ations ▁service ▁provider , ▁Ax ic orp . ▁Prim us ▁Tele com ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁carri ers ▁to ▁be ▁granted ▁a ▁tele communic ations ▁lic ence ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7 . ▁Prior ▁to ▁this ▁Australia ' s ▁tele communic ations ▁industry ▁was ▁operated ▁as ▁a ▁du opol y ▁between ▁the ▁former ▁Australian ▁Government ▁owned ▁Tele com ▁Australia , ▁later ▁re - brand ed ▁Tel stra ▁and ▁Opt us , ▁before ▁the ▁market ▁was ▁opened ▁to ▁full ▁competition ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 9 9 7 . ▁▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁saw ▁Prim us ▁expand ▁their ▁operations ▁further ▁in ▁Australia ▁with ▁the ▁ac quisition ▁of ▁Eclipse ▁Tele communic ations ▁P ty . ▁Ltd . ▁and ▁Hot key ▁Internet ▁Services ▁P ty ▁Limited . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁Prim us ' ▁parent ▁company ▁Prim us ▁Tele communic ations ▁Inc . ▁purchased ▁the ▁ret ail ▁operations ▁of ▁Tele group ▁Inc ., ▁a ▁long - distance ▁tele phone ▁company ▁based ▁in ▁Fair field , ▁Iowa ▁who ▁was ▁in ▁Chapter ▁ 1 1 ▁bank rupt cy . ▁This ▁ac quisition ▁included ▁the ▁Australian ▁subs idi ary ▁of ▁Tele group ▁which ▁allowed ▁Prim us ▁to ▁improve ▁their ▁capabilities ▁in ▁the ▁Australian ▁market . ▁▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁was ▁also ▁the ▁year ▁Prim us ▁Australia ' s ▁U . S ▁parent ▁company ▁launched ▁the ▁i Prim us ▁brand ▁to ▁spe ar head ▁the ▁organis ations ▁strategy ▁of ▁ag gress ively ▁gain ing ▁ret ail ▁market ▁share ▁by ▁offering ▁' one - stop