Posted on 10/15/2009 10:00:02 AM PDT by Joiseydude
(CNN) -- Finland has become the first country in the world to declare broadband Internet access a legal right.
Starting in July, telecommunication companies in the northern European nation will be required to provide all 5.2 million citizens with Internet connection that runs at speeds of at least 1 megabit per second.
The one-megabit mandate, however, is simply an intermediary step, said Laura Vilkkonen, the legislative counselor for the Ministry of Transport and Communications.
The country is aiming for speeds that are 100 times faster -- 100 megabit per second -- for all 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," Vilkkonen said.
It is a view shared by the United Nations, which is making a big push to deem Internet access a human right
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
One megabyte per second, about the amount of information at any one time on Obama’s teleprompter.
Just like a sauna ....;-)
I want a legal right to a government-provided exclusive villa on the seashore, with two private acres surrounding it.
Finland, Finland, Finland,
The country where I want to be,
Pony trekking or camping,
Or just watching TV.
Finland, Finland, Finland.
It’s the country for me.
You’re so near to Russia,
So far from Japan,
Quite a long way from Cairo,
Lots of miles from Vietnam.
Finland, Finland, Finland,
The country where I want to be,
Eating breakfast or dinner,
Or snack lunch in the hall.
Finland, Finland, Finland.
Finland has it all.
You’re so sadly neglected
And often ignored,
A poor second to Belgium,
When going abroad.
Finland, Finland, Finland,
The country where I quite want to be,
Your mountains so lofty,
Your treetops so tall.
Finland, Finland, Finland.
Finland has it all.
Finland, Finland, Finland,
The country where I quite want to be,
Your mountains so lofty,
Your treetops so tall.
Finland, Finland, Finland.
Finland has it all.
Finland has it all.
I guess they have a different idea of what a “right” is.
Must be nice to only have to worry about a country smaller than some of our states are.
Nice to see that they have declared 1MBPS to be a basic human right. Unless the Russians object, of course. Then it won’t be.
You have the right to no waiting for shareware downloads...
Which is why Michael Moore will feature Finland in his next movie as a comparison to why the US is so horrible.
Only 1 Meg per customer?! That not a living bandwidth amount, it pits rich against poor, why, why that’s just racist! Don’t be fooled by claims of huge download speeds, it’s a plot by the Man!
The more they can keep the public busy with facebook and youtube and porn, the more the socialists can keep drafting money from the citizens’ paychecks.
The more they can keep the public busy with facebook and youtube and porn, the more the socialists can keep drafting money from the citizens’ paychecks.
self-ping
Definatly needed to be said twice.
The FCC has long discussed making broadband service available in rural areas. Of course this would mean that those of us with broadband service would pay “fees” on our ISP bill so that the six people living in West Waterpump, South Dakota would have broadband service. The same rational could be applied used to provide these rural areas with shopping malls.
That could’ve been expressed better! How ‘bout:
“Rights” are no longer the reason we make sacrifices, but rather what we demand in our never-ending attempt to avoid sacrifice.
I didn't know there were Finnish FReepers.
Someday the intraweb will be the bees knees.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.