Broadband access for all is definitely the way forwards
With the internet age well and truly upon us, many governments around the world are trying to implement wide-scale broadband access to ensure that their citizens are connected. South Korea is a famous example, but it seems that Finland is the first country to officially pass a law that makes a broadband connection a legal right.
Come July next year, 1 Megabit-per-second broadband access will be in the hands of all Finnish citizens. Furthermore, the legislation calls for that access to be increased to 100Mb by 2015 – which means that the people of Finland will have at all times an amazing amount of information and communications capability.
Finland already had reports of over 95% internet connectivity, so there are some that are saying this is more hype than substance. However, what this initiative will provide is broadband access to even the most remote parts of the country.
It’s just another indication of how drastically changed society will become within the next decade. The information revolution is still in its infancy as many try to come to the grips to the learning curve associated. However, with a growing number of people now ‘born digital’, the use of internet technology and communication is becoming as intuitive as using the TV remote. To ensure that everybody within a country has access to what will soon become a basic need for communication and self-expression is a forward thinking idea, and the Finnish government should be commended for such a move.
Here’s hoping that other countries soon follow suite. The time is fast approaching where an internet connection will be one of the most important life tools that each of us will require. It might sound trite, and it might sound unnecessary to those with a more ‘back to basics’ ideology – but that doesn’t make it any less true.
[ad name=”Google Adsense-Link Banner x4″]
