Development of fixed communications networks in Finland

Availability of fast fixed connections

Availability refers to connections that are either already in use or can be activated without additional construction work, for example where the building cable (drop cable) has already been installed and terminated. Availability also includes networks built close to the customer’s location, such as at the edge of a plot, or connections that can be activated within a comparable timeframe and at a comparable cost.

The performance of a fixed broadband connection is generally not affected by weather conditions, terrain obstacles or network congestion. A connection with a download speed of at least 100 megabits is most often implemented using optical fibre or cable modem technology.

Availability of fixed connections at the end of September 2025

At the end of September 2025, a fast fixed broadband network with a maximum download speed of at least 100 megabits was available to 85% of households in Finland. This is 4 percentage points more than in 2024.

According to the European Union’s Digital Decade Policy Programme, by 2030 all households should have access to a broadband connection that can be upgraded to a download speed of 1 gigabit. In practice, this means a fixed broadband connection implemented using optical fibre or cable modem technology. Cable modem connections do not provide so-called symmetric connections, as the upload speed from the user to the network can be significantly lower than the achievable download speed.

Availability of fibre connections

Optical fibre technology offers high bandwidth, providing a fast, reliable and interference-free network connection. This enables, among other things, efficient transmission of large data volumes and low latency. Under Traficom’s definitions, fibre connections include connections where the fibre extends all the way to the end user’s home or at least to the building distributor, i.e. access point.

At the end of September 2025, fibre networks were available to 80% of households in Finland. Availability increased by 12 percentage points compared with the situation one year earlier. In many areas, the cable modem network has been replaced by fiber-optic technology, which is now increasingly often extended all the way to the property boundary or to the building’s distribution point.

The growth in investment by telecommunications operators is reflected in the expansion of fibre networks, in particular. This can be seen across Finland, but particularly in relatively large population centres where availability has previously been limited.

At the end of September 2025, there were about 130 companies in Finland that owned or operated fibre networks.

Traficom has produced forecasts for the development of household fibre availability for the years 2026–2028. The forecasts are based solely on past development and on the assumption that growth will slow down as availability reaches certain milestones, as has been the case for example in Sweden’s fibre roll-out. The forecasts do not take into account possible future policy measures, market changes or technological developments, for example.

Availability of fast fixed connections by region

Fast connections in different regions are largely implemented using fibre. In a few regions, cable modem connections are also used to a greater extent. There are significant differences in the availability of fixed broadband between regions. The highest levels of fibre availability are in Åland (94%), North Ostrobothnia (92%) and Uusimaa (88%). The lowest fibre availability is in Lapland (57%), Central Ostrobothnia (62%) and North Karelia (65%).

Availability of fast fixed connections by area type under the Finnish Environment Institute's urban-rural classification

The Finnish Environment Institute has divided Finland into seven area types that are independent of municipal boundaries. The classification is based, among other things, on nationwide population, labour force, commuting and building data, as well as road network and land use datasets. The classification is available to all as open data.

In general, the availability of fast fixed networks is good in urban areas. A fast connection with a download speed of at least 100 Mbps was available to 92% of households and a fibre connection to 86% of households. In inner and outer urban areas, a fiber-optic connection was available to nearly 90% of households. In peri-urban areas, the situation is clearly weaker compared with other urban areas. There, 100 Mbps availability covered 71% of households and fibre connections 68%.

Around 25% of Finns live in rural areas, where fast fixed broadband connections are almost entirely based on optical fibre technology. A 100 Mbps connection was available to 64% of households and fibre to 62%. In local centres in rural areas, the situation for fixed broadband connections is good: fiber availability covered 86% of households. In rural areas close to urban areas and in sparsely populated rural areas, the situation is clearly poorer. In these areas, about half of households have no fast fixed connection at all.

Traficom has also calculated forecasts for the development of household availability of fast fixed broadband connections and fibre connections for the years 2026–2028, using the Finnish Environment Institute’s urban-rural classification. The forecasts are based solely on past development and on the assumption that growth will slow down as availability reaches certain milestones, as has been the case for example in Sweden’s fibre roll-out. The forecasts do not take into account possible future policy measures, market changes or technological developments, for example.

Availability of fixed broadband network in Finland: international comparison

In international comparison, Finland’s fixed broadband networks have developed more slowly than in the other Nordic countries. In Sweden and Iceland, fibre networks already reach more than 90% of households. In Norway, availability is also close to 90%. As in Finland, Denmark has a large number of cable modem connections, which partly explains Denmark’s lower fibre availability. However, thanks to cable modem connections, the availability of fast fixed connections in Denmark is at the same level as in Sweden.

*Availability data for Latvia are not available for earlier years.

Fibre-based broadband subscriptions

At the end of June 2025, 84% of fixed broadband subscriptions in use were implemented using fibre technology. There were more than 1.7 million fibre subscriptions in use. Fibre subscriptions are divided into FTTH subscriptions, where fibre extends all the way to the dwelling, and FTTB subscriptions, where fibre reaches the building distributor and the connection continues within the building using another technology. In statistics for the end of 2024, FTTB subscriptions also began to include broadband subscriptions where fibre reaches the building distributor and the in-building network is implemented using a cable TV network, that is cable modem technology.

At the end of June 2025, 54% of fixed broadband subscriptions used by households had a maximum download speed of at least 100 Mbps. Subscriptions with a download speed below 10 Mbps accounted for less than 1% of residential (household) subscriptions. Of the subscriptions used by businesses, 70% had a download speed of at least 100 Mbps. Among business subscriptions, 3% had a download speed below 10 Mbps.

Fibre in consumer use

Traficom also surveys the supply of fibre connections and gaps in availability through regular consumer surveys. In 2024, the consumer survey was carried out with such a large sample that the results are representative at regional level as well.

In the consumer survey, residents of detached houses (single-family houses), semi-detached houses (two-family houses) and terraced houses are asked whether they have been offered the opportunity to obtain a fibre connection. In addition, households are asked whether they have taken up a fibre connection or, if they have not taken it up or if it has not been offered, whether they would be interested in a fibre connection.

Respondents who express interest in a fibre connection are also asked how much they would be willing to pay to obtain the connection.

Data volumes in the fixed broadband network

In spring 2025, 60% of all data traffic carried in Finland’s communications networks was transmitted via fixed networks. Both per capita and per subscription data volumes are higher in fixed networks than in mobile networks.

However, in neither network is data usage evenly distributed among users. For example, in fixed networks some corporate users may consume significantly more data than residential users.

Fixed network telephone subscriptions and their use

The number of fixed network telephone subscriptions has declined significantly as mobile subscriptions have become more widespread. Most telecommunications operators in Finland no longer sell fixed network telephone subscriptions at all, or only offer VoIP subscriptions that operate over a broadband network. Among households, traditional fixed-line telephone subscriptions, that is PSTN/ISDN subscriptions, have almost disappeared or have been replaced by services such as home phones that operate using a SIM card on the mobile network but use a fixed network number. Among businesses, fixed network telephone subscriptions are still more widely used.

Usage volumes of fixed network telephone subscriptions are heavily weighted towards business subscriptions.

Revenue and investments in fixed networks

Telecommunications operators’ tangible investments in fixed networks increased by 29% compared with the previous year. In 2024, total tangible investments in fixed networks amounted to EUR 497 million, compared with EUR 385 million in the previous year.

Revenue from fixed network operations decreased by 1% in 2024 to EUR 1,015 million, of which 81% consisted of retail revenue.