THE NUMBER of Tayside businesses clamouring for a share of an incentive fund for increased broadband internet connections has mushroomed in the past six weeks, Scottish Enterprise revealed yesterday.

The fund was given a low-profile launch in Tayside and Grampian in August before being extended to the rest of the country last month.

A trickle of Tayside companies showed some early interest but more than 100 firms have now applied for payments ranging from £300-£1200 to help them take advantage of broadband.

The £1.5 million fund, run by Scottish Enterprise, hopes to encourage up to 5000 companies to take advantage of the benefits broadband offers.

It aims to:—

* Raise awareness of broadband and give companies unbiased, independent advice.

* Trial pioneering and alternative technologies that can deliver broadband services.

* Develop telecommunications infrastructure, services and tariffs to put Scottish businesses on a competitive footing with Europe’s leading locations.

A Scottish Enterprise Tayside spokesman said, “Broadband is becoming a fundamental element in the success of any business operating in the global marketplace as it provides substantial business benefits in terms of efficiencies gained through the speed at which businesses are able to operate and transact.

“It also provides an ‘always on’ connection which is enormously important as businesses are increasingly sending essential information via Email attachments.

“It is primarily for all these reasons that Scottish Enterprise Tayside attaches such importance to the uptake of broadband.

“The excellent response from businesses in Tayside to the business broadband initiative underlines that businesses also value these benefits.”

Two levels of support are available through the fund.

A £300 incentive is available for businesses that want to get a basic ADSL connection or equivalent connection via cable or power line technology; £1200 is available to businesses that need a more complex satellite or other tailored broadband connection.

E-business advisers throughout the enterprise network help small to medium-sized companies gain the broadband connections to best suit their needs and use them to maximum effect.

Grampian is leading the way in the broadband field with a quarter of all firms now using the connection.

The incentive fund is the first plank in the Scottish Executive’s £24 million initiative to roll out broadband across Scotland.

Firms can gain access to information and check their eligibility via www.scottish-enterprise.com/broadband website or by calling 0845 644 2604.