From the whole global network raises a round of applause.
Finland has decided that the internet is a right for all citizens. Which, lucky in the Nordic countries, is to say that is a right for the 4% that still is not connected.
But the government added that citizens have the right to broadband: 100 megabit per second by 2015 but already a giant by July 2010.
The principle, in some way, was mentioned also in France, Estonia and Greece.
But only in Finland was supported by a strong political and practical.
If the phone companies were thought to be able to sit and wait to be more close to the 2015 to bring broadband to all as was expected until recently, now may no longer be hidden: the Finnish government has decided that broadband is a right and therefore must be everywhere at once for all. Because, says the Finnish government, "today you can not live without the internet: it is like water, electricity and banking services."
Even under this policy, Finland is taking a leadership position in Europe in the policies for infrastructure enablers of innovation, with simple rules and clear incentives.
We hope these pearls of wisdom can also contaminate our government.
