This telephone is a redesign of the Telstra 'Touchfone' which was found in almost every Australian home throughout the early 2000s. Production volumes rapidly exceeded 700 000 per year. The phone has a contemporary low profile and was designed to maximise ease of use for all sectors of the community, including hearing volume adjustment to assist people with a hearing impairment. A bracket can be used as a desk stand or a wall mount and makes the phones easier to install. The phone was designed to achieve a very high level of form and functionality while confirming to the demanding performance and cost constraints specified by Telstra.

This telephone was a typical example of fixed-line telephone technology in 2005. Fixed-line telephony is experiencing increased competition from other types of communications technology. Mobile telephony and internet telephone technology, wired and fixed-line broadband internet technologies are becoming increasingly available and affordable alternatives to fixed-line phones. This trend away from fixed-line phones towards the use of mobile phones and email has resulted in Telstra experiencing a fall in their fixed-line market which in 2005, represented 38% of the company's revenue.

For a number of years, Telstra has been the subject of community and political debate due to the Federal government proposal to privatise the company. The provision of fixed-line services are part of Telstra's universal service obligations, which are a fundamental part of the debate surrounding the privatisation of the company.

The telephone was designed by Adam Laws of Nielsen Design Associates. It was manufactured by Thomson Telecom Australia Pty Ltd. Thomson Telecom owns the rights to the design and manufacture of the telephone.

Two models of the rental phone were produced, the T1000S standard phone with ten memory presets for automated dialling and the T1000C with message waiting and caller number display features.

The telephone won an Australian Design Mark for 2004 and also received the Powerhouse Museum Selection in 2004.

Over 200 products were entered in the 2004 Australian Design Awards. The judging panel recommended 61 of these products receive an Australian Design Mark and 21 of these products for an Australian Design Award. The 21 products receiving the Australian Design Award were announced at a dinner and awards ceremony on 23rd April 2004 at Sydney Town Hall. At this ceremony the Powerhouse Museum Director announced the recipients of the fifteen Powerhouse Museum Selection awards for 2004.

This telephone was submitted to Standards Australia for the Australian Design Awards judging in 2004. It was then displayed in the 2004 Australian Design Awards exhibition at the Powerhouse Museum from July 2004 to June 2005. It has not been used.

Telephone, 'Telstra T1000C rental phone', plastic / metal, designed by Nielsen Design Associates, manufactured by Thomson Telecom Australia Pty Ltd, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 2003-2004

Grey telephone with blue push buttons and cord and LCD screen in upper right corner. Product information is stamped on the back.

Designed: Laws, Adam; Sydney, New South Wales

Designed: Nielsen Design Associates; Sydney, New South Wales

Made: Thomson Telecom Australia Pty Ltd; Sydney, New South Wales; 2003 - 2004

Manufacturer's motif stamped into handle '(Tagainst circle within square border)'

Product information stamped on the back '(A) ATLINKS / Aus. Reg. Dos. Nos / 146724-9 & 146952 / REN=1.0 / ATLINKS Australia Pty / Limited / Designed and manufactured / in Australia for Telstra / (Telecom motif) / (tick within triangle) / N10406'

2005/96/1

235 mm

174 mm

80 mm