Roaming solution: Frankie Sum says Cisco's Internet mobile office initiative offers fast and secure Internet access to users outside the confines of the office. Picture by Dick Fung

With Cisco Systems pushing for the expansion of remote Internet-access services in Asia, global broadband roaming will soon become a reality for business travellers.

Cisco officials said that alliances with key network service providers were helping create a virtual global footprint for high-speed and secure access to corporate networks.

On Tuesday, the networking gear maker moved closer to making connections more widely available in Asia with the launch of its Internet mobile office initiative in Hong Kong, following its introduction in Taiwan and Singapore.

Cisco earlier teamed with global remote access services provider iPass and Sydney-based inter-touch to provide wireless broadband Internet access at data transmission speeds of up to 128 kilobits per second, at Harbour Plaza Hotel in North Point and the Plaza Premium Lounge inside the Chek Lap Kok airport.

"The Cisco Internet mobile office initiative is an ecosystem of technology, application and service providers, and systems integrators that will offer secure, high-speed Internet access to users outside the traditional confines of the office," said Frankie Sum, managing director at Cisco Hong Kong.

He said such services seamlessly extended an organisation's internal network by providing mobile users with secure, high-speed access to the Internet and corporate resources in "hotspots" such as airports, hotels, convention centres and restaurants.

Industry experts predicted the needs of corporate travellers would drive instant Internet connectivity to more public locations.

Research firm International Data Corp estimated there were about 4.5 million mobile professionals worldwide conducting business via the Internet.

Cisco's Internet mobile office initiative plays a vital part in the company's goal to drive global broadband roaming services, according to Joseph Lee, Asia-Pacific manager for market development at Cisco's commercial line of business group.

Global broadband roaming enables service providers to offer customers simple, high-speed and remote broadband access to corporate networks with a single integrated bill.

According to Cisco, companies can increase the productivity of the employees on the road with a simple user connection interface and secure, high-speed virtual private network (VPN) access, while saving on long-distance phone charges.

"We expect to widen the rollout of our Internet mobile office initiative before the end of this year, with partnership announcements in South Korea and China," Mr Lee said.

Last month, Cisco teamed with Gric Communications and NCR in the United States to enable enterprises to gain access to what the trio claimed as "the most extensive broadband network available worldwide".

Under the agreement, Gric will provide global broadband roaming services, while information technology services firm NCR will offer installation and support services.

Cisco has identified more than 600 hotspot public-access locations worldwide for global broadband roaming services.

Mr Lee said the initiative was expected to boost company sales to service providers and enterprises.

Hi-tech market research firm Cahners In-Stat Group projected the deployment of broadband connectivity in public hotspots would create a broadband hardware and services market worth US$679 million in 2005, from US$59 million last year.

"Business travellers relied more heavily on the Internet to send and receive e-mail and tunnel into corporate VPNs. Hotels and service providers have responded by delivering broadband via wired and wireless technologies to guest rooms, lobbies, meeting rooms and even at poolside. Hotels benefit through increased guest charges, e-commerce revenue, market differentiation and increased customer loyalty," it said.