Information Technologies and Communication Authority has launched the 13th International Electronic Communications Regulators Conference this year.
This year's conference, themed “Digitalization and the Transformation of Regulations,” was attended via video by Dr. Ömer Fatih Sayan, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, Ömer Abdullah Karagözoğlu, President of the Information Technologies and Communication Authority, representatives from numerous foreign regulatory authorities, and guests.
Stating that information and communication technologies have created a new lifestyle and work style worldwide, Sayan said that access to information has become faster with the increase in mobile internet usage. Sayan stated, "Today, more than 150 million emails are sent per minute on the internet, over 4 million videos are watched, more than 3.5 million searches are conducted on a single search engine, around 350 thousand new tweets are posted, and more than 30 million instant messages are sent. Over 265 thousand sales are made on the largest e-commerce site, and hundreds of millions of people share on social media platforms simultaneously. These figures are rising every day."
Drawing attention to the fact that a technology revolution is now taking place after the Industrial Revolution, Sayan stated that the only nourishment for the human brain is information, science, and knowledge, and added: “Countries need to have their own domestic and national technologies. As the Ministry, we are fulfilling our duties in this regard and supporting institutions and organizations; however, I expect the private sector to be open to collaboration alongside the state and public institutions for the pieces to fall into place. We must leverage technological opportunities to transform our country. If we fulfill this duty, great opportunities will emerge for both our industry and our country.”
President Karagözoğlu: We Are Working Non-Stop for the 2023 Target
BTK President Ömer Abdullah Karagözoğlu also stated in his speech at the conference that they are working tirelessly for Turkey to be among the top 10 economies in 2023 and for the information technologies sector to reach a size of 160 billion dollars.
Expressing that they are participating in the race in the field of information technologies as a country with the "National Technology Move" led by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Karagözoğlu said that their doors are open to all collaborations and joint efforts.
Noting that the share of information and communication technologies in the gross domestic product is increasing, Karagözoğlu stated that these technologies are spreading from education to health, from the entertainment sector to every area of daily life.
Highlighting the activities carried out specifically for 5G, which will form the infrastructure of these technologies, Karagözoğlu said, “Last year, the 5G Valley Open Test Field Project was brought to life, and thus an area was created where all stakeholders working in the 5G field can conduct their tests and trials.”
Emphasizing that cybersecurity has become an important agenda item, Karagözoğlu added that domestically and nationally developed software named Avcı, Azad, and Kasırga are being used to detect cyber attacks and transmit the detections to other relevant institutions.
Following the speeches, the existing memorandum of understanding signed in 2014 between the Information Technologies and Communication Authority and its counterpart in Benin was reviewed and amended in accordance with changing conditions, and signed during the 13th International Electronic Communications Regulators Conference. The Memorandum of Understanding was signed on behalf of BTK by Board President Ömer Abdullah Karagözoğlu and on behalf of (ARCEP Benin) by President Flavien Bachabi. The purpose of the memorandum was determined as promoting the exchange of information on the regulatory experiences of Turkey and Benin in the communications and postal industry to further develop friendly relations between the two countries on the basis of equality and mutual benefit.
At the end of the first day of the conference, a Memorandum of Understanding was also signed between the Information Technologies and Communication Authority (BTK) and the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (Post and Telecom Authority-PTS). The memorandum text was signed during the signing ceremony held during the 13th International Electronic Communications Regulators Conference by BTK Board President Ömer Abdullah Karagözoğlu on behalf of BTK and General Manager Dan Sjöblom on behalf of PTS.
The memorandum of understanding plans for mutual cooperation between BTK and PTS through the exchange of information, experience, and expertise on electronic communications sector matters. The areas of cooperation between the two institutions are listed as regulation of electronic communications markets, regulation and applications of the use of information technologies, regulation of postal services, and other matters mutually agreed upon. Within these areas, the matters to be carried out in cooperation include exchange of information and documents, exchange of experts, bilateral consultations, joint technical workshops, seminars, study visits, and training programs, sharing of best practice examples in electronic communications regulations, expert visits and joint working groups in telecommunications services and technologies, which were determined as priority areas of cooperation.