1Mb broadband now a legal right in Finland

Robert Hallock (Thrax)

October 15, 2009 12:12 PM ET in News, , ,

Finnish citizens have been granted the legal right to 1Mb broadband access starting in July of 2010.

The decision comes on behalf of the nation’s Ministry of Transport and Communications; it is the first of many steps designed to graduate the nation’s five million eligible residents up to the legal right to 100 megabits by 2015.

The Ministry’s definition of “access” has taken a bit of criticism, however. Many believe that the 1Mb promise will follow the same distribution model that’s planned for 100Mb deployment, which defines access as living within two kilometers of a connection capable of delivering 100Mb. Some are also worried that about 2200 homes in remote areas will also go unserved, as is planned for the 2015 100Mb target.

While 1Mb may seem unremarkable given the capabilities of today’s broadband, it must be considered relative to the United States where .76Mb is considered broadband and the country still struggles to connect its citizens.

5 Comments:

  1. lunchb0x
    15 Oct '09, 7:06 pm

    Too bad Finland has to deal with lake trolls

    Seriously tho, very cool. It'd be nice if the US would follow suit.

  2. RyanMeray
    15 Oct '09, 11:48 pm

    Broadband is a joke over here. We gave AT&T all those franchise concessions so they would be able to "quickly deploy ultra high-speed Internet across the region!" and they, as expected, only rolled it out in the areas they estimated to be most profitable.

  3. Adriano Feria
    16 Oct '09, 3:06 am

    American government incentive plans to invest in infra-structure should also focus on broadband internet distribution. At the very minimum, basic internet connection should be a public good. The internet is the future medium of exchange for all types of media and communication. In 10 years from now internet connection should be standard in all new portable media devices/phones, TVs and car models – the US cannot afford to lag behind in internet distribution.

  4. DrLiam
    17 Oct '09, 12:31 pm

    Wish I had 1Mb.. /jealous of Finland

  5. Walt Sorensen
    29 Oct '09, 7:51 pm

    Let's push for this in the US...and add it to the Health care bill. With universal 1MB connections, people could WebMd their medical problems rather then getting a check up and cut some medical cost out. That might shave a few billion off the health care reform bill ;-)

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