Where are Finland’s fastest internet connections? (hint, not in the North)
The speed of Internet connections – their capacity to send and receive information – varies from location to location, and oftentimes those velocities are a far cry from what the operators claim.
Finland is praised far and wide for its quick and stable Internet connections. Even so, it’s not unusual to experience lag and connectivity errors, because many things including location, device model and network traffic can and will affect connections.
The Netradar application (Nettitutka) developed at the Aalto University records information on connection speed and device location. It is based on these statistics that Yle compiled these maps for where you are most – and least – likely to be able to watch your favourite videos and read your favourite articles online without buffering problems.
The information was gathered based on both mobile and fixed broadband connections. For instance, the fastest mobile download speed in the country (31.86 Mb/sec) can be found in Lempäälä, southwestern Finland, and the slowest (1.77 Mb/sec) in far northern Utsjoki.
High speeds good for municipalities
Fast internet connections are an important attraction for municipalities to use. The city of Mikkeli, for instance, is a famed summer cottage area and prides itself on its quick network.
Mikkeli cottage-goer Anja Jauhiainen says that their broadband words splendidly at their cabin. She also considers a quick connection crucial.
“It’s online that we plan our days and get information,” she says. “Events in nearby areas and cities, health tips and other things.”
The Aalto-designed Netradar shows Mikkeli’s average download speed for mobile connections to be 9.64 Mb/sec.
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: Northwest Territories fur and fiber optics make inroads in Asia, Blog by Mia Bennett
Finland: High-speed broadband rapidly expanding to rural areas in Finland, Yle News
Sweden: Concern over quality as fiber net expands in Sweden, Radio Sweden
United States: Arctic-spanning fiber-optic project moves ahead in Alaska, Alaska Dispatch News
