Finland First to Make Broadband a Legal Right

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Finland has become the first country to make broadband a legal right.

That's right, you heard me. YLE reports that starting next July, every person in Finland will have the right to a one-megabit broadband connection. What's that? Do I hear some scoffing at the idea of a one-megabit connection? Well how about this, YLE goes on to say that the Finnish Ministry of Transport and Communications are guaranteeing that by 2015, this will be upped to a 100-megabit connection.

With a population of 5.5 million, Finland is the first but definitely won't be the last. Other European countries are expected to follow suit soon, including the United Kingdom.

Imagine being legally entitled to 100-megabit internet … Man, now would that be awesome or what? Now stop imagining, this is America, not Finland.

Jane McEntegart
74 Comments Comment from the forums
  • samely
    In America, that connection would be capped at 100 megabits a month.
    Reply
  • Yes but when you download something that is not allowed no matter what it is what do they call that? censorship of free speech or abuse of internet rights? They will come up with all kinds of garbage laws because of this and there will no longer be any anonymous internet useage for someone who has the right to the internet, will that mean these people will have to get and ID card of some kind to use their connection? The list of stupid things that govts will come up with as a result of this "right" go on and on forever.
    Reply
  • liquid0h
    Wow, so every year it'll get bumped up by about 20 mbit increments? Must be nice to live in a place without greedy telecoms.
    Reply
  • ubernoobie
    lol in canada, you can get 5megabyte/up/down for 20 bucks with umlimited bandiwth
    Reply
  • soo-nah-mee
    FCC American Broadband Right Schedule of Bandwidth:If your annual income is:__Your connection speed will be:
    $0-$15,000_________________500Kb/sec
    $15,000-$30,000____________1.5Mb/sec
    $30,000-$60,000____________3Mb/sec
    $60,000-$90,000____________6Mb/sec
    $90,000-$175,000___________12Mb/sec
    $175,000-$300,000__________18Mb/sec
    $300,000 and up____________100Mb/sec
    Reply
  • superblahman123
    Fear not, that'll be include in Economic Stimulus Part II ;-)
    Reply
  • ElectroGoofy
    Wish the 100megabit would be enacted in the US right now ;)
    Reply
  • geminireaper
    liquid0hWow, so every year it'll get bumped up by about 20 mbit increments? Must be nice to live in a place without greedy telecoms.Liquid0h. It has nothing to do with greedy telecomms. You do realize they live in a socialist gov't. They get things handed to them but they also lose 50%+ of their income to taxes to pay for all these programs.
    Reply
  • to liquid0h, just think then how nice it is to live in Finland, a non-diverse country, small geographic foot print. Just like Japan getting cell coverage to every inch of the country (err uhh island). Squish America down to 5.5 million people of the same background and the size of a couple of states and you can vote yourself from your pocketbook all the free stuff you want.
    Reply
  • danish_2828
    I just wish the upload wasn't as limited as it is. Get this I have a 20 mbit download and 512 kbit upload (40:1 ratio). Northstate communications goes up to 1 mbit, but unfortunately I'm right outside their coverage area. I just want to host a small internet server without it bogging down with 2 users on it.
    Reply