BARCELONA
More than 30 Turkish firms, including 19 coordinated by the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce, are exhibiting their strong offerings at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona.
The annual telecommunications conference is continuing with events by global industry leaders.
Turkish Deputy Transport and Infrastructure Minister Omer Fatih Sayan told Anadolu that the conference is a key congress guiding global digital transformation.
Sayan, speaking on the sidelines of MWC 26, stated that the deals made during the event primarily focused on artificial intelligence (AI) apps, homegrown communication technologies and future international infrastructure investments.
He noted that a specific investment by Turk Telekom’s subsidiary Argela for a project on drone tracking and navigation came to the fore at the event.
Sayan stated that Ankara is preparing for a nationwide 5G rollout on April 1, while the official launch event is scheduled for the evening of March 31.
Türkiye’s mobile carriers are currently upgrading the existing 4.5G base stations to 5G-capable ones across the country, while tests are conducted to ensure a smooth transition.
He noted that this year will be pivotal for Türkiye’s telecommunications sector with the upcoming 5G rollout and the recent renewal of Turk Telekom’s operating concession, as the contract scheduled to expire Feb. 28 was extended March 1 to run through 2050.
The $20 billion renewal deal will involve $17 billion in fixed-line fiber infrastructure investments, while the Information and Communications Technologies Authority (BTK) will monitor the operator’s compliance with the long-term investment obligations.
*Writing by Emir Yildirim in Istanbul