Exetel's chief executive, John Linton, passed away on Wednesday night after suffering a stroke.
Linton's son, James Linton, broke the news to the community with a post on his father's blog. He wrote: "This is the saddest day of my life, I have lost my dad, my mentor, my boss, and one of my best friends.
"However, Dad would not want us fussing over him, he would want to know what we have sold, which was actually one of the last things I said to him.
"He would also want Exetel to go on as he had planned for it to. He put in a place a strategic plan, so we need to move on as he had wanted us to, and remember him for the great man he was."
John Linton was known as a passionate and sometimes controversial figure in the Australian telecommunications industry, with his fervent opposition of the National Broadband Network and various Internet filtering bills and his love of birds. His family have asked the money for any gifts or flowers should instead be donated to Linton's favourite charity, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. His input and expertise will be missed.
At the Compare Broadband office, we would like to pass along our sympathies and respect for the Linton and Exetel family.
Exetel is a well-respected and community favourite provider whom we get a lot of great feedback about. Exetel plans are affordable and catered to the sense of individual needs within the larger Australian society. John Linton was characteristic of the familiar vision of the small Australian businessman, grown big but still in touch with the community.
We wish them all the best in the future and in this hard time of loss.