When Dodo launched in September 2001, getting online was still new territory for many Australian households. Internet plans were technical, broadband was still emerging, and a lot of Australians were still working out what being connected at home really meant. Dodo cut through with a memorable name, a different kind of personality and a focus on practical value.
Twenty-five years later, connection sits at the centre of everyday life. It powers work, study, streaming, banking, bills, apps and the small daily moments that keep people connected. Dodo’s story sits inside that bigger shift: a brand that started with internet, grew with its customers and continued to evolve as Australian households became more connected.
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As the industry shifted from dial-up to ADSL, faster broadband, mobile data, smartphones, streaming and the NBN, Dodo expanded too. What began as internet grew into mobile broadband, VoIP, home phone, mobile, electricity and gas, making Dodo part of more of the everyday services that keep households running.
That evolution reflected how customer expectations were changing. Internet was no longer something people used occasionally. It became essential to how Australians worked, learned, managed their homes and stayed in touch.
Some customers have been part of Dodo’s journey for almost as long as the brand itself, from dial-up to broadband, desktop computers to smartphones, and call centres to apps. That loyalty gives the 25-year milestone real meaning.
By 2013, when M2 announced its acquisition of Dodo, the business had evolved to include a growing energy customer base. It marked an important moment in our story: a challenger internet provider had become a recognised multi-service business supporting hundreds of thousands of Australian customers. In 2016, Dodo became part of Vocus, adding another chapter to its journey in Australia’s changing telco landscape.
Dodo’s 25-year story has been shaped by many people across the business, including some of our longest-serving team members. Together, Ross Cataldo, Michael Brien and Fotios Egglezos bring close to 90 years of experience, and a rare first-hand view of how the brand has grown, changed and stayed connected to its customers. Fotios remembers Dodo as “a busy, fast paced call centre… a true 24/7 operation”, a reminder of the energy and manual work that defined the brand’s early years. For Michael, that time has also run alongside major life milestones, from buying a home to raising a family, showing how closely a long workplace career can become part of someone’s life story.
Today, that same thread continues through work like Plan Right Sizing, The Real Deal, the My Dodo app and more personalised support. Each one connects back to where the brand began, while reflecting where the industry is heading: more digital, more personalised and more focused on giving customers control.
The bird was memorable from the beginning. But 25 years on, Dodo’s story is bigger than a name or mascot. It is a story of starting with internet, growing with Australian households, and still finding ways to be useful in the moments that matter day to day.
Happy 25th birthday, Dodo.
