PCCW Business eSolutions, City University and Sun Microsystems Initiate Research on Collaborative Technologies

Efforts Backed by Government's Innovation and Technology Fund

Hong Kong September 27, 2001 - PCCW Business eSolutions and City University of Hong Kong have initiated research and development into new Web-based 3D collaborative technologies in conjunction with the government-backed Innovation and Technology Fund (ITF).

Under a grant from the ITF's University-Industry Collaboration Program, PCCW Business eSolutions and the ITF have provided HK$2.0 million and HK$1.9 million respectively to City University to develop new 3D collaborative technologies in the next two years. Sun Microsystems will provide server-class hardware, valued at HK$1.2 million, as the platform for implementation of this and future projects.

Collaborative technologies are currently constrained by slow transmission of large amounts of 3D data containing complex or changing objects. In response to this, PCCW Business eSolutions and City University are researching a high-performance, Web-based 3D collaborative engine that will cut the transmission times of complex or changing objects, enabling collaboration on designs by participants in remote locations.

Important to the development of collaborative e-commerce in Asia, the research results will be of wide industrial importance. For example, textile designers and overseas contract manufacturers could work together online at speeds several times those currently used to refine computer-drawn designs. As the design changes, the new technologies could render in real-time the textile's 3D shape, keeping online participants instantly apprised in the collaborative environment.

"R&D certainly is a vital element in PCCW Business eSolutions' efforts to facilitate e-commerce development and to become the preferred provider for enterprise digital transformation in Asia," said Dr. Thomas Siu, president of PCCW Business eSolutions.

"Thanks to our cooperation with City University and Sun Microsystems in building this innovative 3D collaborative engine, we can further extend our portfolio of Web-based software and e-commerce applications for various industries," he said.

Professor Roderick Wong, City University's dean of Faculty of Science and Engineering, said: One of City University's research emphasis is in applied R&D, and our faculty by its nature is the major contributor to this part of the University's research effort. For applied R&D to work well, we especially encourage collaboration with industry, such as in this current project with PCCW and Sun Microsystems."

The project also includes both a multi-resolution modeling allowing users to view specific portions of a 3D object and a "walkthrough" technique that transmits selected data along the user’s critical path in a 3D collaborative environment. The techniques streamline collaborative processes by enabling a user to avoid downloading an entire 3D data file, saving transmission time.

When fully developed, the new 3D collaborative engine could help build complex Web-based applications used in engineering designs, surgery, multi-user computer gaming, remote sensing and visualization, training and long-distance education.

In supporting Hong Kong's IT development, Danny Tam, general manager of Sun Microsystems Hong Kong, said: "Sun started in the academic community and has always fostered a close relationship with academia. Our JavaTM Technology provides the ideal path to using the latest Web-service capabilities. We are pleased to contribute to this innovative research.

"We see tremendous opportunity in the wireless spectrum for this effort, together with PCCW and City University. Sun will continue to play a part in defining and creating a future for computers and information," he said.

Under the ITF terms, PCCW Business eSolutions will own the intellectual property of the 3D collaborative engine’s research results, which will form the platform for the Company to develop ongoing collaborative-commerce software products.

Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material/ event (or by members of the project team) do not reflect the views of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Innovation and Technology Commission or the vetting committees for the Innovation and Technology Fund.

About PCCW

Pacific Century CyberWorks Limited (SEHK: 0008, ADR-NYSE: PCW), the Hong Kong-listed flagship of the Pacific Century Group, is one of Asia's leading integrated communications companies. From its market-leading position in Hong Kong, PCCW is focused on building shareholder value by leveraging synergies between its core businesses and partners, and by delivering customer-led total solutions throughout Asia, particularly in greater China. PCCW provides key services in the areas of: integrated telecommunications; broadband solutions; mobility and connectivity; narrowband and interactive broadband (Internet Services); business e-solutions; data centers and related infrastructure.

About Business eSolutions

PCCW's Business eSolutions unit provides seamless end-to-end solutions that support enterprise customers across Asia. Its service scope includes business consulting, systems integration, web design, applications development, online security and payment platforms, broadband access, business Internet portals, online marketplaces, and logistics and fulfillment services.

Leveraging on PCCW’s network infrastructure and regional connectivity coverage, Business eSolutions provides next-generation network services by focusing on vertical industrial applications and value-added services that benefit from the networked economy. Business eSolutions is targeting selected high-growth industrial sectors in greater China, including finance, the public sector, multimedia communications and manufacturing.

About Sun Microsystems, Inc.

Since its inception in 1982, a singular vision – The Network Is The Computer TM -- has propelled Sun Microsystems, Inc. (Nasdaq: SUNW), to its position as a leading provider of industrial-strength hardware, software and services that power the Internet and allow companies worldwide to take their businesses to the nth. With $18.3 billion in annual revenues, Sun can be found in more than 170 countries and on the World Wide Web at http://sun.com.

About City University of Hong Kong

City University of Hong Kong (CityU) is one of seven Hong Kong universities funded by the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China. The institution was established in 1984 and has grown and developed at a remarkable pace.

CityU aspires to be internationally recognized as a leading University in the Asia-Pacific region. The mission of the University is to provide its students with quality higher education, to contribute to the advancement of knowledge; to interact with other institutions of higher education and professional bodies; to cooperate with industry, commerce and the community; and to offer access to the University's human, physical and technological resources for the benefit of society.

Anticipating and responding to local and regional needs and the effects of rapid social and technical change, CityU emphasizes professional education and practice, and applied research.

For more information, please contact:

Hong Kong September 27, 2001 - PCCW Business eSolutions and City University of Hong Kong have initiated research and development into new Web-based 3D collaborative technologies in conjunction with the government-backed Innovation and Technology Fund (ITF).

Under a grant from the ITF's University-Industry Collaboration Program, PCCW Business eSolutions and the ITF have provided HK$2.0 million and HK$1.9 million respectively to City University to develop new 3D collaborative technologies in the next two years. Sun Microsystems will provide server-class hardware, valued at HK$1.2 million, as the platform for implementation of this and future projects.

Collaborative technologies are currently constrained by slow transmission of large amounts of 3D data containing complex or changing objects. In response to this, PCCW Business eSolutions and City University are researching a high-performance, Web-based 3D collaborative engine that will cut the transmission times of complex or changing objects, enabling collaboration on designs by participants in remote locations.

Important to the development of collaborative e-commerce in Asia, the research results will be of wide industrial importance. For example, textile designers and overseas contract manufacturers could work together online at speeds several times those currently used to refine computer-drawn designs. As the design changes, the new technologies could render in real-time the textile's 3D shape, keeping online participants instantly apprised in the collaborative environment.

"R&D certainly is a vital element in PCCW Business eSolutions' efforts to facilitate e-commerce development and to become the preferred provider for enterprise digital transformation in Asia," said Dr. Thomas Siu, president of PCCW Business eSolutions.

"Thanks to our cooperation with City University and Sun Microsystems in building this innovative 3D collaborative engine, we can further extend our portfolio of Web-based software and e-commerce applications for various industries," he said.

Professor Roderick Wong, City University's dean of Faculty of Science and Engineering, said: One of City University's research emphasis is in applied R&D, and our faculty by its nature is the major contributor to this part of the University's research effort. For applied R&D to work well, we especially encourage collaboration with industry, such as in this current project with PCCW and Sun Microsystems."

The project also includes both a multi-resolution modeling allowing users to view specific portions of a 3D object and a "walkthrough" technique that transmits selected data along the user’s critical path in a 3D collaborative environment. The techniques streamline collaborative processes by enabling a user to avoid downloading an entire 3D data file, saving transmission time.

When fully developed, the new 3D collaborative engine could help build complex Web-based applications used in engineering designs, surgery, multi-user computer gaming, remote sensing and visualization, training and long-distance education.

In supporting Hong Kong's IT development, Danny Tam, general manager of Sun Microsystems Hong Kong, said: "Sun started in the academic community and has always fostered a close relationship with academia. Our JavaTM Technology provides the ideal path to using the latest Web-service capabilities. We are pleased to contribute to this innovative research.

"We see tremendous opportunity in the wireless spectrum for this effort, together with PCCW and City University. Sun will continue to play a part in defining and creating a future for computers and information," he said.

Under the ITF terms, PCCW Business eSolutions will own the intellectual property of the 3D collaborative engine’s research results, which will form the platform for the Company to develop ongoing collaborative-commerce software products.

Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material/ event (or by members of the project team) do not reflect the views of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Innovation and Technology Commission or the vetting committees for the Innovation and Technology Fund.

About PCCW

Pacific Century CyberWorks Limited (SEHK: 0008, ADR-NYSE: PCW), the Hong Kong-listed flagship of the Pacific Century Group, is one of Asia's leading integrated communications companies. From its market-leading position in Hong Kong, PCCW is focused on building shareholder value by leveraging synergies between its core businesses and partners, and by delivering customer-led total solutions throughout Asia, particularly in greater China. PCCW provides key services in the areas of: integrated telecommunications; broadband solutions; mobility and connectivity; narrowband and interactive broadband (Internet Services); business e-solutions; data centers and related infrastructure.

About Business eSolutions

PCCW's Business eSolutions unit provides seamless end-to-end solutions that support enterprise customers across Asia. Its service scope includes business consulting, systems integration, web design, applications development, online security and payment platforms, broadband access, business Internet portals, online marketplaces, and logistics and fulfillment services.

Leveraging on PCCW’s network infrastructure and regional connectivity coverage, Business eSolutions provides next-generation network services by focusing on vertical industrial applications and value-added services that benefit from the networked economy. Business eSolutions is targeting selected high-growth industrial sectors in greater China, including finance, the public sector, multimedia communications and manufacturing.

About Sun Microsystems, Inc.

Since its inception in 1982, a singular vision – The Network Is The Computer TM -- has propelled Sun Microsystems, Inc. (Nasdaq: SUNW), to its position as a leading provider of industrial-strength hardware, software and services that power the Internet and allow companies worldwide to take their businesses to the nth. With $18.3 billion in annual revenues, Sun can be found in more than 170 countries and on the World Wide Web at http://sun.com.

About City University of Hong Kong

City University of Hong Kong (CityU) is one of seven Hong Kong universities funded by the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China. The institution was established in 1984 and has grown and developed at a remarkable pace.

CityU aspires to be internationally recognized as a leading University in the Asia-Pacific region. The mission of the University is to provide its students with quality higher education, to contribute to the advancement of knowledge; to interact with other institutions of higher education and professional bodies; to cooperate with industry, commerce and the community; and to offer access to the University's human, physical and technological resources for the benefit of society.

Anticipating and responding to local and regional needs and the effects of rapid social and technical change, CityU emphasizes professional education and practice, and applied research.

For more information, please contact:

PCCW Business eSolutions
Irene Cheung
Tel: 852 2888 2502
Email: irene.mw.cheung@pccw.com
City University of Hong Kong
Betty Chan
Tel: 852 2788 9322
Email: pabetty@cityu.edu.hk
Sun Microsystems
Audrey Lam
Tel: 852 2202 6192
Email: audrey.lam@asia.sun.com
PCCW Business eSolutions
Irene Cheung
Tel: 852 2888 2502
Email: irene.mw.cheung@pccw.com
City University of Hong Kong
Betty Chan
Tel: 852 2788 9322
Email: pabetty@cityu.edu.hk
Sun Microsystems
Audrey Lam
Tel: 852 2202 6192
Email: audrey.lam@asia.sun.com