The importance of domestic and national technology was discussed at the Tekno B2B meetings organized by Vodafone.
The program, hosted by the Information Technologies and Communication Authority (BTK), was attended by Dr. Ömer Fatih Sayan, Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, BTK President Ömer Abdullah Karagözoğlu, Vodafone Turkey CEO Colman Deegan, and numerous guests.
In his speech, Deputy Minister Sayan touched upon the significant role of operators in the growth of Turkey's information and communication sector. Referring to the Ministry's efforts, Sayan stated, “Just like in other sectors, we attach great importance to the development of domestic and national production in the electronic communications sector as well. During the preparations for the 4.5G tender, our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan outlined a vision for the future of the electronic communications sector. At the core of this vision is meeting the high value-added products such as hardware and software used in the critically important communications sector through domestic and national means. As a reflection of this, significant localization obligations were imposed on operators with the 4.5G authorization. Both BTK and our Ministry are closely monitoring these obligations.”
Deputy Minister Sayan: We Are Shaping Our Work in Line with Our President's Vision
“We are shaping our work in line with the vision outlined by our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan,” said Sayan, adding, “5G and beyond technologies will enhance our country's competitiveness in vertical sectors such as defense, transportation, health, energy, agriculture, and industry. But particularly, they will create a paradigm shift in the communications field. For 5G and beyond technologies, instead of collecting and processing all data at the center, we aim to process data at the edge—on servers close to the end user—for faster and more effective feedback. This approach means that end-user entities such as banks, entertainment companies, and transportation companies will need to invest in management and orchestration elements. In this case, network operators will not be the sole owners of end-to-end 5G networks. Every company involved in IT will need to deploy network elements to manage their business processes.”
ULAK base station was also on Minister Sayan's agenda. Reminding that the domestic base station is actively used in more than 500 sites, Sayan said, “On the other hand, tests for commercial networks have largely been completed, and operators have started placing bulk orders. The fact that base stations are high-tech products that can currently be produced by only a few manufacturers worldwide, and that it is produced domestically and nationally with our own resources, will motivate all our producers. With 5G technology, conducting R&D and production of hardware and software products needed by vertical and horizontal sectors in our country will play a key role in our country's development based on technology and innovation. For this purpose, in the electronic communications sector; together with our operators, SMEs, technology companies, and relevant public institutions, hand in hand, in coordination and collaboration; we must achieve the necessary progress in domestic and national production and R&D.” With these words, he concluded his speech.
President Karagözoğlu: We Are Conducting Our Work on the Path to 5G and Beyond
BTK President Ömer Abdullah Karagözoğlu also drew attention to the importance of domestic and national production in the electronic communications sector. Emphasizing that they are fulfilling their duties on Turkey's path to 5G and beyond, President Karagözoğlu stated, “In our work, with the concept of ‘beyond,’ we refer to both the generations after 5G and the changes that will occur at every level of the economy and in every sector through 5G technologies. Having a domestic and national network is very important both to reduce the current account deficit and to ensure our security. At the same time, it is equally important for us that the applications shaped over 5G emerge from the ideas of this country's creative youth and reach the world. There are now fundamental truths that we all realize. The world's largest hotel reservation site doesn't have a single room of its own. The largest retailer has no products of its own. Similarly, the world's largest video sharing site has no content to offer without videos shot by its users. Moreover, these companies' revenues are higher than those of their suppliers and operators.”
Expressing that they have achieved the goal of transitioning to 5G at the same time as the world and to the highest possible extent with domestic and national means, Karagözoğlu said in his speech, “Unlike previous generations, the transition to 5G will not happen overnight but by integrating various technologies into existing systems. This brings certain challenges in terms of technology management on one hand, while providing opportunities to make leaps in technology production and preparation on the other. 5G will not come to the agenda just with the concept of speed increase like previous generations. Especially, service quality metrics such as reducing latency in line with the increase in the number of Internet of Things (IoT) applications and machine users based on communications, minimizing packet losses, and particularly improving coverage quality in indoor areas where usage will be intensive will come to the forefront.”
Karagözoğlu also touched upon the 5G Valley and 5G and Beyond Joint Graduate Program projects they conducted with universities regarding 5G, saying, “As known, under the 2023 vision, we are intensively conducting high value-added innovative studies in Turkey. As an Institution, we are working with our stakeholders to become one of the countries producing technology to the highest possible extent with domestic and national means. I want to reiterate once again how much importance we attach to this unity.”
After the program, celebrations for Nevruz began, and protocol members jumped over the traditional Nevruz fire.