Broadband declared a “legal right” in Finland

FINLAND has become the first country to declare broadband access a legal right.

Previously, the European Parliament has suggested that access to the Internet is one of basic human rights. However, with this move, Finnish telecom companies will be compelled to provide Finland’s 5.3 million population with broadband access of at least 1 Mbps.

The scheme is set to start next July, but the plan is to provide all Fins with broadband speeds of 100 Mbps by 2015.

“We think it’s something you cannot live without in modern society. Like banking services or water or electricity, you need Internet connection,” said government spokeswoman, Laura Vilkkonen.

Finland already has one of the highest broadband penetration rates in the world, and as befits the home of Nokia, it has one of the highest mobile penetration rates too. What chance they eventually see mobile internet access a basic human right too?

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