Southern Phone Broadband Plans

Southern Phone’s legacy dates back to 2002 when a multi-million dollar grant provided the funds needed for a dedicated telecommunications company to start work connecting people in regional Australia. The trials were many – the price of telco services in these areas was a source of concern and the lack of competition meant some areas of service delivery weren’t always up to scratch.

When the local councils involved founded Southern Phone, the idea was to introduce an agile, caring company that would challenge the established providers in many smaller centres by delivering lower prices and improvements in service standards. To keep their customers’ interests at heart – their own internal constitution – only local Australian councils could become shareholders in the company, meaning that there would be no external pressures that could turn their attention from services to profit.

A call service centre was founded in Moruya, NSW, with the intention of keeping all customer services local. Each customer representative was given one mission – be responsible for helping the customer. If you call this service centre, the person who answers your call is the person who answers your questions and fixes your problems. No getting transferred overseas, no waiting for the supervisor to say it’s okay. Just one person treating you like a human being.

From these humble beginnings, Southern Phone started connecting the country. Today they provide broadband services across the nation – from Cape York to Zeehan and from Bega to Broome. Over time, it became apparent that there was a gap in the market for these services. Many Australian broadband customers were fed up with being treated like items on an assembly line, and the high value of service provided was a breath of fresh air. Because of this high level of customer service, Southern Phone was able to enter the wider market and compete with the big telcos on their own grounds – the metropolitan areas.

Another key feature in Southern Phone’s arsenal is the wide range of services they provide. While they may have started out providing quality fixed-line telephone services to customers in regional communities, the company now offers the full suite of telco services. These include phone lines, ADSL and NBN connections, mobile phones and even satellite internet – all at rates that make getting connected not just desirable, but affordable as well.

This is because Southern Phone only pursues profits as much as is required for the company to sustain a high level of service while expanding its services and returning value to its shareholding councils. Otherwise, they keep their prices as low as possible to ensure maximum benefits to their customers and the communities in which they live.

If that wasn’t enough, Southern Phone has a long history of giving back to local communities. All profits raised by the company are split and shared between the local councils that make up its only shareholders. This is on top of the grants and scholarships Southern Phone regularly gives out to local and regional community organisations. To date, the company has delivered a combined total in excess of $15.8 million – all of it going back to benefit Australian communities.

Complete telco products, excellent customers service and a generous spirit? What other telco does that?