
experience in the region interested in serving on the Company Board.
The Southern Phone Company has been funded by
the federal government’s Networking the Nation program to establish
low cost telephone and data services in the region.
Sue Whelan, chair of the steering committee overseeing
the project and also chair of the region’s economic development
council says a seven person board will be formed to oversee company
operations.
“While the community will own the company through
their local councils, we need the skills of people with a range
of business experience to make sure the company operates effectively,”
she said.
“We’re looking for people with a strong commitment
to the economic and social development of the region”.
The Southern Phone Company will operate in accordance
with the Corporations Act 2001 as a company limited by shares. Only
local councils will hold shares with profits returned to the community
through their council.
More information is about the company structure
and board membership at www.esc.nsw.gov.au/southernphone.
An information pack is also available from the Australian Capital
Region Development Council on 6205 0575.
Applications for board membership must be submitted
by Friday 28 June.
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Go ahead for rollout of regional
telco for south east NSW – 27 May 2002
The green light has been given for the rollout
of one of the most significant regional economic and social development
projects to occur in south east NSW with the formation of a regional
telecommunications company that will dramatically reduce costs.
The community owned Southern Phone Company will
cut the long distance call costs now charged in the region by up
to 50%. It will also slash the price of broadband data services
in many centres across the region.
The project has been funded by the federal government’s
Networking the Nation program and ownership of the company will
be offered to local councils in the region on behalf of their communities
with profits delivered back for reinvestment in community services.
The development is the culmination of four years
effort by the south coast’s Eurobodalla Shire Council, Shoalhaven
City Council and other regional players determined to create a more
competitive and attractive business environment in regional NSW.
According to the head of the Steering Committee
that is overseeing the project, Australian Capital Region Development
Council Chair Sue Whelan, the Southern Phone Company will have an
immediate and significant impact on the region.
“The high cost of telecommunications services
ranks as one of the major obstacles to regional economic development,”
she said.
“If we can reduce those costs then businesses
in the region can use the money they save to employ more people
or invest in new equipment.
“Residents will also save money and that can
be used to buy other much-needed goods and services, which will
help the household dollar go further and also increase the amount
spent in the local economy.”
Southern Phone Project Manager Phil Herrick from
Eurobodalla Shire Council said services would be delivered by using
the facilities and resources of Australia’s largest telecommunications
companies.
“Once a member of the community joins Southern
Phone for their long distance, international and fixed to mobile
services, their calls will be made in exactly the same way as they
make them with their current provider,” he said.
“The sole difference will be in their bill, which
could be as low as half of the bill they get now for those same
services.”
Mr Herrick said education and health services
in a number of regional centres could be dramatically improved thanks
to the Southern Phone Broadband Network.
“The price of broadband links will be slashed
with the introduction of competition to these centres and that means
the limited budgets of schools and health providers could go much
further in providing multimedia, online education and videoconferencing
services.
Southern Phone Company expects to be able to
commence the delivery of services in the region before the end of
this year.
South East NSW Councils who have endorsed the
Southern Phone Project
Resolutions of endorsement of and/or commitment
to the Southern Phone Project process have been received from:
- Tallaganda Shire Council
- Yarrowlumla Shire Council
- Young Shire Council
- Snowy River Shire Council
- Wollongong City Council
- Yass Shire Council
- Boorowa Council
- Crookwell Shire Council
- Gunning Shire Council
- The Council of the Municipality of Kiama
- Queanbeyan City Council
- Camden Council
- Cooma-Monaro Shire Council
- Goulburn City Council
- Harden Shire Council
- Mulwaree Shire Council
- Bombala Council
- Shellharbour City Council
- Shoalhaven City Council
- Eurobodalla Shire Council
- Tumut Shire Council
- Bega Valley Shire Council
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