Community owned Southern Phone Company has pledged to strengthen and support the region by returning profits to the community. Southern Phone is owned by 38 New South Wales 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 are returned to the community through the Council shareholders.
The Illawarra Breast Cancer Support Group is the first of many community groups Southern Phone will work with in the region. The group has been involved through a new television advertisement filmed in Wollongong, and aired recently on the New South Wales South Coast.
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 five 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,” Bill Hilzinger 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.”
He said the support for community groups would 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 focused 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.”
For further information contact Phil Herrick, General Manager Southern Phone, on (02) 4474 7100 or visit www.southernphone.com.au
