Finland Becomes First Country to Guarantee Broadband Access as a Legal Right
Posted 10/15/09 at 10:14:29 AM by Pulkit Chandna
Comments
Print
Email
The Finnish Ministry of Transport and Communications has decided to make broadband access a legal right of every Finn. Recognizing broadband access as a legal right may seem relatively easier for an affluent European country with a population of only 5.5 million.
But that is not enough to belittle its courage in setting a precedent for other countries of the world. The Finnish government hopes to implement its latest edict beginning July 2010. Initially, every Finn will have the right to a one-megabit broadband connection. Finland had previously vowed to legally guarantee access to a 100 Mb broadband connection by the end of 2015.
Image Credit: DreamsTime
Good go Finland.....
Submitted by ghot on Thu, 10/15/2009 - 5:53pm
....unfortunately our govt. (USA) dreads, "educated masses"....they are harder to lie to :)
Take an OS, and edit out all the efficiency, and what you have left is a post-XP Microsoft operating system :)
Please don't make it a right
Submitted by thegamepro on Thu, 10/15/2009 - 10:48am
Please don't make it a right in america to. I don't mean to start a political flame war but should internet really be a right? You don't need internet to live and just like healthcare, if it's that important to you then pay for it yourself. Don't ask your hard working, tax paying neighbors to pay for your internet. Just cut back on your other spendings and pony-up the cash yourself to pay for these things. Internet, healthcare, oil, food, and electricity are all responsibilities. If you can't afford it, then sell stuff, cut back on your cable TV, cut back on your spending, I don't care how you pay for the things you want but don't force me or your neighbors who work to pay for your stuff.
Health care you say...
Submitted by 1337Goose on Thu, 10/15/2009 - 3:08pm
I'm a Canadian, and I don't know what your opinion on Canadians is, but some of the things you mentioned are not really responsibilities.
I've never asked any of my American friends about their opinions on private health care. However, is that the general consensus? That each individual should be responsible for their own medical bills?
Anyway, making internet access a right is a very progressive move. Of course, tax payers foot the bill, but in the end you have an economy that is far stronger because the entire population of your country has instant access to information. Information equates quite readily into power. Think about it, if only 50% of the children in your country can afford internet access (because their parents have decided to marginalize it at the expense of owning a larger house, or paying for necessities like heat, electricity, or health care) you end up with a nation full of youth who are ill equipped to compete in the present day global economy. Giving 100% of your population internet access secures your country's ability to produce a well trained, computer literate workforce.
~Goose
Submitted by thegamepro on Fri, 10/16/2009 - 11:37am
Free internet is not really free. Someone is paying for it, who is it? It's the government and they will only be able to pay for it by increasing our taxes. Also, when everyone is given free internet, there won't be enough bandwidth to handle the demand, since the internet is monopolized by the government, they don't have any incentive to improve the bandwidth, they will solve their problem by limiting everyones bandwidth to painfully slow speeds. That is not the change we need.
I don't want the government controlling my life, let capitalism make everything right and let there be competition.
Might I also add that it would be a lot cheaper for you to pay for your own personal internet than paying higher taxes for government internet.
We can all afford our own needs without being dependent on the government. Yes We Can.
Submitted by 1337Goose on Fri, 10/16/2009 - 6:03pm
Hmm, you make some interesting points. However, I think that a society that is literally "every man for himself" is a little counterproductive.
Imagine for a minute, that the person who will cure AIDS is born today. What if this person is born to a poor family who can't afford medical bills, or can't put food on the table every day. Part of building a strong nation is giving everybody equal opportunity. Now before I go on, that was a matter of opinion.
Your other points about Internet access becoming painfully slow for the rest of the nation were somewhat moot. First of all, the government would not have a monopoly on the supply of Internet access. A two-tiered system whereby users are able to either purchase Internet access from a faster private provider or use the government's lines would naturally lend itself to universal Internet access. In other words, you can use fast private Internet if you can afford it, otherwise feel free to use public Internet.
~Goose
what's the weather like
Submitted by nekollx on Thu, 10/15/2009 - 11:53am
what's the weather like back there in 1772?
Seriously Electricity isnt a right? Funny could have sworn gas, electric, and water were subsidized by the goverment...and then we have foodstamps...
------------------------------
Coming soon to Lulu.com --Tokusatsu Heroes--
Five teenagers, one alien ghost, a robot, and the fate of the world.
Submitted by thegamepro on Fri, 10/16/2009 - 11:23am
Yes, electricity, food, gas, and internet are things that you and I need but those are still responsibilities. Just because you need something doesn't make it a right. If all those things were rights or socialized, then your tax $$$ would not only pay for your service, it will pay for everyone around you. The quality of these services will become equal for everyone and they will do that by downgrading those who have good service to those who have bad service.
I don't know about you but I don't want to pay for other people's services. I work and I just want to pay for my personal needs. I don't want the government taking my money and giving it to those who don't work.
Submitted by majikman on Thu, 10/15/2009 - 11:43am
Last time I checked food is not a responsibility. If you do not eat you will die.
Submitted by thegamepro on Fri, 10/16/2009 - 11:03am
There are ways to get food if you have no money, charities, organizations, etc. but do want to be forced to pay for someone elses food who didn't work. We can be generous and donate funds to them but do you want to be forced to do so?
Submitted by doggywuv on Thu, 10/15/2009 - 10:39am
This is ridiculous.
Submitted by Xiongrey on Thu, 10/15/2009 - 7:56am
I'm moving to Finland. This has to be the second or third article about Finland being one of the technologically hippest counties in the world. I love my USA but we are a third world country (Maybe soon to be dictatorship) when it comes to the internet.
Submitted by opulent_rigs on Thu, 10/15/2009 - 8:57am
Good Riddance. Now anyone willing to sell their Finnish identity. Reply with price
Submitted by nekollx on Thu, 10/15/2009 - 8:24am
+1
------------------------------
Coming soon to Lulu.com --Tokusatsu Heroes--
Five teenagers, one alien ghost, a robot, and the fate of the world.
Must Read Articles
Feature
Review
Feature
Feature
Feature
Most Popular Articles
This Month's Issue
FEATURE How to Get FREE Programs, Services, Software & MoreFEATURE Digital Photo Printer RoundupHOW TOBuild a 3D CameraFEATUREDIY Arcade PCWHITE PAPERHow TRIM Works
Technology News
Computer Cooling Fans
Computer Cases
PC Game Controllers
PC Games
Computer Hardware
Headphones
MP3 Players
Stream Video
Computer Mouse
Monitors
Motherboards
NAS Storage
Networking
Laptop Computers
DVD Burner
Digital Cameras
Portable Storage
Computer Accessories
Smartphone
Antivirus Software
Sound Cards
Speakers
Computer Systems
Thumb Drives
Video Cameras
Video Card Reviews
Water Cooling
Gadgets
- Keyboards
© 2009 Future US, Inc. All Rights Reserved.