1. Addressing rural digital gap in Finland
Marianne Selkäinaho, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry

2. Finland Surface area 338 145 km2 Population 5 509 928
forestry land km2 (78%)
agricultural land km2 (6.7%)
Population
share of rural population about 30%
Population density 17 persons/km2
(EU persons/km2)
GDP: 209 billion euros (€)
€/person
share of agriculture and forestry 3.2% 2

3. Availability of fast broadband
Availability of 100 Mbit/s 54% of population
Differences between regions, rural areas
54 % use both fixed and mobile connection
40 % use mobile connection
6 % doesn’t use internet

4. Availability of 30 Mbit/s and 100 Mbit/s

5. Challenges for Rural Digitalization in Finland
Huge distances
Tens of thousands of lakes and rivers
Thin layer of soil over the granite bedrock
Sparsely populated
Attitudes towards technology
Amount of elderly people: dependency ratio 146 in 2016
Insufficient information and know-how about advantages of fast broadband
Commercial operators boost mobile solutions as the only option
Attitudes towards rural development
Price of the fiber connection
Access to backbone fiber network (for local actors, small operators)

6. Possibilities for Rural Digitalization in Finland
Along a study (Rural Policy Council, 2016), 25 % of enterprises said, that fiber connection has played an crucial role in choosing the location of their business.
the Health, social services and regional government reform
Digitalisation of services

7. Good examples and good practices
National funding for broadband backbone connection
Small scale broadband infrastructure investments implemented in rural areas (RDP funding)
So called Village broadband network
The activator, “the priest” is needed and a lot of work
New attitude and know-how
Strong communication and interaction in region and between regions, CO-OPERATION
Quality and reliability of services
Local center of expertise and know-how, future of the region
BCO Finland
Smart Villages

8. BCO Finland
The Finnish national Broadband Competence Office is a virtual organisation. It comprises the following public actors:
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the Finnish administrative authority for the Rural Development Programme for Mainland Finland 2014–2020. The Development Programme finances broadband investments and digitalisation in rural areas.
Ministry of Transport and Communications, whose responsibilities include broadband related legislation and the preparation of the broadband strategy.
Agency for Rural Affairs (Mavi), whose responsibilities include instructing on the implementation of the aid from the Rural Development Programme for Mainland Finland, electronic transactions and data systems, and aid payments.
Finnish Communications Regulatory Authority (FICORA) is the aid-granting authority for broadband project funding as laid down in the Broadband Subsidies Act. In addition, FICORA’s broadband promotion related duties include user guidance, technical regulations and market surveillance.

9. BCO Finland
Laajakaistainfo is the website of Finland’s national Broadband Competence Office (BCO). The website provides information to anyone interested in broadband and broadband network deployment.
The Laajakaistainfo website shares information about broadband deployment and availability and the progress of digitalisation. The website provides information about funding options and the rules governing aid and broadband network construction. Information sharing is technology-neutral across technologies.

10. What the broadband means in practice and what kind of benefits it brings?
Video collection: A boost for networks!
for-networks/

11. Smart Villages in Finland
The Smartest Village of Finland -competition is now looking for villages that most actively and smartly develop their services in the fields of healthcare, education, energy, mobility, locally produced food, retail sale, hobbies and culture. The challenge is intended for villages with a willingness and need to increase their vitality, activity and innovative solutions.
33 villages in the competition
Winner will be chosen in the beginning of 2020

12. Public funding for areas that are not covered by market based actions: Rural areas
RDP funding for rural broadband investments has been suitable for rural villages
Especially in Lapland they have found the inspiration and sparkle for co- operation and will to work towrds common target
3 000 km fast broadband in the programme period with the RDP funding. The work is really slow but results are productive and resistant.
Farmers, forest workers, ICT workers, tourism business and distant workers need the fast network for working, rural inhabitants for living (young people and elderly people).
There is a need for public funding also in the future, EAFRD for rural areas, EFRD for other areas that are not covered by market based actions.
Known and reliable tools but new models for funding and co-operation