MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Access to broadband connection becomes a right of citizens

By the end of 2015 access will have jumped to 100 Megabit-p-s

As of next July 2010, access to a 1 Megabit-per-second broadband connection becomes a right for all Finnish citizens according to a decree from the Ministry of Transport and Communications.

Finland thus becomes the second country in the world to sign a law that provides every citizen of the country with a legal right to a broadband connection.

The Finnish government had already announced that every citizen should have access to a 100 Megabit-per-second broadband connection by the end of 2015. Now, it took an intermediary step toward that goal.

The move could pave the way for other countries to start looking at broadband as its citizens’ inalienable legal right, akin to freedom of speech and freedom of movement.

The Finnish resolution establishes that most citizens can no longer perform their work duties, homework or communicate with friends without having access to the Internet. Many Web-based communications and video services, such as Skype, require a broadband connection to work. People need broadband connections to live normal lives.

Switzerland was the first country to establish such a right which became effective in 2008, and it applies to a minimum 600 kbps. The Swiss Office of Communications made broadband access available to all residents of Switzerland January 1, 2008 although, their broadband is considered 600 kb/s down and 100 kb/s up.

Broad band penetration in Finland is close to 30%, while the highest in Latinamerica is 9.8% (Chile).