Vodafone Remote Access will be available from today for customers in Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden. Other Vodafone operators are currently trialling Vodafone Remote Access with customers and will launch the service in the near future. The service can be accessed across Europe over Vodafone’s extensive GPRS data network, enabling customers to easily access their existing business applications, whether at home or abroad.

After conducting extensive market research, Vodafone established business requirements for a remote access product. Customers wanted quick, easy and secure access to their company networks and to existing office applications when out of the office. To eliminate the usual IT manager and end user frustration associated with configuring laptop PC data cards with hardware and IT systems, Vodafone created a complete customer solution.

In just five minutes, Vodafone Remote Access can be installed on a customer’s laptop PC. A customised Vodafone branded GPRS data card provides optimal service on Vodafone networks, ensuring high quality of service. Optimised network access is combined with an easy to use Vodafone branded customer interface, the "Dashboard", providing access to value add information and services, such as SMS from the laptop PC.

Vodafone has worked with Cisco, one of the world’s leading companies in the enterprise data and IP security markets to offer customers high levels of security. Vodafone Remote Access uses SIM based authentication for internet access, and VPN technologies to ensure secure connectivity to the customer's IT infrastructure.

Vodafone Remote Access has also been designed with IT managers’ requirements in mind, taking just 5 hours to integrate into corporate IT systems. The Vodafone interface provides a control and diagnostic tool for monitoring usage levels, as well as a platform upon which to offer additional services across different bearer services. A Support Portal provides all the technical back up and support customers expect from Vodafone.

Vodafone Remote Access brings a range of benefits to businesses, including:

• Business efficiencies and enhanced productivity through flexible and easy mobile access to business applications for remote workers
• "Always on" connectivity, eliminating repetitive and time consuming reconnections
• Cost savings through data volume charging rather than time based charging
• Value add Vodafone business communication services such as SMS from the laptop

Thomas Geitner, Chief Executive, Global Products and Services, Vodafone, commented:

"Vodafone Remote Access will give our customers easy access to critical business information when they are out of the office. As a Vodafone product every aspect of the design is centred on the customer’s needs, so the product is easy to install and easy to use. The product is designed to take away the hassle from the customer and enable different pieces of hardware and software to talk to one another. It also has all the security our customers expect from Vodafone, so now more companies can benefit from mobile access to their networks."