A glance at the new corporate identity of British Telecom (BT) had us almost crying foul into our coffee this morning. As our picture demonstrates, BT's new logo bears more than a passing resemblance to PCCW's logo. Launched in late 2000, the Hong Kong firm's 12 geometric grids in seven colours were designed to represent the company's different business units - from traditional telecoms to the internet. At the time of the unveiling, the firm's former deputy chairman explained the logo represented the company's 'dynamic character', as well as 'demonstrating that the company had a strong number of parts, interlocking to create a strong pool'. PCCW's top 20 executives, including chairman Richard Li Tzar-kai, were each given an hour-long presentation on how the new logo matched the corporate identity by brand consultant Interbrand. The company declined to comment on the cost of the re-brand and would only say that it cost less than most companies pay for the service. A BT source told us that, in fact, its new logo had been developed in-house some years ago. It had been sitting in the logo file for sometime before being dusted off and launched earlier this year. 'They've copied us!' exclaimed the source. However, Graham Moore, president of BT Asia, was at pains to point out that the new logo did not eat into company coffers. 'We tested the [previous] logo on customers in the UK and what came back was it's a bit stuffy and maybe not so aligned with people's attitudes, and so we came up with another one and its been very well received,' he said, before adding 'it didn't cost much money'. Mr Moore said the global services' logo had gone down well in Europe and the UK and was expected to do well in Asia. He again pointed out that the re-branding 'didn't cost much money'. After a reporter exclaimed that the logo was so colourful, Mr Moore responded: 'Yes, it's like everyone that works for me ...' Colourful and, dare we say it, inexpensive. GAMES RUN INTO EXTRA TIME Wharf's Cable TV has a treat in store for all you football fans who are keen to watch your favourite European teams in action. The last World Cup in Japan and Korea was a godsend for Asia-based fans of the beautiful game in so far as the time difference meant games were shown at reasonable times. No bleary-eyed 4am alarm calls or staying up all the previous night to watch the match through beer goggles. The people at Wharf have clearly woken up to the fact that unsociable hours mean fewer viewers and have therefore introduced the 'Twilight-Zone Football Timetable'. The concept is very simple: Wharf has somehow managed to transcend all known theories regarding the space/time continuum and developed the 24-hour-plus clock. Visitors to the cable company's website will discover that on August 25, they will be able to watch Blackburn Rovers vs Manchester City, and Manchester United vs Wolverhampton Wandereres [sic] at 26:55! Lai See was keen to ask what viewers of the Real Madrid vs Bilbao match on June 22 at 27:00 thought of the new concept, but because of the time difference (it's now 864:22 where they are), they were still in bed. Unconfirmed reports suggest Wharf is harnessing the power of its new clock to increase shareholder value. However, an insider said this just meant getting staff to work over the weekends. IT'S ONLY PARANORMAL Staying with the football theme, Exeter City's resident psychic, cutlery-bender and co-chairman, Uri Geller, has given one of the best football chants in recent years. From the terraces, fans can be heard asking the opposition: 'Can your chairman bend a spoon?' NEW CHAPTER FOR CEPA And back to the coincidence theme. A power industry watcher has pointed out the acronym resemblance between Consolidated Electric Power Asia (Cepa) and closer economic partnership arrangement (Cepa). Power Cepa is owned by Mirant Corp, which recently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy seven years after the US firm bought the company from Sir Gordon Wu Ying-sheung's Hopewell Holdings. Said our industry watcher: 'Let's hope this [economic] Cepa doesn't go down the pan as well.' Got a question for Lai See? laisee@scmp.com Tel: 2250 3231 Fax: 2565 1624