March 22, 2017
Hosted by the Information Technologies and Communication Authority (BTK), under the leadership of OSTİM, the "Electronic Communications Sector Clustering Meeting" was held at the BTK building in Ankara. The announcement was made regarding the clustering initiative for the electronic communications sector, which was established as a result of the studies conducted by BTK and relevant stakeholders.
The program, which is the first step of the clustering organization for the electronic communications sector, was attended by Deputy Undersecretary of the Ministry of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications Galip Zerey, BTK President Dr. Ömer Fatih Sayan, OSTİM Board Chairman Dr. Orhan Aydın, BTK Board Members Musa Şahin and Celalettin Dinçer, Turkcell Deputy General Manager Serhat Demir, Vodafone Board Chairman Dr. Hasan Süel, Avea Deputy General Manager Yalçın Aydın, as well as many representatives from SMEs and NGOs.
AYDIN: INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES ARE A STRATEGIC SECTOR LIKE DEFENSE
OSTİM Board Chairman Dr. Orhan Aydın emphasized in his speech at the Electronic Communications Sector Clustering Meeting that information technologies are a strategic sector like defense. Aydın continued: "For this reason, we must bring all our capabilities together. We are trying to do this through clustering. We have done similar clustering in health and rail systems, and we can do it here too. We are ready to embark on producing completely domestic and national products in this sector. In 3-5 years, Turkey can become a country that meets its own needs."
ZEREY: THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH DOMESTIC PRODUCT CERTIFICATION IN SOFTWARE
Starting his speech at the Electronic Communications Sector Clustering Meeting by stating that "there are difficulties in obtaining domestic product certificates in the software field," Deputy Undersecretary of the Ministry of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications Galip Zerey said: "Since TOBB's work on software has not been completed, no certificates have been issued for any software products yet. There are also issues in issuing domestic product certificates for hardware. We want to use the national and domestic base station ULAK infrastructure in the first 1,500 base stations to be established."
SAYAN: NATIONAL UNITY AND TOGETHERNESS IN EVERY FIELD
Information Technologies and Communication Authority (BTK) President Dr. Ömer Fatih Sayan began his speech by once again commemorating with mercy and gratitude our esteemed martyrs who sacrificed their lives to protect our future and sacred values on the 102nd anniversary of the Çanakkale victory.
GRANDCHILDREN CANNOT LOSE WHAT THEIR ANCESTORS WON
Stating that we must not forget that Çanakkale is the victory of a nation's national unity and togetherness spirit, unshakable faith and determination formed to protect its common values despite all impossibilities in a state of deprivation, and that this is what we need today, Sayan said: "On March 18, 1915 in Çanakkale, and on July 15, 2016 against the treacherous coup attempt woven with dirty alliances, the national unity and togetherness spirit throughout Turkey; we are gathered here to establish it in the electronic communications sector, which has become important enough to shape the future of countries, towards 'domestic and national' production, and to strengthen this awareness and cooperation. Either we will reach our goals and win, or we will fall behind and lose. If the Anatolian people have held this geography in their hands for a thousand years, they can do it not because they are 'losers', but because they are 'winners'..."
4.5G SUBSCRIBER NUMBER REACHES 51.7 MILLION
BTK President Sayan stated that they are using the latest technologies to not fall behind the age in the electronic communications sector and are working to create the necessary environment to provide the most comfortable service to citizens. He noted that as of April 1, the 1-year anniversary of the start of 4.5G service will be completed, and during this period: 51.7 million citizens preferred 4.5G subscription, 26.5 million citizens' devices and SIM cards are compatible with 4.5G service, and 19.2 million citizens are actually benefiting from this service.
OUR 2023 TARGET IS DOMESTIC AND NATIONAL TECHNOLOGY
Stating that domestic and national technologies must be used for our country to reach its 2023 targets, and that communication technologies touch many aspects of our lives such as security, education, health, tourism, production and export, Sayan continued: "In line with the development strategies determined for our country to reach its 2023 targets, everyone has a duty. We must all work hand in hand with this sense of duty and responsibility, without tiring, without getting stuck in obstacles, on how to take our country to better levels. And we must know that the efforts made without tiring and getting bored will eventually bear fruit."
IMPOSING FINES IS TAKING THE EASY WAY OUT
Referring also to Turkey's 2023 targets, BTK President Sayan underlined the need to develop and sustain the informatics infrastructure with domestic and national technologies, recalling that in the 4.5G authorization tender, they imposed the condition of "procuring products with domestic goods certificates up to 45% and at least 10% from SMEs." "Necessary steps have been taken on this issue. However, we have not yet reached the targeted point. Imposing fines on operators would be taking the easy way out. Before fines, we should bring all producers together with operators and create an ecosystem."
COGNITIVE WORK IS ESSENTIAL FOR DEVELOPMENT
Stating that every software and hardware need of the sector will be produced within our country with our collective will, belief and determination, Sayan said: "One of the reasons we are gathered here is to announce the clustering initiative for the electronic communications sector, which was established as a result of the studies conducted by our institution and stakeholders. With this initiative, the first step of an important power union will be taken to develop the national and domestic production ecosystem specific to the electronic communications sector, and the way will be opened for the production of all software and hardware needs of the communications sector within our country. In this direction, our collective will, belief and determination are in place, and we will achieve it."
NOT INDIVIDUALLY, WE MUST SUCCEED TOGETHER
"The purpose of clustering is to develop the spirit of national unity and togetherness in this sector where global competition is very intense; to gain the ability to work together, not individually. With the electronic communications sector clustering organization, our SMEs and producer companies will acquire the culture of forming cooperation, producing joint projects, analyzing the sector's needs and producing product-oriented solutions, and working in coordination with each other," said Sayan, concluding his speech by thanking OSTİM, which undertakes the task of bringing cluster stakeholders together as a unifier/bridge builder and directing them towards cooperation, and all participants.