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Somerville Group vs Telstra Purple: Which MSP is Better? | The MSP Playbook

Article 2026-06-11

Somerville Group vs Telstra Purple

A detailed comparison of two major Australian Managed Service Providers.

Feature Somerville Group Telstra Purple
Overall Score3.43.5
TypeEducation & EnterpriseTelco / Enterprise
Employees200-4005000-10000
Founded19832017
HeadquartersMelbourne, VICSydney, NSW
RevenuePrivatePrivate
Salary Range$70,000 - $145,000$80,000 - $170,000
SpecialtiesEducation IT, Managed Services, Cloud, Apple SolutionsManaged Infrastructure, Cloud Services, Cybersecurity, Consulting
CertificationsMicrosoft Partner, Apple Partner, Cisco Partner, VMware PartnerMicrosoft Partner, AWS Partner, Cisco Partner, ServiceNow Partner
Green FlagsGood work-life balance
Stable employment
Government focus
Telstra brand provides stability and scale
ASX-listed benefits structure
Strong telecommunications backbone
Good vendor partnerships
Red FlagsBelow-market salaries
Can be bureaucratic
Limited career progression
550 roles cut in July 2025 — largest restructure in years
Telco culture dominates — IT services are secondary
Contractor dependency creates inconsistency
Bureaucratic decision-making slows everything down
Legacy telco culture persists in some divisions
Worker ProsWork-life balance
Stable
Government work
Telstra compensation structure is genuinely good
ASX-listed stability — won't be sold or acquired
Access to Telstra's network and enterprise relationships
Brand recognition opens doors
Worker ConsBelow-market pay
Bureaucratic
Limited progression
550 roles cut in 2025 — even Telstra isn't immune
IT services are secondary to the telco business
Bureaucratic culture slows innovation
Contractor dependency creates quality inconsistency
Career progression limited unless you're in the telco side

Which MSP Should You Choose?

Both Education & Enterprise and Telco / Enterprise have strengths and weaknesses. Your choice depends on your priorities — whether that's career growth, salary, work-life balance, or technical exposure.

Use the side-by-side comparison tool for a deeper look, or check out individual profiles for detailed employee reviews.