Finland makes fast broadband a legal right. Law entitles every person to a one megabit-per-second

[snagglepuss]

internet connection. .:wow:

"We think something you cannot live without in modern society," said Laura Vikkonen, a spokesman for the ministry. "Like banking services or water or electricity, you need an internet connection. Universal service is every citizen's subjective right."

snip

The Finnish government had already committed to rolling out 100 megabits per second broadband connections across the country by 2015. It's the first country in the world to make universal minimum internet access speeds a legal requirement.

snip

Even the citizens of remote, rural parts of Finland will be legally entitled to a minimum broadband connection speed of one megabit per second, rising to 100 megabits ber second by 2015



http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/broadband/6337698/Finland-makes-fast-broadband-a-legal-right.html

[Mojambo]

1. We can't even get universal health care, They're providing universal internet! n/t

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

2. And I bet it's at minimal cost, unlike the 30-50$ a month we spend.

I'd like to know what they pay.

[obliviously]

3. Mine costs 67.00 per month with a six gig limit.

[snagglepuss]

15. Canada's broadband blasted by Harvard study. US ranked higher than Canada.

however US sevice also blasted.

"The highest prices for the lowest speeds are overwhelmingly offered by firms in the United States and Canada, all of which inhabit markets structured around 'inter-modal' competition," the report said."

snip

Canada was 22nd overall out of 30 countries surveyed by Harvard's Berkman Center for Internet and Society. Canada ranked 16th on broadband adoption, 20th on speed and capacity, and 25th on price. Japan, Sweden and South Korea headed up Harvard's rankings, while the United States placed above Canada at 13th overall.


http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2009/10/15/harvard-fcc-broadband-study.html

[obliviously]

17. I am rural and have few choices.

[Vidar]

4. Good for Finland -- & the other countries that care about their citizens.

[Hawkeye-X]

5. I have a 12 MB/sec "lifetime" contract with Qwest FIOPs

at $51/month.

I'd love to see it lowered to $29.99 as it should be.

Hawkeye-X

[Zywiec]

6. Population of Finland: 5,244,749

Population of one US city (NYC): 8,274,527

It's amazing what can be offered when you have so few people to deal with.

[Libertas1776]

11. That's true,

we're just too damn big. When Russia gets 100 megabit broadband whatever for all its people, then concern will be warranted.

[snagglepuss]

16. Hmmm. Don't buy that argument at all. How much is US military spending?

If the US had different priorities, US consumers wouldn't be lagging in 13th place.

[muriel_volestrangler]

19. But Finland is more rural than the US

Easy to connect up a city; much harder with a country with a large, sparsely populated countryside.

Finland: population 60.9% urban http://globalis.gvu.unu.edu/indicator_detail.cfm?IndicatorID=30&Country=FI
US: population 80.8% urban http://globalis.gvu.unu.edu/indicator_detail.cfm?country=US&indicatorid=30

It's just a bit bigger in size and population than Colorado:
Colorado 269,837 km2, pop. 4,939,456
Finland 338,424 km2 pop. 5,346,927

[Libertas1776]

7. I Want

My Porn Downloaded At 100 Megabits Per Second, AND I WANT IT NOW, DAMMIT!!!

[Leopolds Ghost]

8. Coming soon: Neoliberal Blue Dog Dems to endorse Universal Mandate to Purchase Broadband

"It works in Finland" they'll say. "Well, the principle is the same, but the government run entitlement part won't work here. But it's something every American must have! So we'll do it as an individual mandate. We'll take away their kids if they don't get it, like on that Hoarders reality TV show. No, actually we'll just condemn the house if it doesn't have broadband like we do with running water. Citizens will be given access to a range of options, including an 'exchange' of various service providers if they are unable to afford premium service and wish to avoid a fine. We'll fund a nonprofit staffed and run by a consortium of service providers to educate consumers about their options. The important thing is to ensure costs of providing broadband service do not spiral out of control, and forcing the 40% of americans who have failed to enroll does that by bringing them into a common pool and enabling the providers to hook everyone up at a profit. Broadband is not a right, it's an obligation."

[deaniac21]

9. It's the only way they can get people to stay in the ice land.

[Leopolds Ghost]

10. What about Conan O'Brien?

[deaniac21]

20. I don't watch TV.

[msongs]

12. internet should be a public utility not a corporate scammer's cash cow nt

[Leopolds Ghost]

14. In the US, public utilities are an individual mandate not an entitlement.

Hence the health care debacle that no one notices since they assume everyone can afford stuff like electricity and health insurance, just choose not to. Fine em!

[Roland99]

13. Damn Socialists! Send Sarah over there to hunt down their reindeer!

[Festivito]

18. That means your email doesn't change and it costs less. sheesh/nt