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Does strategy matter? A comparison of broadband rollout policies in Finland and Sweden

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  • Eskelinen, Heikki
  • Frank, Lauri
  • Hirvonen, Timo

Abstract

This study investigates broadband policies applied in Finland and Sweden with special reference to the geographical coverage of the required network infrastructure. These two Nordic countries are seen as forerunners in the development of the information society, and they also share several other similarities bearing relevance to the take-up of broadband. However, they have applied different broadband strategies: Sweden, one of the first-movers in this field, already launched its ambitious and interventionist national ICT infrastructure program in 2000, whereas the Finnish broadband strategy, published in 2003, largely relies on market forces. The present article analyses these broadband strategies, and attempts to identify their actual differences. It appears that the Finnish strategy caused temporary higher broadband prices and a somewhat slower rollout. However, the current results of the two countries' strategies in terms of coverage and usage levels, as well as end-user prices, do not indicate any significant long-term policy-induced impacts.

Suggested Citation

  • Eskelinen, Heikki & Frank, Lauri & Hirvonen, Timo, 2008. "Does strategy matter? A comparison of broadband rollout policies in Finland and Sweden," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 32(6), pages 412-421, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:telpol:v:32:y:2008:i:6:p:412-421
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    Cited by:

    1. Srinuan, Pratompong & Srinuan, Chalita & Bohlin, Erik, 2012. "Fixed and mobile broadband substitution in Sweden," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 237-251.
    2. Klaus Friesenbichler, 2012. "Wirtschaftspolitische Aspekte des Glasfaserausbaus in Österreich," WIFO Studies, WIFO, number 44135.
    3. Teppayayon, Orada & Bohlin, Erik, 2011. "Evolution of the EU broadband policy: Towards an integrated framework?," 22nd European Regional ITS Conference, Budapest 2011: Innovative ICT Applications - Emerging Regulatory, Economic and Policy Issues 52162, International Telecommunications Society (ITS).
    4. Shin, Dong-Hee & Jung, Jaemin, 2012. "Socio-technical analysis of Korea's broadband convergence network: Big plans, big projects, big prospects?," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(7), pages 579-593.
    5. Turk, Tomaž & Trkman, Peter, 2012. "Bass model estimates for broadband diffusion in European countries," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 79(1), pages 85-96.
    6. Liu, Chun, 2017. "An evaluation of China's evolving broadband policy: An ecosystem’s perspective," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(1), pages 1-11.
    7. Saunavaara, Juha & Laine, Antti & Salo, Matti, 2022. "The Nordic societies and the development of the data centre industry: Digital transformation meets infrastructural and industrial inheritance," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    8. McMahon, Rob & Akçayır, Murat, 2022. "Voices from Northern Canada: Integrating stakeholder expectations in telecommunications policy for rural, remote and Northern regions," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(9).
    9. Alizadeh, Tooran & Farid, Reza, 2017. "Political economy of telecommunication infrastructure: An investigation of the National Broadband Network early rollout and pork barrel politics in Australia," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(4), pages 242-252.
    10. Leanne Townsend & Arjuna Sathiaseelan & Gorry Fairhurst & Claire Wallace, 2013. "Enhanced broadband access as a solution to the social and economic problems of the rural digital divide," Local Economy, London South Bank University, vol. 28(6), pages 580-595, September.
    11. Troulos, Costas & Maglaris, Vasilis, 2011. "Factors determining municipal broadband strategies across Europe," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(9), pages 842-856.
    12. Jaume Benseny & Juuso Toyli & Heikki Hammainen & Andr'es Arcia-Moret, 2019. "The mitigating role of regulation on the concentric patterns of broadband diffusion. The case of Finland," Papers 1905.03002, arXiv.org, revised Oct 2020.
    13. Pratompong Srinuan & Chalita Srinuan & Erik Bohlin, 2011. "The Mobile Broadband and Fixed Broadband Battle in Swedish Market: Complementary or substitution?," RSCAS Working Papers 2011/36, European University Institute.
    14. Hanafizadeh, Payam & Khosravi, Bayan & Badie, Kambiz, 2019. "Global discourse on ICT and the shaping of ICT policy in developing countries," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(4), pages 324-338.
    15. Ala-Fossi, Marko & Alén-Savikko, Anette & Hilden, Jockum & Horowitz, Minna Aslama & Jääsaari, Johanna & Karppinen, Kari & Lehtisaari, Katja & Nieminen, Hannu, 2019. "Operationalising communication rights: the case of a "digital welfare state"," Internet Policy Review: Journal on Internet Regulation, Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society (HIIG), Berlin, vol. 8(1), pages 1-17.

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    Keywords

    Broadband Diffusion Policy;

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