Finland: Broadband Access Made Legal Right In Landmark Law

Finland has just passed a law making access to broadband a legal right for Finnish citizens.

When the law goes into effect in July 2010, every person in Finland, which has a population of around 5.3 million, will have the guaranteed right to a one-megabit broadband connection, says the Ministry of Transport and Communications (via Finland's YLE).

Finland is reportedly the first country in the world to enact a law that makes broadband access a right.

And the government isn't about to stop there. YLE reports,

The government had already decided to make a 100 Mb broadband connection a legal right by the end of 2015. On Wednesday, the Ministry announced the new goal as an intermediary step.

Some variation will be allowed, if connectivity can be arranged through mobile phone networks

Wikipedia notes that in June 2007, the country had about 1.52 million broadband Internet connections (or around 287 per 1,000 residents, according to the Finnish Communications Regulatory Authority). No word yet on how Finland's government plans to make up for the difference.

Comments

[juxtaposed]

04:11 AM on 10/19/2009

Go Finns!!!

[Leo Loikkanen]

12:44 PM on 10/15/2009

Hello. Just thought i'd weigh in, with being Finnish and all.

Now, before you all get excited, this doesn't mean that every person in Finland will get a free internet connection with the speed of 1Mb. This means that the goverment has set a absolute minimum speed which the internet needs to operate (although they're willing to let it be a bit slower on rural areas, if they can't get it working with wireless/mobile internet either). This means to every operator you go (big cities and small), the slowest speed you can get is 1Mb, with the price range around 20 to 18 euros (my 2mb connection costs 28 euros a month, no caps)

Another big thing is that we don't have caps. That means that we're able to download/upload as much as we want, as long as we keep paying the bills.

That said, there's something in finland called Lex Nokia that allows goverment institutions and private enterprises to monitor the internet usage of their workers, if they see a reason to do so (and even then they need to get premission from the goverment). The Finnish Pirate Party (that's a registered party now, with me as a member along with many others) are fighting against this, and trying to keep the goverment in line, dammit.

Great country, wouldn't leave it. Ever. Damn Swedes.

[jimmyjones22]

07:12 PM on 10/18/2009

I like your country a lot, but it's so cold in the winter lol

I heard you have one of the best eductoinal systems in the world, one based on learning and not just passing tests.

Maybe someday the rest of the world will catch up...

[Free2Speak]

02:19 AM on 10/15/2009

If you really care about your country that what you will do.They have free medical insurance and 2 year colleges or tech schools are free.Imagine if we poured our taxes in education and medical care instead of wars and prisons.

[vkobaya]

06:04 AM on 10/15/2009

Imagine if we poured our taxes in education and medical care instead of wars and prisons.

Or instead of insuring massive profits and bonuses for Wall Street thieves and liars ... the war industry as well as profits for the petroleum industry.

[SmolderingRuin]

10:23 PM on 10/14/2009

Now THAT'S good government.

[Doug Flight]

09:40 PM on 10/14/2009

wish some of that Finnish sense would make it's way over here to America....Hurry up n' wait.

[hypnotoad72]

08:50 PM on 10/14/2009

Since every job opening that isn't McRubbish requires knowledge and use of the internet, it's just common sense.

[SpinDown08]

08:20 PM on 10/14/2009

Hey! respect to Finland. Any cpountry that could do this in history is good in my book!

http://www.kontraband.com/pics/9772/Dont-Fck-With-Finland/

[SenorBob]

05:25 PM on 10/14/2009

I lived in Finland for about a year and a half and it was by far the nicest place I've ever lived or even visited. I can't begin to describe the culture shock when I arrived at LAX from Helsinki. I really felt like I had landed in a third world country.

[follygirl]

05:21 PM on 10/14/2009

Bets anyone on how long it will take the US to make broadband a right? Don't hold your breath.

[jetphixer]

05:11 PM on 10/14/2009

What rock does the USA live under?

[scriptorblog]

05:20 PM on 10/14/2009

The right wing rock.

[SamKnause]

06:48 PM on 10/14/2009

You said it.

[Destin]

04:51 PM on 10/14/2009

Finland has produced some of the best music in the last 10-15 years from all genres. World class in arts and entertainment. I've been reading about them for a long time and one of my favorite singers of all time is from Finland and she was recently touring the US a few months back.

And it's no surprise the Finns would get internet rights, since much of what we do on the internet now wouldn't have been possible without the hard work from all of the researchers there. Even Linux was made by a fellow from Finland. Linus Torvalds, look him up, born in Helsinki. Alot of our instant messaging, realtime chatting, IRC, etc, was pioneered by the Finns, along with work on tcp/ip and such.

Amazing country, downright BEAUTIFUL country. If the folks here don't mind, I'd like to show it off along with my fave singer who sings the song in the slideshow.... I'm not sure breathtaking is powerful enough of a description...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6jEHhCp_mg

[johnqsittinzen]

05:04 PM on 10/14/2009

Wow. I like all kinds of music, but that song makes Enya sound like Motorhead.

Nice pics though.

[Destin]

06:34 PM on 10/14/2009

Yeah, surprising since she's known famously worldwide as the former singer for a heavy metal band.

[SamKnause]

06:54 PM on 10/14/2009

Thanks for the link. Beautiful pictures, especially the ones taken in the winter.

[satyriasis]

04:51 PM on 10/14/2009

Wow, I hope this is the beginning of a trend. Internet access should be a right to all people. But lots of corporate interests will not allow to this to be. The internet informs and empowers people. The corporate plutocrats can't control it which is why the GOP, telecom, and media conglomerate companies fear it's freedom and proliferation.

[johnqsittinzen]

04:49 PM on 10/14/2009

"o to be in finland
now that russia's here)"

e.e.cummings

[jack7576]

04:48 PM on 10/14/2009

HIGH TAXES LOL

[RabidRightRebel]

05:03 PM on 10/14/2009

Check your numbers before you write your comments.

Funny enough if you add the federal and state taxes together with what we pay in health insurance premiums it turns out that most Finns about the same amount in their taxes. The main difference is that they have 100% health coverage and free university education. The real problem with Finland is that the winters are just too long and dark.

[SamKnause]

06:56 PM on 10/14/2009

I guess I would just love it there. Winter is my favorite time of year. I hate when it ends.

[LITU]

05:25 PM on 10/14/2009

It's always about taxes with the unimaginative capitalists. At least Finland isn't a banana republic.

[Jeff Yablon]

04:44 PM on 10/14/2009

Of course, they also have health care there. Which do you think the US Government will get around to first?

Jeff Yablon
President & CEO
http://answerguy.com

[vkobaya]

06:08 AM on 10/15/2009

Which do you think the US Government will get around to first?

More prisons, more renditions, more wiretapping of American citizens, more police brutality, more bonuses and massive profits for the Wall Street paid for out of our taxes.