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Kyndryl Australia vs Telstra Purple: Which MSP is Better? | The MSP Playbook

Article 2026-06-12

Kyndryl Australia vs Telstra Purple

A detailed comparison of two major Australian Managed Service Providers.

Feature Kyndryl Australia Telstra Purple
Overall Score2.83.5
TypeInfrastructure Spin-offTelco / Enterprise
Employees1000-20005000-10000
Founded20212017
HeadquartersSydney, NSW (Global HQ: New York, NY)Sydney, NSW
RevenuePrivatePrivate
Salary Range$75,000 - $140,000$80,000 - $170,000
SpecialtiesManaged Infrastructure, Cloud, Mainframe, Enterprise MigrationManaged Infrastructure, Cloud Services, Cybersecurity, Consulting
CertificationsMicrosoft Partner, AWS Partner, SAP PartnerMicrosoft Partner, AWS Partner, Cisco Partner, ServiceNow Partner
Green FlagsFresh start — not burdened by IBM's bureaucracy
Focus on infrastructure services
Some teams have genuine technical depth
Telstra brand provides stability and scale
ASX-listed benefits structure
Strong telecommunications backbone
Good vendor partnerships
Red FlagsSpun off from IBM — still finding its identity
Inherited IBM's legacy contracts and problems
Below-market salaries
High offshore ratio
Uncertain strategic direction
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 ProsFresh start — can build culture from scratch
Infrastructure focus is clear
Some technical teams are excellent
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 ConsInherited IBM's problems
Below-market salaries
Uncertain strategic direction
High offshore ratio
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 Infrastructure Spin-off 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.