Feb 14 (Reuters) - Australia's largest telecoms company Telstra Corp Ltd TLS.AX reported a 28 percent fall in half-year profit on Thursday, as a new government-owned network gnawed away at its high-margin wholesale business.
Net profit fell to A$1.23 billion ($871.70 million) for the six months to Dec. 31, from A$1.71 billion a year earlier.
It announced an interim dividend of 8 Australian cents per share, compared with 11 cents a year earlier.
($1 = 1.4110 Australian dollars)