Good Practice - Project
Kuitua pohjoiseen - High-Speed Broadband Network in the North
This project is an example of how villagers can get access to high-speed broadband networks even in remote and sparsely populated rural areas. It is the winning initiative of the 2019 Rural Inspiration Awards in the 'Rural Revitalisation' category.
General information
RDP Priority
- P1. Knowledge transfer and innovation
RDP Focus Area
- 1A: Innovation & cooperation
RDP Measure
- M01: Knowledge transfer & information actions
Summary
Internet connectivity is a significant problem for sparsely populated rural areas and villagers are obliged to find their own solutions. In response to this situation, an information project was established to help villagers to set up cooperatives and apply for public grants to build their own high-speed broadband networks.
The project also acted as an intermediary, helping the cooperatives to learn from each other and to negotiate the necessary network arrangements with service operators. The project organised 70 events across the region, with 1432 participants, and the project staff contacted over 1700 people through door-to-door promotion. The project promoters are the LAG associations Fell Lapland and Tunturi-Lappi.
Results
The project helped 20 different cooperatives in Lapland.
More than 30 villages in Lapland gained access to high speed internet and over 3.000 people got connected.
The project resulted in over 3.2 million EUR of public grants being invested in the development of high-speed broadband networks in Lapland.
Promoter
Leader Fell Lapland / Leader Tunturi-Lappi
Funding
Total budget 300 355 (EUR)
EAFRD 126 149 (EUR)
National/Regional 174 206 (EUR)
Ressources
Documents
winner-rr_fi_rr-02_kuitua_pohjoiseen_20190723_ok.pdf
(PDF – 501 Ko)
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