The $2.4 billion rural telecommunications fund, established to provide perpetual upgrades for phone and broadband services, was abolished by the Federal Government and rolled into a much bigger infrastructure fund.

But Telstra says the game goes on, and it is business as usual for it with two other government communications programs ensuring major rural network work continues.

In December, the government announced Telstra failed to meet all the tender requirements for its proposal to build the multi-billion network, leaving five companies in the race to deliver a high-speed fibre broadband system to 98 per cent of the population and high-quality broadband in more remote areas.