Finnish lifestyle is closely tied to the Internet via broadband connections. According to the Finnish Federation for Communications and Teleinformatics, Finland is among the EU leaders in broadband Internet use. In May 2009, 72 per cent of Finnish households were broadband Internet subscribers and 99 per cent had access to the Internet.

 

The Finns are above the EU average in their use of electronic banking services and online news media. They are also among the top nations in their use of many online services, including those provided by public-sector organizations.

 

Helsinki is actively participating in the digital revolution. The City website Hel.fi offers a large amount of information and services for citizens. For example, the Helsinki City Library has for long had more virtual visitors than physical ones. Since the beginning of 2009, citizens have been able to view City Council meetings as both live and on-demand webcasts. This has opened up completely new opportunities for citizens to monitor and participate in the City’s decision-making processes. The City website, covering an area of half a million people, has 15 million visitors each year. The websites of Espoo, Vantaa, Kauniainen and Lahti are also important sources of information for the citizens of those cities.

Many of Helsinki’s online services can be accessed on mobile devices. One of these services is the Journey Planner, which allows users to find the best public transport routes in the metropolitan area. Helsinki tram tickets can also be purchased by mobile phone.