Australian Phone Customers know all too well the changes CEO Sol Trujillo has had on the telecommunications industry over his four years in the top job of Telstra. Employing his “take no prisoners style” from his aggressive US corporate culture, Uncle Sol is leaving the fixed network in tatters.

Competitors look set to be baying for Telstra’s blood, a Company now standing a good chance of being broken up. Highlights for Sol include brawls with unions, hundreds of jobs slashed, “savage” cost-cutting and “colourful language” with Government. We cannot forget a few issues with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), not to mention a debacle over the National Broadband Network. So with that, trying to differentiate the good from the bad just doesn’t seem available.

On the bright side, as a wireless wonk, Trujillo has overseen the building one of the world’s largest and fastest wireless networks (although it is VERY expensive) and despite the carnage all around in financial markets, the share price has held up pretty well, (this deemed a result of cuts across the board). Replacements are lining up for the big chair at Telstra with Sol heading off soon. I like to think it’s a good thing (at least for the moment) that I switched to an alternative Carrier.

[via The Age]