Mobile Communication Tools and Information Technologies Businessmen Association organized the “Mobile Communication and Information Technologies Fair” in Istanbul. The event, themed “Mobile Integrated Life,” was also attended by Dr. Ömer Fatih Sayan, Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, and Ömer Abdullah Karagözoğlu, President of the Information Technologies and Communication Authority.
Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister Sayan drew attention to the fact that the market in the information and communication sector grows every year. Sayan stated, “It is projected that the size, which reached 4.4 trillion dollars in 2022, will reach 5.6 trillion dollars in 2026. In our country, we see that the information and communication technologies market size is increasing rapidly and stood at 409 billion TL in 2022.”
Noting that the developments in information and communication technologies have led to significant changes in business and social life, Sayan expressed that the most important factor in these changes is a strong communication infrastructure. Deputy Minister Sayan stated, “As the Ministry, we are taking strategic steps in strengthening fiber optic infrastructure and further widespread adoption of broadband infrastructure through the policies and targets we have set. We are intensively working to strengthen a faster, more reliable, and accessible internet infrastructure nationwide.”
Indicating that efforts on 5G and next-generation technologies continue rapidly under the National Technology Initiative, Sayan said, “As the Ministry, in line with the goal of ‘a Turkey that is competent in science, technology, and innovation, produces, and increases its added value by relying on its own intellectual power,’ we are developing various projects. We have been successfully conducting the 5G Open Test Field, 5G TR Forum, and 5G Valley initiatives for years. Within the framework of the goal to transition our country to 5G with domestic and national network products, the ‘End-to-End Domestic and National 5G Communication Network Project’ is being implemented. Our main objective here is to provide testing, verification, and trial infrastructure for all kinds of R&D and product development activities in 5G and beyond areas, and to support the delivery of new services we produce with our own resources to our people.”
Deputy Minister Sayan: Our goal is to transition to 5G using our own infrastructure with domestic and national products
Sayan concluded his speech by saying, “In our country’s transition process to 5G and 6G technologies, we always keep domestic and national ratios at the highest level. Our efforts and endeavors are bearing fruit. While the domestic and national software ratio in the sector was 1% during the first investment period of 4.5G, it has now exceeded 33%. I would like to note that the share of domestic production in the service and software sub-sectors of the information technologies sector reaches 75%.”
President
Karagözoğlu: As BTK, we are at the heart of technological developments
Ömer Abdullah Karagözoğlu, President of the Information Technologies and Communication Authority, also made statements regarding the information and communication sector. Stating that developments in mobile technologies accelerate digital transformation, Karagözoğlu said, “We, as BTK, are at the heart of technological developments. We are working to bring the technologies of the future to our citizens. As in every country, 5G is also on our agenda in our country. We are working with all our might to transition to 5G with domestic and national capabilities in the shortest possible time.”
Stating that the products to be supplied to the market by domestic manufacturers in Turkey must be able to compete with products from other countries, Karagözoğlu expressed that the necessary regulations have been made by BTK in this regard. President Karagözoğlu said, “To date, manufacturing tracking codes have been given to 99 companies by our institution. Mobile phone device manufacturing is carried out by companies with tracking codes. In 2022, approximately 6.2 million mobile phones were produced. In the first 8 months of 2023, this figure exceeded 4 million. We expect these numbers to increase further.”
Recording that BTK has taken many steps to protect consumers' rights and interests at the regulation and supervision stage, Karagözoğlu concluded his speech by saying, “BTK has systematically listened to consumers' demands in the sector and included consumers' needs and demands in the regulation process. Within this scope, through the Consumer Complaint System within BTK, we receive citizens' complaints and demands, and make the necessary regulations on complaint topics that intensify.”