[kictanet] BBC > Finland makes broadband a 'legal right']

[alice]

Finland makes broadband a 'legal right'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/10461048.stm
Page last updated at 23:59 GMT, Wednesday, 30 June 2010 00:59 UK


Finland has become the first country in the world to make broadband a
legal right for every citizen.

>From 1 July every Finn will have the right to access to a 1Mbps (megabit
per second) broadband connection.

Finland has vowed to connect everyone to a 100Mbps connection by 2015.

In the UK the government has promised a minimum connection of at least
2Mbps to all homes by 2012 but has stopped short of enshrining this as a
right in law.

The Finnish deal means that from 1 July all telecommunicatons companies
will be obliged to provide all residents with broadband lines that can run
at a minimum 1Mbps speed.
Broadband commitment

Speaking to the BBC, Finland's communication minister Suvi Linden
explained the thinking behind the legislation: "We considered the role of
the internet in Finns everyday life. Internet services are no longer just
for entertainment.

Finland has worked hard to develop an information society and a couple of
years ago we realised not everyone had access," she said.

It is believed up to 96% of the population are already online.

In the UK internet penetration stands at 73%.

The British government has agreed to provide everyone with a minimum 2Mbps
broadband connection by 2012 but it is a commitment rather than a legally
binding ruling.

"The UK has a universal service obligation which means virtually all
communities will have broadband," said a spokesman for the Department for
Culture, Media and Sport.

Making broadband a legal right could have implications for countries that
plan tough action on illegal file-sharing.

Both the UK and France have said they may cut off or limit the internet
connections of people who persistently download music or films for free.

The Finnish government has adopted a more gentle approach.

"We will have a policy where operators will send letters to illegal
file-sharers but we are not planning on cutting off access," said Ms
Linden.

A poll conducted for the BBC World Service earlier this year found that
almost four in five people around the world believed that access to the
internet is a fundamental right.



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