In 1995, Australians went to the polls, not to elect a new government, but to choose which phone company they wanted to use. The candidates in a national ballot were Telecom Australia (or Telstra as it is now known) and the upstart challenger Optus, formed three years earlier.
Millions of dollars were spent by both companies in a marketing blitz, and between 15 per cent and 20 per cent of the country ultimately voted to have their landlines moved to Optus.
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Paul Smith edits the technology coverage and has been a leading writer on the sector for 20 years. He covers big tech, business use of tech, the fast-growing Australian tech industry and start-ups, telecommunications and national innovation policy. Connect with Paul on Twitter. Email Paul at psmith@afr.com
