Turkey: Three mobile operators win rights to '4.5G network'

ANKARA

Turkey's existing three mobile operators, Turkcell, Vodafone and Avea have won rights to the "4.5G network", in the tender by the Information and Communication Technologies Authority on Wednesday. 

Another bidder, Netgsm, declined to make an offer.

There are 20 packets up for tender in this offer, each comprising different frequencies in the total available spectrum licensed by the authority. Frequency-division duplexing (FDD) means that the transmitter and receiver operate at different carrier frequencies. 

Vodafone Turkey was the highest bidder for packet A1 at 800 MHz FDD of Turkish mobile spectrum, offering €390 million ($446.8 million). 

Avea was the highest bidder for packet A2 at 800 MHz FDD, offering €380 million ($435.4 million), and Turkcell was the highest bidder for packet A3 at 800 MHz FDD, bidding €373 million.

The minimum price was set at €373 million for the A1, A2 and A3 packets. 

Avea was highest bidder on packet B1 for 900 MHz FDD, offering €216.8 million. Vodafone and Turkcell bid the same amount for  packet B2 at 900 MHz FDD. After new bids were requested, Vodafone won with €40 million which was minimum price set by the communication regulator.

Vodafone won an additional B2 and C3 packet. The remaining ones were divided between Turkcell and Avea.

The new network will offer consumers the ability to use new technologies, providing faster surfing, downloads and uploads as well as improved calling. The total amount of spectrum available will be increased by three times.

The rights to the frequencies will last until April 30, 2029. 

Last April, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkey should skip 4G internet technology and move directly to 5G instead. "We would waste time with 4G technology and should move to 5G in two years, or else Turkey becomes a garbage dump for 4G technology," Erdogan had said.