President of British Telecommunications plc's Asia-Pacific region, Allen Ma knows well the problems plaguing Telstra as it treads the privatization path, because his company has already been there, more than a decade ago.

The difference, Ma says, is that BT recognized the opportunities available through a commitment to open up access to its network.

This commitment was underscored by efforts such as the January establishment of independent body OpenReach, which offers competitors access to the one-time monopoly network on favorable terms.

"Infrastructure is a basic system for the country, and you don't want to replicate it so you have wastage," Ma said.

"Of course we want to make sure BT Retail is successful, but [ultimately] the more retailers using your infrastructure, the better the return on investment for your shareholders," he said.