Finland’s Broadcast And Telecommunications Law Convergence

Technology advances such as digitisation and data compression have eroded over the last decade the distinction between broadcasting and telecommunications. Even today, broadcasts and voice and data communications can be transmitted through many of the same networks. In recognition of this, the laws governing telecommunications and digital broadcast networks in Finland were converged with effect as of July 1, 2002 by broadening the scope of Finland’s liberal Telecommunications Market Act (396/1997) to include cable TV and digital wireless terrestrial broadcasting. The name of the Telecommunications Market Act was also amended to "Communications Market Act" to reflect its new scope.