Broadband to become a human right in Finland

From the middle of next year Finland will become the first country in the world to incorporate access to broadband into its legislation as a basic human right.

From July next year, every person in Finland will have the right to have access to 1MG broadband connection. The Finnish government is already planning to make access to 100MG broadband a legal requirement by the end of 2015.

The Finnish government dedicated about €12.5 million to continue the rollout of its rural broadband initiative. On the government’s website, it said its aim was ensure nearly all citizens had access to high-speed broadband by the end of 2009.

The government said the construction of telecommunication was an efficient way to create jobs.

Labour MP Clare Curran agreed, saying the internet and access to broadband was the "highway of the future."

"It's a very interesting discussion, broadband and connectivity to the internet. Yes, I do think it is important [as a human right]."

Ms Curran said broadband had its heart in New Zealand's economic future, and that Finland was leading the way in promoting it as social and public interest to the world.

She added that people in rural areas had a direct disadvantage to people in urban areas in New Zealand who had access to high-speed broadband.

"I think it's very encouraging [Finland's move to make broadband a legal human right]. Finland is leading the way, as so often these Scandinavian countries do."