Telstra Becomes Newest FOSI Member

November 22, 2012

WASHINGTON, DC - Continuing to extend its international footprint, The Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI) today announced that Telstra Corporation has joined as a member. Telstra, headquartered in Melbourne, is Australia's largest telecommunications company.

Telstra has a long history in Australia, originating as a government department together with the Australia Post. Recently, Telstra became fully privatized to focus on product development and serving their Australian client base to the fullest. Telstra has become the largest provider of mobile phones and devices, home phone service and broadband in Australia. Additionally, the company is often recognized for its social media work; Telstra launched a twenty four- hour online customer service forum, as well as Blurtl, a Facebook app that enables users to leave audio messages on each other's walls.


"We are looking forward to working with Telstra," said Stephen Balkam, CEO of FOSI. "Telstra and FOSI share a similar mindset and believe that technology is a crucial part for development, especially with the younger generation. By teaming up with Telstra, we are able to extend our message to a larger base and make the benefits of digital citizenship better known on an international scale."

"Telstra is committed to ensuring all Australians enjoy the everyday benefits of being connected to modern communication technologies, and a key part of this is ensuring all our customers are equipped with the confidence, knowledge and skills to have a safe and positive experience in the digital world," said Jill Riseley, General Manager of Digital Inclusion at Telstra. "For more than 100 years Telstra has been connecting people and, today, fast internet connectivity and mobile devices are changing the way we communicate, transact and organise our lives. Becoming a member of FOSI allows us to continue to make safety and privacy a top priority not only for families in Australia, but internationally as well."

About FOSI

The Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI) works to make the online world safer for kids and their families by identifying and promoting best practices, tools and methods that also respect free speech. FOSI is a trusted, international convener, bringing together leaders in government, industry and the nonprofit sectors to collaborate and innovate new solutions in child safety in a Web 2.0 world. FOSI's members include: AOL, AT&T, BAE Systems Detica, BT Retail, Comcast, Disney, Entertainment Software Association, Facebook, France Telecom, Google, GSM Association, Microsoft, Mind Candy, Motion Picture Association of America, NCTA, Nominum, Optenet, Sprint, Symantec, Time Warner Cable, Telefónica, Telstra, The Cyber Guardian, The Wireless Foundation, Verizon and Yahoo!.

About Telstra

Telstra is a company of connection. Every day we help millions of Australians connect to the people and things that matter most to them - anywhere, anytime - because we believe the more connected people are the more opportunities they have.
That's why we build technology and content solutions that are simple and easy to use - including Australia's largest fully integrated IP network and Australia's largest and fastest wireless broadband network.

That's why we strive to serve and know our customers better than anyone else - offering a choice of not just digital connection, but digital content as well.

That's also why we have an international presence spanning 15 countries. In the 21st century, opportunity belongs to connected governments, connected businesses, connected communities and connected individuals.

As Australia's leading telecommunications and information services company, Telstra is proud to be helping our customers improve the ways in which they live and work through connection.