Vodafone
has brought a total of 250 ULAK base stations into service in the Black Sea and
Eastern Anatolia Regions as part of its vision to lead Turkey's digitalization.
The opening ceremony held in Rize for Vodafone's activated ULAK base stations was attended by Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Ömer Fatih Sayan, Rize Governor Kemal Çeber, Presidential Digital Transformation Office President Ali Taha Koç, Deputy President of the Presidency of Defense Industry Celal Sami Tüfekçi, General Manager of ULAK İletişim AŞ Metin Balcı, and Vodafone Turkey CEO Colman Deegan.
In his speech at the opening, Deputy Minister Ömer Fatih Sayan stated that the double-digit localization and nationalization figures achieved since the 4.5G tender were not coincidental. Noting that Vodafone's work in this regard was important for them, Sayan said, "The localization and nationalization of technologies used both in communication technologies and cybersecurity are as important as national defense. You need to be at 4.5G so that we can advance further in 5G and future technologies. The indispensable element is infrastructure. Fiber infrastructure must first be ready for 5G and advanced technologies. Broadband internet reached at least one million new households in 2018, and we have targets given to companies this year. We had given a target of 1.2 million to just one company, and we see that it has been achieved. Of a 100-unit fiber investment, 50-55 units consist of fees paid rather than investment. We will do what is necessary for the widespread adoption of fiber in an equal and fair manner, not in a system where everyone sets their own fees."
Stating that each fiber line laid contains 96 strands, Sayan said, "With the fees coming to a reasonable level at the beginning of next year, we will evaluate the opportunity to make our investments directly into fiber."
Deputy Minister: Keeping Our Data in Turkey is a Must
Drawing attention to ULAK raising its targets for end-to-end national and local 5G with the contributions of all stakeholders in the sector, Sayan said, "We have also set a deadline for the first tests to be conducted by June. In June, we will be conducting tests for national and local 5G together."
Emphasizing the importance of developments in 4.5G for the success of 5G, Sayan conveyed that they attach great importance to 4.5G in this regard. Stating that everyone has important duties in terms of the safe use of the internet, Sayan said, "Keeping our data in Turkey, having local hardware and software, is a must for us. I want to reiterate from Rize, within the framework of our President's vision of a great Turkey that produces rather than consumes, that Turkey's data must stay in Turkey. Our three operators should contribute more to localization and nationalization," he added.
Following the meeting, the ULAK base station established by Vodafone on the Rize Çayeli coast was officially opened into service with the participation of Minister Sayan.