Technical steering and supervision of telecommunications

Finnish Communications Regulatory Authority (FICORA) supervises that telecommunications is operated in accordance with the Communications Market Act (393/2003), the Act on the Protection of Privacy in Electronic Communications (516/2004) and other provisions issued under them, such as FICORA's regulations.

Public communications networks and communications services and the communications networks and communications services connected to them shall be planned, built and maintained in such a manner that they meet the functional and quality requirements set out in the Communications Market Act. Telecommunications operators, value added service providers and corporate or association subscribers have an obligation to maintain information security in electronic communications.

FICORA may issue orders on the quality requirements and interoperability of communications networks and communications services. FICORA may also issue regulations regarding the information security of a network service, communications service or value added service. In addition to issuing mandatory regulations, FICORA produces recommendations, implementation guidelines and working group reports.

A telecommunications operator must notify FICORA of a possible significant fault or disruption in the communications network or service, of significant violations of information security in network services and communications services and of any information security threats to such services.

(Sections 128 and 129 of the Communications Market Act, sections 19 and 21 of the Act on the Protection of Privacy in Electronic Communications.)