Outraged Telstra customers have publicly trashed the telco on social media after reports it caved in to pressure from the Catholic Church to withdraw support for marriage equality, despite the telco saying its position on the issue had not changed.

On Wednesday The Australian revealed the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney had written to Telstra and other major Australian companies threatening to boycott them over their support for the Australian Marriage Equality campaign.

In order to regain the trust of employees, customers and the market, Telstra CEO Andy Penn needs to take full responsibility for the mishandling of the marriage equality issue. Credit:Louie Douvis

Dozens of prominent Australian companies including Telstra, Wesfarmers and the Big Four banks signed letters of support for the AME campaign in May last year.

Archdiocese of Sydney business manager Michael Digges is understood to have sent the letter to hundreds of companies including Telstra shortly afterwards, in June.