puhelinverkostoille

Puhelinverkosto (plural puhelinverkostot) is a Finnish term for telephone networks, the systems that enable voice and data communication over analog and digital media. Historically, the first domestic telephone networks were analog and built on copper trunk lines that connected central offices to subscribers. They enabled long‑distance calls in the early 20th century and developed gradually with the introduction of carrier signals in the 1920s and the first trunk exchanges in Scandinavian countries.

With the advent of the International Telecommunication Union recommendation ITU-T Recommendation G.100 in the 1970s, Finnish telephone operators began implementing digital exchanges. Digital over copper (SIP over T1/E1) grew in the 1980s, giving better quality and lower maintenance than analog. In the 1990s, Finland switched to a fully digital public switched telephone network (PSTN), which was decommissioned by 2009.

The modern Finnish telco market is dominated by three primary operators – Elisa, DNA, and Telia Finland – each of which continues to develop fibre‑optic infrastructure and IP‑based services. Public networks now largely function as an overlay for broadband, VoIP, and mobile broadband traffic. The nationwide fibre‑optic backbone, finished in 2020, can carry up to 400 Gbps per line, and its deployment has enabled high‑speed broadband for both residential and commercial customers.

Puhelinverkostot play a critical role in Finland’s ICT policy, supporting government initiatives such as the 5G roll‑out and the digital society programme. They underpin crucial services such as emergency calls, banking, and e‑government, and therefore remain a strategic national asset.