British Telecommunications PLC's recent agreement on capital participation in Japan Telecom Co. is part of its strategy to form a "family of alliances" that will help it become the most successful carrier in the global market, BT chief executive Sir Peter Bonfield said Wednesday in Tokyo.

"Working with partners is a key to our success," Bonfield told a news conference. "BT does not seek to dominate or control. We have taken minority stakes in most of our alliances.

"We adopt a proactive approach of working with and supporting local partners, including in the technology, marketing and sales and regulatory areas."

BT will complete transactions to obtain a 30 percent stake in Japan Telecom with AT&T Corp. of the United States at the end of this month. The capital tieup will help strengthen the Japanese carrier so it is more competitive in the local market, Bonfield said.

While noting that both the cellular market and the Internet are huge growth areas, Bonfield said that BT will become a partner in a next-generation mobile consortium led by Japan Telecom and link its Internet Protocol network to Japan Telecom's IP network.

Bonfield also spoke on several other topics:

1) He noted that interconnection charges are higher in Japan than in Britain, though he added that he does not consider the high charges a significant trade barrier to the Japanese market.

2) He said that while BT plans to launch a global venture with AT&T to provide service to multinationals and wholesale services to carriers later this year, it also will form partnerships with European and Asian carriers.

3) He stressed that the British carrier, which invested about $3 billion in Asia last year, has a long-term commitment to the region, and that relationships with its partners are designed to be long-term.

4) Concerning the Chinese market, Bonfield said China's entry into the World Trade Organization would open up its vast telecom service market to foreign carriers.