Difference between revisions of "Timeline of telephony in Finland"

From Timelines
Jump to: navigation, search
 
(25 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown)
Line 5: Line 5:
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
! Time period !! Development summary   
 
! Time period !! Development summary   
 +
|-
 +
| 1890s || The first telephone company is founded in the country.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 1910s || The First World War devastates large parts of Europe. {{w|Russia}} fears a German attack via Finland and improves telecommunications for defense purposes with {{w|Helsinki}} and {{w|Tallinn}}. The revolution in Russia in November 1917 has dramatic consequences for Finland, which declares independence in December 1917.<ref name="1880 – 1920 Manual telephony"/>
 
| 1910s || The First World War devastates large parts of Europe. {{w|Russia}} fears a German attack via Finland and improves telecommunications for defense purposes with {{w|Helsinki}} and {{w|Tallinn}}. The revolution in Russia in November 1917 has dramatic consequences for Finland, which declares independence in December 1917.<ref name="1880 – 1920 Manual telephony"/>
Line 10: Line 12:
 
| 1930s || Private telephone companies start being covered by statistics.<ref name="From hand-cranked connections to hands-free mobile calls - history of telecommunications in Finland seen through statistics"/>
 
| 1930s || Private telephone companies start being covered by statistics.<ref name="From hand-cranked connections to hands-free mobile calls - history of telecommunications in Finland seen through statistics"/>
 
|-
 
|-
| 1970s || The Nordic mobile telephony (NMT) standard is developed by the Finland’s state-owned Post, Telegraph and Telephone (PTT), in collaboration  with  the  Swedish,  Norwegian and  Danish  PTTs. Finland would become the first country worldwide to  launch a digital network for mobile communications.<ref name="CASE STUDY NO. 1: MARKET OPENNESS, TRADE  LI BERALISATION AND INNOVATION CAPACITY IN THE  FINNISH TELECOM EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY">{{cite web|title=CASE STUDY NO. 1: MARKET OPENNESS, TRADE  LI BERALISATION AND INNOVATION CAPACITY IN THE  FINNISH TELECOM EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY|url=http://www.oecd.org/finland/41076976.pdf|website=oecd.org|accessdate=25 October 2017}}</ref>
+
| 1960s || P&T is in the forefront of using modems for data transmission in the mid-decade.<ref name="1920 – 1980 Automatic telephony and broadcasting"/>
 +
|-
 +
| 1970s || The Nordic mobile telephony (NMT) standard is developed by the Finland’s state-owned Post, Telegraph and Telephone (PTT), in collaboration  with  the  Swedish,  Norwegian and  Danish  PTTs. Finland would become the first country worldwide to  launch a digital network for mobile communications.<ref name="CASE STUDY NO. 1: MARKET OPENNESS, TRADE  LI BERALISATION AND INNOVATION CAPACITY IN THE  FINNISH TELECOM EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY">{{cite web|title=CASE STUDY NO. 1: MARKET OPENNESS, TRADE  LI BERALISATION AND INNOVATION CAPACITY IN THE  FINNISH TELECOM EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY|url=http://www.oecd.org/finland/41076976.pdf|website=oecd.org|accessdate=25 October 2017}}</ref> The automation of the national telephone system in Finland is completed at the end of the decade.<ref name="1920 – 1980 Automatic telephony and broadcasting"/>
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 1980s || Finland has more mobile telephones per capita than any place else in the world between 1980 and 1985.<ref name="Finland was the laboratory of the telecom world">{{cite web|title=Finland was the laboratory of the telecom world|url=http://www.teliacompanyhistory.com/sources/svenolof-karlssons-the-pioneers/the-pioneers-page-19/|website=teliacompanyhistory.com|accessdate=27 October 2017}}</ref> The capacities of the NMT networks would grow rapidly in the decade.<ref name="From hand-cranked connections to hands-free mobile calls - history of telecommunications in Finland seen through statistics"/> in the mid-1980s, well before its European  neighbours, Finland starts deregulating its telecom sector, which would result in a decentralised system of national and  foreign - owned telecom operators. An environment of increased competition would provide continuous incentives for upgrading different components of the  telecom network and for introducing a variety of technological solutions and innovations among firms participating in the mobile telephony cluster.<ref name="CASE STUDY NO. 1: MARKET OPENNESS, TRADE  LI BERALISATION AND INNOVATION CAPACITY IN THE  FINNISH TELECOM EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY"/>
 
| 1980s || Finland has more mobile telephones per capita than any place else in the world between 1980 and 1985.<ref name="Finland was the laboratory of the telecom world">{{cite web|title=Finland was the laboratory of the telecom world|url=http://www.teliacompanyhistory.com/sources/svenolof-karlssons-the-pioneers/the-pioneers-page-19/|website=teliacompanyhistory.com|accessdate=27 October 2017}}</ref> The capacities of the NMT networks would grow rapidly in the decade.<ref name="From hand-cranked connections to hands-free mobile calls - history of telecommunications in Finland seen through statistics"/> in the mid-1980s, well before its European  neighbours, Finland starts deregulating its telecom sector, which would result in a decentralised system of national and  foreign - owned telecom operators. An environment of increased competition would provide continuous incentives for upgrading different components of the  telecom network and for introducing a variety of technological solutions and innovations among firms participating in the mobile telephony cluster.<ref name="CASE STUDY NO. 1: MARKET OPENNESS, TRADE  LI BERALISATION AND INNOVATION CAPACITY IN THE  FINNISH TELECOM EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY"/>
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 1990s || Finland becomes a leader in the development of mobile telephony.<ref name="Technen: Elements of Recent History of Information Technologies with Epistemological Conclusions"/> The world’s first Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) is launched as the successor of the NMT. It would subsequently also become the European standard for mobile telecommunications. As a result, {{w|Nokia}} and other Nordic telecom  equipment suppliers would benefit from first mover advantages in the mobile telecom industry worldwide.<ref name="CASE STUDY NO. 1: MARKET OPENNESS, TRADE  LI BERALISATION AND INNOVATION CAPACITY IN THE  FINNISH TELECOM EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY"/> The number of landline telephones reaches its highest in Finnish households in the first half of the decade. After the peak, the number of households with no landline phone would grow rapidly, as a consequence of young people establishing their own households and deciding not to get a landline connection.<ref name="From hand-cranked connections to hands-free mobile calls - history of telecommunications in Finland seen through statistics"/>  
 
| 1990s || Finland becomes a leader in the development of mobile telephony.<ref name="Technen: Elements of Recent History of Information Technologies with Epistemological Conclusions"/> The world’s first Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) is launched as the successor of the NMT. It would subsequently also become the European standard for mobile telecommunications. As a result, {{w|Nokia}} and other Nordic telecom  equipment suppliers would benefit from first mover advantages in the mobile telecom industry worldwide.<ref name="CASE STUDY NO. 1: MARKET OPENNESS, TRADE  LI BERALISATION AND INNOVATION CAPACITY IN THE  FINNISH TELECOM EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY"/> The number of landline telephones reaches its highest in Finnish households in the first half of the decade. After the peak, the number of households with no landline phone would grow rapidly, as a consequence of young people establishing their own households and deciding not to get a landline connection.<ref name="From hand-cranked connections to hands-free mobile calls - history of telecommunications in Finland seen through statistics"/>  
 +
|-
 +
| 2000s || Telia merges with Sonera and Telecom Finland is corporatized.<ref name="Liberalization of the telephony markets"/> Finnish giant {{w|Nokia}} reaches its peak at a worldwide level.
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
== Visual data ==
 
 
[[File:Volume of telephone calls made in Finland from 2007 to 2016, by type of connection (in millions).png|thumb|center|400px|Volume of telephone calls made in Finland from 2007 to 2016, by type of connection (in millions).]]
 
[[File:Proportion of telephone calls made in Finland from 2007 to 2016, by type of connection (in millions).png|thumb|center|400px|Proportion of telephone calls made in Finland from 2007 to 2016, by type of connection (in millions).]]
 
  
 
==Full timeline==
 
==Full timeline==
Line 28: Line 30:
 
! Year !! Event type !! Details  
 
! Year !! Event type !! Details  
 
|-
 
|-
| 1877 (end of year) || || The first telephone line is erected in {{w|Helsinki}} towards the end of the year; 18 months after the telephone was patented in the {{w|United States}}.<ref name="From hand-cranked connections to hands-free mobile calls - history of telecommunications in Finland seen through statistics">{{cite web|title=From hand-cranked connections to hands-free mobile calls - history of telecommunications in Finland seen through statistics|url=http://www.stat.fi/tup/suomi90/syyskuu_en.html|website=stat.fi|accessdate=25 October 2017}}</ref>
+
| 1877 (end of year) || Infrastructure || The first telephone line is erected in {{w|Helsinki}} towards the end of the year; 18 months after the telephone was patented in the {{w|United States}}.<ref name="From hand-cranked connections to hands-free mobile calls - history of telecommunications in Finland seen through statistics">{{cite web|title=From hand-cranked connections to hands-free mobile calls - history of telecommunications in Finland seen through statistics|url=http://www.stat.fi/tup/suomi90/syyskuu_en.html|website=stat.fi|accessdate=25 October 2017}}</ref>
 
|-
 
|-
| 1882 || || An early {{w|telephone company}} is founded in {{w|Helsinki}}.<ref name="From hand-cranked connections to hands-free mobile calls - history of telecommunications in Finland seen through statistics"/>
+
| 1882 || Organization || An early {{w|telephone company}} is founded in {{w|Helsinki}}.<ref name="From hand-cranked connections to hands-free mobile calls - history of telecommunications in Finland seen through statistics"/>
 
|-
 
|-
| 1894 || || A private company for long distance telephone traffic is created in Finland, linking local networks among the cities, towns and villages. The Telegraph Office would take no part in the telephone expansion, which remains fully in the hands of national non-state Finnish interests.<ref name="1880 – 1920 Manual telephony">{{cite web|title=1880 – 1920 Manual telephony|url=http://www.teliacompanyhistory.com/timeline-article/1880-1920-manual-telephony/|website=teliacompanyhistory.com|accessdate=27 October 2017}}</ref>
+
| 1894 || Organization || A private company for long distance telephone traffic is created in Finland, linking local networks among the cities, towns and villages. The Telegraph Office would take no part in the telephone expansion, which remains fully in the hands of national non-state Finnish interests.<ref name="1880 – 1920 Manual telephony">{{cite web|title=1880 – 1920 Manual telephony|url=http://www.teliacompanyhistory.com/timeline-article/1880-1920-manual-telephony/|website=teliacompanyhistory.com|accessdate=27 October 2017}}</ref>
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 1905 || Policy || Telephone lines for local cross border traffic between {{w|Tornio}} in {{w|Finland}} and {{w|Haparanda}} in {{w|Sweden}} are permitted after clandestine lines are revealed.<ref name="1880 – 1920 Manual telephony"/>
 
| 1905 || Policy || Telephone lines for local cross border traffic between {{w|Tornio}} in {{w|Finland}} and {{w|Haparanda}} in {{w|Sweden}} are permitted after clandestine lines are revealed.<ref name="1880 – 1920 Manual telephony"/>
 
|-
 
|-
| 1918 (February) || || Carl Gustaf Mannerheim, the Finnish commander-in chief, declares the telegraph service to be a Finnish department. The Telegraph Administration takes over the telegraph system and the telephone line to {{w|Saint Petersburg}} and some military long lines to coastal areas. This forms the embryo of a state operated long-distance telephone service.<ref name="1880 – 1920 Manual telephony"/>
+
| 1918 (February) || Policy || Carl Gustaf Mannerheim, the Finnish commander-in chief, declares the telegraph service to be a Finnish department. The Telegraph Administration takes over the telegraph system and the telephone line to {{w|Saint Petersburg}} and some military long lines to coastal areas. This forms the embryo of a state operated long-distance telephone service.<ref name="1880 – 1920 Manual telephony"/>
 
|-
 
|-
| 1919 || || A telephone service opens via sea cable from {{w|Helsinki}} to {{w|Tallinn}} in {{w|Estonia}}.<ref name="1880 – 1920 Manual telephony"/>
+
| 1919 || Infrastructure || A telephone service opens via sea cable from {{w|Helsinki}} to {{w|Tallinn}} in {{w|Estonia}}.<ref name="1880 – 1920 Manual telephony"/>
 
|-
 
|-
| 1924 || || The Statistical Yearbook of Finland starts being published, providing data on the activities of the State telegraph and telephone companies.<ref name="From hand-cranked connections to hands-free mobile calls - history of telecommunications in Finland seen through statistics"/>
+
| 1923 || Acquisition || The Finnish Telegraph Administration acquires the East Finland Telephone Co in [[w:Vyborg|Viipuri]], its first local telephone network. Gradually, the Administration would acquire more rural networks.<ref name="1920 – 1980 Automatic telephony and broadcasting"/>
 
|-
 
|-
| 1932 || || The Finnish Yearbook starts publishing data describing the activities of private telephone companies. Private telephony activity is found to be many times more extensive than that of the State. State telephone companies have 227 exchanges whereas private telephone companies have as many as 1,998 of them. Likewise, in the same year the State has 1,763 "subscriber apparatuses" whereas private telephone companies had 133,456.<ref name="From hand-cranked connections to hands-free mobile calls - history of telecommunications in Finland seen through statistics"/>
+
| 1924 || Publication || The Statistical Yearbook of Finland starts being published, providing data on the activities of the State telegraph and telephone companies.<ref name="From hand-cranked connections to hands-free mobile calls - history of telecommunications in Finland seen through statistics"/>
 
|-
 
|-
| 1939 || || The {{w|Soviet}} armies cause major devastation in Finland after their attack late in the year.<ref name="1920 – 1980 Automatic telephony and broadcasting">{{cite web|title=1920 – 1980 Automatic telephony and broadcasting|url=http://www.teliacompanyhistory.com/timeline-article/1920-1980-automatic-telephony-and-broadcasting/|website=teliacompanyhistory.com|accessdate=28 October 2017}}</ref>
+
| 1928 || Infrastructure || The first telephone cable across the {{w|Baltic Sea}} via {{w|Åland}} facilitates telephony between {{w|Sweden}} and South and {{w|Central Finland}}.<ref name="1920 – 1980 Automatic telephony and broadcasting"/>
 
|-
 
|-
| 1939 – 1945 || || A total of 815 local telephone companies have been set up in Finland by the {{w|Second World War}}.<ref name="From hand-cranked connections to hands-free mobile calls - history of telecommunications in Finland seen through statistics"/>
+
| 1932 || Publication || The Finnish Yearbook starts publishing data describing the activities of private telephone companies. Private telephony activity is found to be many times more extensive than that of the State. State telephone companies have 227 exchanges whereas private telephone companies have as many as 1,998 of them. Likewise, in the same year the State has 1,763 "subscriber apparatuses" whereas private telephone companies had 133,456.<ref name="From hand-cranked connections to hands-free mobile calls - history of telecommunications in Finland seen through statistics"/>
 
|-
 
|-
| 1971 || || The {{w|Autoradiopuhelin}} (ARP), a zero-generation ({{w|0G}}), is introduced as the first commercially operated public mobile phone network in Finland.<ref name="Finland was the laboratory of the telecom world"/><ref name="Scandinavian heritage: From 0G to 5G Part 1">{{cite web|title=Scandinavian heritage: From 0G to 5G – Part 1|url=https://uros.com/insights/how-scandinavia-created-mobile-telephony-part1.html|website=uros.com|accessdate=27 October 2017}}</ref>  
+
| 1935 || Acquisition || Major parts of the long distance telephone network are nationalized by the Finnish Government in order to ensure continued expansion of the network into less profitable rural areas.<ref name="1920 1980 Automatic telephony and broadcasting"/>
 
|-
 
|-
| 1978 || || The [[w:Autoradiopuhelin|ARP]] reaches 100% geographic coverage with 140 base stations.<ref name="Scandinavian heritage: From 0G to 5G Part 1"/>
+
| 1938 || Infrastructure || A second telephone cable between Sweden and Finland is installed.<ref name="1920 1980 Automatic telephony and broadcasting"/>
 
|-
 
|-
| 1980 || || There are almost twice as many telephones per 100 population in Helsinki as in the rest of the country.<ref name="From hand-cranked connections to hands-free mobile calls - history of telecommunications in Finland seen through statistics"/>
+
| 1939 || Background || The {{w|Soviet}} armies cause major devastation in Finland after their attack late in the year.<ref name="1920 – 1980 Automatic telephony and broadcasting">{{cite web|title=1920 – 1980 Automatic telephony and broadcasting|url=http://www.teliacompanyhistory.com/timeline-article/1920-1980-automatic-telephony-and-broadcasting/|website=teliacompanyhistory.com|accessdate=28 October 2017}}</ref><ref name="1920 – 1980 Automatic telephony and broadcasting"/>
 
|-
 
|-
| 1981 (October 1) || || Finnish mobile telephony company Mobira launches the Nordic Mobile Telephone (NMT) service, the world's first international cellular network and the first to allow international roaming. NMT (Nordisk MobilTelefoni or Nordiska MobilTelefoni-gruppen, Nordic Mobile Telephony in English) is the first fully automatic cellular phone system. An analogue system, NMT is specified by Nordic telecommunications administrations (PTTs) and opens for service in response to the increasing congestion and heavy requirements of the manual mobile phone networks: ARP (150 MHz) in Finland, MTD (450 MHz) in Sweden and Denmark, and OLT in Norway. NMT is based on analog technology (first generation or 1G) and two frequency bands exist at the time: NMT-1800 and NMT-900.<ref name="Scandinavian heritage: From 0G to 5G – Part 1"/>  
+
| 1939 – 1945 || Statistics || A total of 815 local telephone companies have been set up in Finland by the {{w|Second World War}}.<ref name="From hand-cranked connections to hands-free mobile calls - history of telecommunications in Finland seen through statistics"/>
 
|-
 
|-
| 1982 || || The automatic NMT (Nordic Mobile Telephone) 450 network first appears in the statistics, with 2,648 subscriptions.<ref name="From hand-cranked connections to hands-free mobile calls - history of telecommunications in Finland seen through statistics"/>  
+
| 1944 || Background || The {{w|Continuation War}} finishes, implying heavy damage to telecommunications in the north of Finland when retreating German troops inflict major destruction.<ref name="1920 – 1980 Automatic telephony and broadcasting"/>
 
|-
 
|-
| 1986 || || The [[w:Autoradiopuhelin|ARP]] reaches peak of 35,560 users.<ref name="Scandinavian heritage: From 0G to 5G Part 1"/>
+
| 1946 || || A manual {{w|telex}} service is launched in the country. Automation would start a decade later.<ref name="1920 1980 Automatic telephony and broadcasting"/>
 
|-
 
|-
| 1987 || || The NMT 900 network first appears in the statistics, with 2,038 subscriptions.<ref name="From hand-cranked connections to hands-free mobile calls - history of telecommunications in Finland seen through statistics"/>  
+
| 1952 || Infrastructure || A third telephone cable between Finland and {{w|Sweden}} opens, just in time for the {{w|1952 Summer Olympics}}.<ref name="1920 – 1980 Automatic telephony and broadcasting"/>
 +
|-
 +
| 1952 – 1962 || Acquisition || Some 287 local telephone companies are bought by the Finnish P&T during this period. Most of them require thorough technical upgrading and automation.<ref name="1920 – 1980 Automatic telephony and broadcasting"/>
 +
|-
 +
| 1964 || Technology || Data communications via modems in the telephone network is introduced in the country.<ref name="1920 – 1980 Automatic telephony and broadcasting"/>
 +
|-
 +
| 1967 || Technology || Automation of incoming international telephone calls begins in the country.<ref name="1920 – 1980 Automatic telephony and broadcasting"/>
 +
|-
 +
| 1971 || Technology || The {{w|Autoradiopuhelin}} (ARP), a zero-generation ({{w|0G}}), is introduced as the first commercially operated public mobile phone network in Finland.<ref name="Finland was the laboratory of the telecom world"/><ref name="Scandinavian heritage: From 0G to 5G – Part 1">{{cite web|title=Scandinavian heritage: From 0G to 5G – Part 1|url=https://uros.com/insights/how-scandinavia-created-mobile-telephony-part1.html|website=uros.com|accessdate=27 October 2017}}</ref>  Mobile telephony is started as a manual mobile telephone network in the 160 MHz band, which is installed nationally to serve road vehicles.<ref name="1920 – 1980 Automatic telephony and broadcasting"/>
 +
|-
 +
| 1974 || Technology || A computer controlled AKE 13 telephone switch is inaugurated to handle international direct dialing of traffic, initially to the Nordic countries.<ref name="1920 – 1980 Automatic telephony and broadcasting"/>
 +
|-
 +
| 1978 || Statistics || The [[w:Autoradiopuhelin|ARP]] reaches 100% geographic coverage with 140 base stations.<ref name="Scandinavian heritage: From 0G to 5G – Part 1"/>
 +
|-
 +
| 1978 || Organization || {{w|Tecnotree}} is founded as a {{w|telecommunications}} company. It develops and supplies messaging and charging solutions for [[w:telecommunications operator|operators]] and service providers.<ref>{{cite web|title=Tecnotree|url=https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/tecnotree|website=crunchbase.com|accessdate=10 November 2017}}</ref>
 +
|-
 +
| 1980 || Statistics || There are almost twice as many telephones per 100 population in Helsinki as in the rest of the country.<ref name="From hand-cranked connections to hands-free mobile calls - history of telecommunications in Finland seen through statistics"/>
 +
|-
 +
| 1981 (October 1) || Technology || Finnish mobile telephony company Mobira launches the Nordic Mobile Telephone (NMT) service, the world's first international cellular network and the first to allow international roaming. NMT (Nordisk MobilTelefoni or Nordiska MobilTelefoni-gruppen, Nordic Mobile Telephony in English) is the first fully automatic cellular phone system. An analogue system, NMT is specified by Nordic telecommunications administrations (PTTs) and opens for service in response to the increasing congestion and heavy requirements of the manual mobile phone networks: ARP (150 MHz) in Finland, MTD (450 MHz) in Sweden and Denmark, and OLT in Norway. NMT is based on analog technology (first generation or 1G) and two frequency bands exist at the time: NMT-1800 and NMT-900.<ref name="Scandinavian heritage: From 0G to 5G – Part 1"/>
 +
|-
 +
| 1982 || Technology || The automatic NMT (Nordic Mobile Telephone) 450 network first appears in the statistics, with 2,648 subscriptions.<ref name="From hand-cranked connections to hands-free mobile calls - history of telecommunications in Finland seen through statistics"/>
 +
|-
 +
| 1986 || Statistics || The [[w:Autoradiopuhelin|ARP]] reaches peak of 35,560 users.<ref name="Scandinavian heritage: From 0G to 5G – Part 1"/>
 +
|-
 +
| 1987 || Technology || The NMT 900 network first appears in the statistics, with 2,038 subscriptions.<ref name="From hand-cranked connections to hands-free mobile calls - history of telecommunications in Finland seen through statistics"/>  
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 1987 || Policy || The Adoption of the Telecommunications Act is enacted, with the purpose of dissociating commercial telecom operations and regulatory functions, and liberalizing the terminal equipment industry. Administration of the telecommunications sector is transferred from the Transport Executive in the department of Economic Affairs to the Ministry of Transport and Communications.<ref name="CASE STUDY NO. 1: MARKET OPENNESS, TRADE  LI BERALISATION AND INNOVATION CAPACITY IN THE  FINNISH TELECOM EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY"/>   
 
| 1987 || Policy || The Adoption of the Telecommunications Act is enacted, with the purpose of dissociating commercial telecom operations and regulatory functions, and liberalizing the terminal equipment industry. Administration of the telecommunications sector is transferred from the Transport Executive in the department of Economic Affairs to the Ministry of Transport and Communications.<ref name="CASE STUDY NO. 1: MARKET OPENNESS, TRADE  LI BERALISATION AND INNOVATION CAPACITY IN THE  FINNISH TELECOM EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY"/>   
 +
|-
 +
| 1988 (September 19) || Organization || {{w|Radiolinja}} is founded as a {{w|GSM}} operator.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Evolution of Telecommunications|url=http://www.m-stat.gr/the-evolution-of-telecommunications/|website=m-stat.gr|accessdate=10 November 2017}}</ref>
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 1988 || Policy || The New Radio Act is adopted, allowing for competition in corporate networks and data transmission to be partially liberaliszed.<ref name="CASE STUDY NO. 1: MARKET OPENNESS, TRADE  LI BERALISATION AND INNOVATION CAPACITY IN THE  FINNISH TELECOM EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY"/>
 
| 1988 || Policy || The New Radio Act is adopted, allowing for competition in corporate networks and data transmission to be partially liberaliszed.<ref name="CASE STUDY NO. 1: MARKET OPENNESS, TRADE  LI BERALISATION AND INNOVATION CAPACITY IN THE  FINNISH TELECOM EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY"/>
 
|-
 
|-
| 1990 || || Data concerning mobile phones ie added to the Finnish Statistical Yearbook, concurrently with data on transmissions networks.<ref name="From hand-cranked connections to hands-free mobile calls - history of telecommunications in Finland seen through statistics"/>
+
| 1990 || || Data concerning mobile phones is added to the Finnish Statistical Yearbook, concurrently with data on transmissions networks.<ref name="From hand-cranked connections to hands-free mobile calls - history of telecommunications in Finland seen through statistics"/>
 
|-
 
|-
| 1990 || || The import of telecom equipment and parts represents 0.8% of Finnish GDP.<ref name="CASE STUDY NO. 1: MARKET OPENNESS, TRADE  LI BERALISATION AND INNOVATION CAPACITY IN THE  FINNISH TELECOM EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY"/>
+
| 1990 || Statistics || The import of telecom equipment and parts represents 0.8% of Finnish GDP.<ref name="CASE STUDY NO. 1: MARKET OPENNESS, TRADE  LI BERALISATION AND INNOVATION CAPACITY IN THE  FINNISH TELECOM EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY"/>
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 1990 || Policy || The special rights of the Finnish National Board of Post and Tel ecommunications are abolished, allowing for the introduction of free competition in data and GSM networks.<ref name="CASE STUDY NO. 1: MARKET OPENNESS, TRADE  LI BERALISATION AND INNOVATION CAPACITY IN THE  FINNISH TELECOM EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY"/>
 
| 1990 || Policy || The special rights of the Finnish National Board of Post and Tel ecommunications are abolished, allowing for the introduction of free competition in data and GSM networks.<ref name="CASE STUDY NO. 1: MARKET OPENNESS, TRADE  LI BERALISATION AND INNOVATION CAPACITY IN THE  FINNISH TELECOM EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY"/>
 
|-
 
|-
| 1990 – 1991 || || Licenses to regional radio-telecommunications networks are granted. Free competition becomes allowed among corporate networks.<ref name="CASE STUDY NO. 1: MARKET OPENNESS, TRADE  LI BERALISATION AND INNOVATION CAPACITY IN THE  FINNISH TELECOM EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY"/>
+
| 1990 – 1991 || Policy || Licenses to regional radio-telecommunications networks are granted. Free competition becomes allowed among corporate networks.<ref name="CASE STUDY NO. 1: MARKET OPENNESS, TRADE  LI BERALISATION AND INNOVATION CAPACITY IN THE  FINNISH TELECOM EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY"/>
 
|-
 
|-
| 1991 || || The world’s first Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) is launched in Finland as the successor of the {{w|Nordic Mobile Telephone}}, and subsequently also becomes the European standard for mobile telecommunications.  As a result, Nokia and other Nordic telecom equipment suppliers would benefit from first mover advantages in the mobile telecom industry worldwide.<ref name="CASE STUDY NO. 1: MARKET OPENNESS, TRADE  LI BERALISATION AND INNOVATION CAPACITY IN THE  FINNISH TELECOM EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY"/><ref>{{cite web|title=GSM (Global System for Mobile communication)|url=http://searchmobilecomputing.techtarget.com/definition/GSM|website=techtarget.com|accessdate=27 October 2017}}</ref>
+
| 1991 || Technology || The world’s first Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) is launched in Finland as the successor of the {{w|Nordic Mobile Telephone}}, and subsequently also becomes the European standard for mobile telecommunications.  As a result, Nokia and other Nordic telecom equipment suppliers would benefit from first mover advantages in the mobile telecom industry worldwide.<ref name="CASE STUDY NO. 1: MARKET OPENNESS, TRADE  LI BERALISATION AND INNOVATION CAPACITY IN THE  FINNISH TELECOM EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY"/><ref>{{cite web|title=GSM (Global System for Mobile communication)|url=http://searchmobilecomputing.techtarget.com/definition/GSM|website=techtarget.com|accessdate=27 October 2017}}</ref>
 
|-
 
|-
| 1991 || || Local company Radiolija develops early ({{w|2G}}) miniaturized mobile telephones.<ref name="Technen: Elements of Recent History of Information Technologies with Epistemological Conclusions">{{cite book|last1=Wierzbicki|first1=Andrzej Piotr|title=Technen: Elements of Recent History of Information Technologies with Epistemological Conclusions|url=https://books.google.com.ar/books?id=AGYqBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA198&lpg=PA198&dq=telephony+in+finland+history&source=bl&ots=uuvTsVkyCd&sig=FobNzGGAjob9s9BhEsdv9nHKJqw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiZ58n8rIzXAhUPxmMKHUXcBaw4ChDoAQguMAM#v=onepage&q=telephony%20in%20finland%20history&f=false|accessdate=27 October 2017}}</ref>
+
| 1991 || Technology || Local company {{w|Radiolija}} develops early ({{w|2G}}) miniaturized mobile telephones.<ref name="Technen: Elements of Recent History of Information Technologies with Epistemological Conclusions">{{cite book|last1=Wierzbicki|first1=Andrzej Piotr|title=Technen: Elements of Recent History of Information Technologies with Epistemological Conclusions|url=https://books.google.com.ar/books?id=AGYqBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA198&lpg=PA198&dq=telephony+in+finland+history&source=bl&ots=uuvTsVkyCd&sig=FobNzGGAjob9s9BhEsdv9nHKJqw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiZ58n8rIzXAhUPxmMKHUXcBaw4ChDoAQguMAM#v=onepage&q=telephony%20in%20finland%20history&f=false|accessdate=27 October 2017}}</ref>
 
|-
 
|-
| 1992 || || Switched data transmission is exempted from licences. Competitive licenses to long-distance and local  telecommunications are granted.<ref name="CASE STUDY NO. 1: MARKET OPENNESS, TRADE  LI BERALISATION AND INNOVATION CAPACITY IN THE  FINNISH TELECOM EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY"/>
+
| 1992 || Policy || Switched data transmission is exempted from licences. Competitive licenses to long-distance and local  telecommunications are granted.<ref name="CASE STUDY NO. 1: MARKET OPENNESS, TRADE  LI BERALISATION AND INNOVATION CAPACITY IN THE  FINNISH TELECOM EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY"/>
 
|-
 
|-
| 1993 || || 94 per cent of all households in Finland have at least one landline telephone.<ref name="From hand-cranked connections to hands-free mobile calls - history of telecommunications in Finland seen through statistics"/>  
+
| 1993 || Statistics || 94 per cent of all households in Finland have at least one landline telephone.<ref name="From hand-cranked connections to hands-free mobile calls - history of telecommunications in Finland seen through statistics"/>  
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 1994 || Policy || Local and international telecommunications are subject to free competition.<ref name="CASE STUDY NO. 1: MARKET OPENNESS, TRADE  LI BERALISATION AND INNOVATION CAPACITY IN THE  FINNISH TELECOM EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY"/>
 
| 1994 || Policy || Local and international telecommunications are subject to free competition.<ref name="CASE STUDY NO. 1: MARKET OPENNESS, TRADE  LI BERALISATION AND INNOVATION CAPACITY IN THE  FINNISH TELECOM EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY"/>
Line 86: Line 114:
 
| 1994 || || Telecom Finland is corporatized.<ref name="Liberalization of the telephony markets">{{cite web|title=Liberalization of the telephony markets|url=http://www.teliacompanyhistory.com/building-the-company/article-list/deregulation-of-the-telephony-markets/|website=teliacompanyhistory.com|accessdate=27 October 2017}}</ref>
 
| 1994 || || Telecom Finland is corporatized.<ref name="Liberalization of the telephony markets">{{cite web|title=Liberalization of the telephony markets|url=http://www.teliacompanyhistory.com/building-the-company/article-list/deregulation-of-the-telephony-markets/|website=teliacompanyhistory.com|accessdate=27 October 2017}}</ref>
 
|-
 
|-
| 1995 || || Finland joins the {{w|European Union}} and its Single Market. This would imply a full removal of trade and investment  barriers and a substantial increase of trade volumes with other EU member states.  Trade in intermediate and finished telecom  equipment would be particularly facilitated between Finland and its EU trading partners thanks to the harmonisation of essential product regulations and specifications plus the introduction of the EU Suppliers’ Declaration of Conformity for telecom and electrical equipment and parts among EU countries.<ref name="CASE STUDY NO. 1: MARKET OPENNESS, TRADE  LI BERALISATION AND INNOVATION CAPACITY IN THE  FINNISH TELECOM EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY"/>  
+
| 1995 || Background || Finland joins the {{w|European Union}} and its Single Market. This would imply a full removal of trade and investment  barriers and a substantial increase of trade volumes with other EU member states.  Trade in intermediate and finished telecom  equipment would be particularly facilitated between Finland and its EU trading partners thanks to the harmonisation of essential product regulations and specifications plus the introduction of the EU Suppliers’ Declaration of Conformity for telecom and electrical equipment and parts among EU countries.<ref name="CASE STUDY NO. 1: MARKET OPENNESS, TRADE  LI BERALISATION AND INNOVATION CAPACITY IN THE  FINNISH TELECOM EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY"/>  
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 1995 || Policy || Competing licenses to distributed control system networks are granted.<ref name="CASE STUDY NO. 1: MARKET OPENNESS, TRADE  LI BERALISATION AND INNOVATION CAPACITY IN THE  FINNISH TELECOM EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY"/>
 
| 1995 || Policy || Competing licenses to distributed control system networks are granted.<ref name="CASE STUDY NO. 1: MARKET OPENNESS, TRADE  LI BERALISATION AND INNOVATION CAPACITY IN THE  FINNISH TELECOM EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY"/>
Line 92: Line 120:
 
| 1996 || Policy || The Telecommunications Act is amended.<ref name="CASE STUDY NO. 1: MARKET OPENNESS, TRADE  LI BERALISATION AND INNOVATION CAPACITY IN THE  FINNISH TELECOM EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY"/>
 
| 1996 || Policy || The Telecommunications Act is amended.<ref name="CASE STUDY NO. 1: MARKET OPENNESS, TRADE  LI BERALISATION AND INNOVATION CAPACITY IN THE  FINNISH TELECOM EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY"/>
 
|-
 
|-
| 1997 || || The Telecommunications Market Act is adopted, and the Telecommunications Act is repealed.<ref name="CASE STUDY NO. 1: MARKET OPENNESS, TRADE  LI BERALISATION AND INNOVATION CAPACITY IN THE  FINNISH TELECOM EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY"/>
+
| 1997 || Policy || The Telecommunications Market Act is adopted, and the Telecommunications Act is repealed.<ref name="CASE STUDY NO. 1: MARKET OPENNESS, TRADE  LI BERALISATION AND INNOVATION CAPACITY IN THE  FINNISH TELECOM EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY"/>
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 1998 || || {{w|Telecom Finland}} is renamed Sonera.<ref name="Liberalization of the telephony markets"/>
 
| 1998 || || {{w|Telecom Finland}} is renamed Sonera.<ref name="Liberalization of the telephony markets"/>
 
|-
 
|-
| 1999 (July) || || More Finnish households already have a mobile phone than a landline telephone.<ref name="From hand-cranked connections to hands-free mobile calls - history of telecommunications in Finland seen through statistics"/>  
+
| 1999 (July) || Statistics || More Finnish households already have a mobile phone than a landline telephone.<ref name="From hand-cranked connections to hands-free mobile calls - history of telecommunications in Finland seen through statistics"/>  
 
|-
 
|-
| 2000 || || The Finnish telecommunications industry as a whole employs some 83,000 people in over 4000 firms, representing 6.9% of the GDP.<ref name="CASE STUDY NO. 1: MARKET OPENNESS, TRADE  LI BERALISATION AND INNOVATION CAPACITY IN THE  FINNISH TELECOM EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY"/>
+
| 2000 || Statistics || The Finnish telecommunications industry as a whole employs some 83,000 people in over 4000 firms, representing 6.9% of the GDP.<ref name="CASE STUDY NO. 1: MARKET OPENNESS, TRADE  LI BERALISATION AND INNOVATION CAPACITY IN THE  FINNISH TELECOM EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY"/>
 
|-
 
|-
| 2003 || || Manufacturing of telecom equipment represents 90% of total [[w:Information and communications technology|ICT]] manufacturing value-added in Finland.<ref name="CASE STUDY NO. 1: MARKET OPENNESS, TRADE  LI BERALISATION AND INNOVATION CAPACITY IN THE  FINNISH TELECOM EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY"/>   
+
| 2003 || Statistics || Manufacturing of telecom equipment represents 90% of total [[w:Information and communications technology|ICT]] manufacturing value-added in Finland.<ref name="CASE STUDY NO. 1: MARKET OPENNESS, TRADE  LI BERALISATION AND INNOVATION CAPACITY IN THE  FINNISH TELECOM EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY"/>   
 
|-
 
|-
| 2000 || || The Finnish telecommunications industry represents 8.4% of the GDP, up from 6.9% in 2000.<ref name="CASE STUDY NO. 1: MARKET OPENNESS, TRADE  LI BERALISATION AND INNOVATION CAPACITY IN THE  FINNISH TELECOM EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY"/>
+
| 2000 || Statistics || The Finnish telecommunications industry represents 8.4% of the GDP, up from 6.9% in 2000.<ref name="CASE STUDY NO. 1: MARKET OPENNESS, TRADE  LI BERALISATION AND INNOVATION CAPACITY IN THE  FINNISH TELECOM EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY"/>
 
|-
 
|-
| 2000 || || The [[w:Autoradiopuhelin|ARP]] network is closed at the end of the year, along with NMT-900.
+
| 2000 || Decommission || The [[w:Autoradiopuhelin|ARP]] network is closed at the end of the year, along with NMT-900.<ref name="Scandinavian heritage: From 0G to 5G – Part 1"/>
 
|-
 
|-
| 2002 (December) || || Telia merges with Sonera.<ref name="Liberalization of the telephony markets"/>
+
| 2002 (December) || Organization || [[w:Telia Company|Telia]] merges with Sonera.<ref name="Liberalization of the telephony markets"/>
 
|-
 
|-
| 2006 || || The import of telecom equipment and parts represents over 3% of Finnish GDP. In absolute terms, in Finland, imports  of telecom equipment and parts has actually almost been multiplied by ten since 1990.<ref name="CASE STUDY NO. 1: MARKET OPENNESS, TRADE  LI BERALISATION AND INNOVATION CAPACITY IN THE  FINNISH TELECOM EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY"/>
+
| 2004 (May 17) || Organization || {{w|Tele Finland}} is established by [[w:Telia Company|TeliaSonera]] as a {{w|mobile virtual network operator.}} in order to respond to the demand for inexpensive {{w|GSM}} calls in the country.<ref>{{cite web|title=TeliaSonera Finland steps up market efforts - Launches independent service provider|url=http://news.cision.com/telia-company/r/teliasonera-finland-steps-up-market-efforts----launches-independent-service-provider,e104093|website=cision.com|accessdate=10 November 2017}}</ref>
 
|-
 
|-
| 2007 (August) || || About 41% of Finnish households still have a {{w|landline telephone}} while 97% have at least one {{w|mobile phone}}.<ref name="From hand-cranked connections to hands-free mobile calls - history of telecommunications in Finland seen through statistics"/>
+
| 2006 || Statistics || The import of telecom equipment and parts represents over 3% of Finnish GDP. In absolute terms, in Finland, imports  of telecom equipment and parts has actually almost been multiplied by ten since 1990.<ref name="CASE STUDY NO. 1: MARKET OPENNESS, TRADE  LI BERALISATION AND INNOVATION CAPACITY IN THE  FINNISH TELECOM EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY"/>
 +
|-
 +
| 2006 || Statistics || Finnish multinational {{w|Nokia}} peakes, taking 41% of the mobile phone market worldwide.<ref>{{cite web|title=Finland and Nokia: an affair to remember|url=https://www.wired.co.uk/article/finland-and-nokia|website=wired.co.uk|accessdate=12 November 2017}}</ref>
 +
|-
 +
| 2007 (August) || Statistics || About 41% of Finnish households still have a {{w|landline telephone}} while 97% have at least one {{w|mobile phone}}.<ref name="From hand-cranked connections to hands-free mobile calls - history of telecommunications in Finland seen through statistics"/>
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
 +
 +
== Visual data ==
 +
 +
[[File:Volume of telephone calls made in Finland from 2007 to 2016, by type of connection (in millions).png|thumb|center|400px|Volume of telephone calls made in Finland from 2007 to 2016, by type of connection (in millions).]]
 +
[[File:Proportion of telephone calls made in Finland from 2007 to 2016, by type of connection (in millions).png|thumb|center|400px|Proportion of telephone calls made in Finland from 2007 to 2016, by type of connection (in millions).]]
 +
 +
=== Google Trends ===
 +
 +
The comparative chart below shows {{w|Google Trends}} data ({{w|Finland}}) for Elisa (Telecommunications company), Telia Company (Telecommunications company) and DNA Oyj (Telecommunications company), from January 2004 to April 2021, when the screenshot was taken. Interest is also ranked by state and displayed on map.<ref>{{cite web |title=Elisa, Telia Company and DNA Oyj |url=https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=all&geo=FI&q=%2Fm%2F05wqmt,%2Fm%2F07cxn,%2Fm%2F027lvk9 |website=Google Trends |access-date=27 April 2021}}</ref>
 +
 +
[[File:Elisa, Telia Company and DNA Oyj gt.png|thumb|center|600px]]
 +
 +
=== Google Ngram Viewer ===
 +
 +
The comparative chart below shows {{w|Google Ngram Viewer}} data for Radiolinja, Telecom Finland and Telia Finland, from 1980 to 2019.<ref>{{cite web |title=Radiolinja, Telecom Finland and Telia Finland |url=https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=Radiolinja%2CTelecom+Finland%2CTelia+Finland&year_start=1980&year_end=2019&corpus=26&smoothing=3&direct_url=t1%3B%2CRadiolinja%3B%2Cc0%3B.t1%3B%2CTelecom%20Finland%3B%2Cc0%3B.t1%3B%2CTelia%20Finland%3B%2Cc0#t1%3B%2CRadiolinja%3B%2Cc0%3B.t1%3B%2CTelecom%20Finland%3B%2Cc0%3B.t1%3B%2CTelia%20Finland%3B%2Cc0 |website=books.google.com |access-date=27 April 2021 |language=en}}</ref>
 +
 +
[[File:Radiolinja, Telecom Finland and Telia Finland ngram.png|thumb|center|700px]]
 +
 +
=== Wikipedia Views ===
 +
 +
The chart below shows pageviews of the English Wikipedia article {{w|Telecommunications in Finland}}, from July 2015 to March 2021.<ref>{{cite web |title=Telecommunications in Finland |url=https://wikipediaviews.org/displayviewsformultiplemonths.php?page=Telecommunications+in+Finland&allmonths=allmonths-api&language=en&drilldown=all |website=wikipediaviews.org |access-date=27 April 2021}}</ref>
 +
 +
[[File:Telecommunications in Finland wv.png|thumb|center|450px]]
 +
  
 
==Meta information on the timeline==
 
==Meta information on the timeline==
Line 124: Line 180:
 
===What the timeline is still missing===
 
===What the timeline is still missing===
  
[https://www.statista.com/statistics/551035/finland-call-volume-by-type-of-connection/ Visual data]
 
 
[http://www.oecd.org/finland/41076976.pdf Visual data]
 
[http://www.oecd.org/finland/41076976.pdf Visual data]
 
[http://www.teliacompanyhistory.com/sources/svenolof-karlssons-the-pioneers/the-pioneers-page-19/]
 
[http://www.teliacompanyhistory.com/sources/svenolof-karlssons-the-pioneers/the-pioneers-page-19/]
 
[http://www.teliacompanyhistory.com/timeline-article/1880-1920-manual-telephony/]
 
[http://www.teliacompanyhistory.com/timeline-article/1880-1920-manual-telephony/]
[http://www.teliacompanyhistory.com/building-the-company/article-list/deregulation-of-the-telephony-markets/]
 
[https://books.google.com.ar/books?id=AGYqBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA198&lpg=PA198&dq=telephony+in+finland+history&source=bl&ots=uuvTsVkyCd&sig=FobNzGGAjob9s9BhEsdv9nHKJqw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiZ58n8rIzXAhUPxmMKHUXcBaw4ChDoAQguMAM#v=onepage&q=telephony%20in%20finland%20history&f=false book]
 
 
[https://books.google.com.ar/books?id=mpE6DQAAQBAJ&pg=PA146&lpg=PA146&dq=telephony+in+finland+history&source=bl&ots=XYdGEQX-bJ&sig=PC6c0SdSBm9sllWB1A-fIhFhGz4&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiZ58n8rIzXAhUPxmMKHUXcBaw4ChDoAQg0MAU#v=onepage&q=telephony%20in%20finland%20history&f=false book]
 
[https://books.google.com.ar/books?id=mpE6DQAAQBAJ&pg=PA146&lpg=PA146&dq=telephony+in+finland+history&source=bl&ots=XYdGEQX-bJ&sig=PC6c0SdSBm9sllWB1A-fIhFhGz4&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiZ58n8rIzXAhUPxmMKHUXcBaw4ChDoAQg0MAU#v=onepage&q=telephony%20in%20finland%20history&f=false book]
 +
[http://www.teliacompanyhistory.com/timeline-article/1920-1980-automatic-telephony-and-broadcasting/]
  
 
===Timeline update strategy===
 
===Timeline update strategy===

Latest revision as of 20:33, 10 April 2024

This is a timeline of telephony in Finland.

Big picture

Time period Development summary
1890s The first telephone company is founded in the country.
1910s The First World War devastates large parts of Europe. Russia fears a German attack via Finland and improves telecommunications for defense purposes with Helsinki and Tallinn. The revolution in Russia in November 1917 has dramatic consequences for Finland, which declares independence in December 1917.[1]
1930s Private telephone companies start being covered by statistics.[2]
1960s P&T is in the forefront of using modems for data transmission in the mid-decade.[3]
1970s The Nordic mobile telephony (NMT) standard is developed by the Finland’s state-owned Post, Telegraph and Telephone (PTT), in collaboration with the Swedish, Norwegian and Danish PTTs. Finland would become the first country worldwide to launch a digital network for mobile communications.[4] The automation of the national telephone system in Finland is completed at the end of the decade.[3]
1980s Finland has more mobile telephones per capita than any place else in the world between 1980 and 1985.[5] The capacities of the NMT networks would grow rapidly in the decade.[2] in the mid-1980s, well before its European neighbours, Finland starts deregulating its telecom sector, which would result in a decentralised system of national and foreign - owned telecom operators. An environment of increased competition would provide continuous incentives for upgrading different components of the telecom network and for introducing a variety of technological solutions and innovations among firms participating in the mobile telephony cluster.[4]
1990s Finland becomes a leader in the development of mobile telephony.[6] The world’s first Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) is launched as the successor of the NMT. It would subsequently also become the European standard for mobile telecommunications. As a result, Nokia and other Nordic telecom equipment suppliers would benefit from first mover advantages in the mobile telecom industry worldwide.[4] The number of landline telephones reaches its highest in Finnish households in the first half of the decade. After the peak, the number of households with no landline phone would grow rapidly, as a consequence of young people establishing their own households and deciding not to get a landline connection.[2]
2000s Telia merges with Sonera and Telecom Finland is corporatized.[7] Finnish giant Nokia reaches its peak at a worldwide level.


Full timeline

Year Event type Details
1877 (end of year) Infrastructure The first telephone line is erected in Helsinki towards the end of the year; 18 months after the telephone was patented in the United States.[2]
1882 Organization An early telephone company is founded in Helsinki.[2]
1894 Organization A private company for long distance telephone traffic is created in Finland, linking local networks among the cities, towns and villages. The Telegraph Office would take no part in the telephone expansion, which remains fully in the hands of national non-state Finnish interests.[1]
1905 Policy Telephone lines for local cross border traffic between Tornio in Finland and Haparanda in Sweden are permitted after clandestine lines are revealed.[1]
1918 (February) Policy Carl Gustaf Mannerheim, the Finnish commander-in chief, declares the telegraph service to be a Finnish department. The Telegraph Administration takes over the telegraph system and the telephone line to Saint Petersburg and some military long lines to coastal areas. This forms the embryo of a state operated long-distance telephone service.[1]
1919 Infrastructure A telephone service opens via sea cable from Helsinki to Tallinn in Estonia.[1]
1923 Acquisition The Finnish Telegraph Administration acquires the East Finland Telephone Co in Viipuri, its first local telephone network. Gradually, the Administration would acquire more rural networks.[3]
1924 Publication The Statistical Yearbook of Finland starts being published, providing data on the activities of the State telegraph and telephone companies.[2]
1928 Infrastructure The first telephone cable across the Baltic Sea via Åland facilitates telephony between Sweden and South and Central Finland.[3]
1932 Publication The Finnish Yearbook starts publishing data describing the activities of private telephone companies. Private telephony activity is found to be many times more extensive than that of the State. State telephone companies have 227 exchanges whereas private telephone companies have as many as 1,998 of them. Likewise, in the same year the State has 1,763 "subscriber apparatuses" whereas private telephone companies had 133,456.[2]
1935 Acquisition Major parts of the long distance telephone network are nationalized by the Finnish Government in order to ensure continued expansion of the network into less profitable rural areas.[3]
1938 Infrastructure A second telephone cable between Sweden and Finland is installed.[3]
1939 Background The Soviet armies cause major devastation in Finland after their attack late in the year.[3][3]
1939 – 1945 Statistics A total of 815 local telephone companies have been set up in Finland by the Second World War.[2]
1944 Background The Continuation War finishes, implying heavy damage to telecommunications in the north of Finland when retreating German troops inflict major destruction.[3]
1946 A manual telex service is launched in the country. Automation would start a decade later.[3]
1952 Infrastructure A third telephone cable between Finland and Sweden opens, just in time for the 1952 Summer Olympics.[3]
1952 – 1962 Acquisition Some 287 local telephone companies are bought by the Finnish P&T during this period. Most of them require thorough technical upgrading and automation.[3]
1964 Technology Data communications via modems in the telephone network is introduced in the country.[3]
1967 Technology Automation of incoming international telephone calls begins in the country.[3]
1971 Technology The Autoradiopuhelin (ARP), a zero-generation (0G), is introduced as the first commercially operated public mobile phone network in Finland.[5][8] Mobile telephony is started as a manual mobile telephone network in the 160 MHz band, which is installed nationally to serve road vehicles.[3]
1974 Technology A computer controlled AKE 13 telephone switch is inaugurated to handle international direct dialing of traffic, initially to the Nordic countries.[3]
1978 Statistics The ARP reaches 100% geographic coverage with 140 base stations.[8]
1978 Organization Tecnotree is founded as a telecommunications company. It develops and supplies messaging and charging solutions for operators and service providers.[9]
1980 Statistics There are almost twice as many telephones per 100 population in Helsinki as in the rest of the country.[2]
1981 (October 1) Technology Finnish mobile telephony company Mobira launches the Nordic Mobile Telephone (NMT) service, the world's first international cellular network and the first to allow international roaming. NMT (Nordisk MobilTelefoni or Nordiska MobilTelefoni-gruppen, Nordic Mobile Telephony in English) is the first fully automatic cellular phone system. An analogue system, NMT is specified by Nordic telecommunications administrations (PTTs) and opens for service in response to the increasing congestion and heavy requirements of the manual mobile phone networks: ARP (150 MHz) in Finland, MTD (450 MHz) in Sweden and Denmark, and OLT in Norway. NMT is based on analog technology (first generation or 1G) and two frequency bands exist at the time: NMT-1800 and NMT-900.[8]
1982 Technology The automatic NMT (Nordic Mobile Telephone) 450 network first appears in the statistics, with 2,648 subscriptions.[2]
1986 Statistics The ARP reaches peak of 35,560 users.[8]
1987 Technology The NMT 900 network first appears in the statistics, with 2,038 subscriptions.[2]
1987 Policy The Adoption of the Telecommunications Act is enacted, with the purpose of dissociating commercial telecom operations and regulatory functions, and liberalizing the terminal equipment industry. Administration of the telecommunications sector is transferred from the Transport Executive in the department of Economic Affairs to the Ministry of Transport and Communications.[4]
1988 (September 19) Organization Radiolinja is founded as a GSM operator.[10]
1988 Policy The New Radio Act is adopted, allowing for competition in corporate networks and data transmission to be partially liberaliszed.[4]
1990 Data concerning mobile phones is added to the Finnish Statistical Yearbook, concurrently with data on transmissions networks.[2]
1990 Statistics The import of telecom equipment and parts represents 0.8% of Finnish GDP.[4]
1990 Policy The special rights of the Finnish National Board of Post and Tel ecommunications are abolished, allowing for the introduction of free competition in data and GSM networks.[4]
1990 – 1991 Policy Licenses to regional radio-telecommunications networks are granted. Free competition becomes allowed among corporate networks.[4]
1991 Technology The world’s first Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) is launched in Finland as the successor of the Nordic Mobile Telephone, and subsequently also becomes the European standard for mobile telecommunications. As a result, Nokia and other Nordic telecom equipment suppliers would benefit from first mover advantages in the mobile telecom industry worldwide.[4][11]
1991 Technology Local company Radiolija develops early (2G) miniaturized mobile telephones.[6]
1992 Policy Switched data transmission is exempted from licences. Competitive licenses to long-distance and local telecommunications are granted.[4]
1993 Statistics 94 per cent of all households in Finland have at least one landline telephone.[2]
1994 Policy Local and international telecommunications are subject to free competition.[4]
1994 Telecom Finland is corporatized.[7]
1995 Background Finland joins the European Union and its Single Market. This would imply a full removal of trade and investment barriers and a substantial increase of trade volumes with other EU member states. Trade in intermediate and finished telecom equipment would be particularly facilitated between Finland and its EU trading partners thanks to the harmonisation of essential product regulations and specifications plus the introduction of the EU Suppliers’ Declaration of Conformity for telecom and electrical equipment and parts among EU countries.[4]
1995 Policy Competing licenses to distributed control system networks are granted.[4]
1996 Policy The Telecommunications Act is amended.[4]
1997 Policy The Telecommunications Market Act is adopted, and the Telecommunications Act is repealed.[4]
1998 Telecom Finland is renamed Sonera.[7]
1999 (July) Statistics More Finnish households already have a mobile phone than a landline telephone.[2]
2000 Statistics The Finnish telecommunications industry as a whole employs some 83,000 people in over 4000 firms, representing 6.9% of the GDP.[4]
2003 Statistics Manufacturing of telecom equipment represents 90% of total ICT manufacturing value-added in Finland.[4]
2000 Statistics The Finnish telecommunications industry represents 8.4% of the GDP, up from 6.9% in 2000.[4]
2000 Decommission The ARP network is closed at the end of the year, along with NMT-900.[8]
2002 (December) Organization Telia merges with Sonera.[7]
2004 (May 17) Organization Tele Finland is established by TeliaSonera as a mobile virtual network operator. in order to respond to the demand for inexpensive GSM calls in the country.[12]
2006 Statistics The import of telecom equipment and parts represents over 3% of Finnish GDP. In absolute terms, in Finland, imports of telecom equipment and parts has actually almost been multiplied by ten since 1990.[4]
2006 Statistics Finnish multinational Nokia peakes, taking 41% of the mobile phone market worldwide.[13]
2007 (August) Statistics About 41% of Finnish households still have a landline telephone while 97% have at least one mobile phone.[2]

Visual data

Volume of telephone calls made in Finland from 2007 to 2016, by type of connection (in millions).
Proportion of telephone calls made in Finland from 2007 to 2016, by type of connection (in millions).

Google Trends

The comparative chart below shows Google Trends data (Finland) for Elisa (Telecommunications company), Telia Company (Telecommunications company) and DNA Oyj (Telecommunications company), from January 2004 to April 2021, when the screenshot was taken. Interest is also ranked by state and displayed on map.[14]

Elisa, Telia Company and DNA Oyj gt.png

Google Ngram Viewer

The comparative chart below shows Google Ngram Viewer data for Radiolinja, Telecom Finland and Telia Finland, from 1980 to 2019.[15]

Radiolinja, Telecom Finland and Telia Finland ngram.png

Wikipedia Views

The chart below shows pageviews of the English Wikipedia article Telecommunications in Finland, from July 2015 to March 2021.[16]

Telecommunications in Finland wv.png


Meta information on the timeline

How the timeline was built

The initial version of the timeline was written by User:Sebastian.

Funding information for this timeline is available.

What the timeline is still missing

Visual data [1] [2] book [3]

Timeline update strategy

See also

External links

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "1880 – 1920 Manual telephony". teliacompanyhistory.com. Retrieved 27 October 2017. 
  2. 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 "From hand-cranked connections to hands-free mobile calls - history of telecommunications in Finland seen through statistics". stat.fi. Retrieved 25 October 2017. 
  3. 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 "1920 – 1980 Automatic telephony and broadcasting". teliacompanyhistory.com. Retrieved 28 October 2017. 
  4. 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 4.15 4.16 4.17 4.18 "CASE STUDY NO. 1: MARKET OPENNESS, TRADE LI BERALISATION AND INNOVATION CAPACITY IN THE FINNISH TELECOM EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY" (PDF). oecd.org. Retrieved 25 October 2017. 
  5. 5.0 5.1 "Finland was the laboratory of the telecom world". teliacompanyhistory.com. Retrieved 27 October 2017. 
  6. 6.0 6.1 Wierzbicki, Andrzej Piotr. Technen: Elements of Recent History of Information Technologies with Epistemological Conclusions. Retrieved 27 October 2017. 
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 "Liberalization of the telephony markets". teliacompanyhistory.com. Retrieved 27 October 2017. 
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 "Scandinavian heritage: From 0G to 5G – Part 1". uros.com. Retrieved 27 October 2017. 
  9. "Tecnotree". crunchbase.com. Retrieved 10 November 2017. 
  10. "The Evolution of Telecommunications". m-stat.gr. Retrieved 10 November 2017. 
  11. "GSM (Global System for Mobile communication)". techtarget.com. Retrieved 27 October 2017. 
  12. "TeliaSonera Finland steps up market efforts - Launches independent service provider". cision.com. Retrieved 10 November 2017. 
  13. "Finland and Nokia: an affair to remember". wired.co.uk. Retrieved 12 November 2017. 
  14. "Elisa, Telia Company and DNA Oyj". Google Trends. Retrieved 27 April 2021. 
  15. "Radiolinja, Telecom Finland and Telia Finland". books.google.com. Retrieved 27 April 2021. 
  16. "Telecommunications in Finland". wikipediaviews.org. Retrieved 27 April 2021.