Businesses are being offered grants of up to £200 to encourage them to sign up to broadband.

The West Sussex Economic Partnership (WSEP) is urging firms to take advantage of the high-speed internet service.

It has set up a web site - www.connectingwestsussex.org.uk - which gives advice and information about broadband.

BT says every business in Sussex will have access to broadband by the end of next year but take-up has been slow.

Only 12.6 per cent of businesses in the area use the service, which provides an always-on high-speed connection to the internet.

WSEP's broadband project manager, Andrew Perry, said: "Broadband is going to make business more competitive as well as more innovative.

"Whether it's accounts, sales, marketing or research, the potential success for a broadband-enabled business is much greater."

Monday September 20, 2004