The MOBİSAD General Assembly Meeting was Held under the Host of the Information Technologies and Communication Authority.
The program was attended 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, Mustafa Kemal Turnacı, President of the Mobile Communication Devices and Information Technologies Businessmen Association (MOBİSAD), and sector representatives.
In his opening speech at the program, Deputy Minister Dr. Ömer Fatih Sayan spoke about what needs to be done on the path to digital transformation. Sayan stated, “One of the most important accelerators on this path is undoubtedly the developments in mobile technologies in recent years. While mobile services rapidly entered our lives in the 1990s, especially after 2010, the dizzying rapid development of internet-based mobile services has made mobile devices the most important part of our daily lives. The number of internet-connected devices, which was 8 billion in 2018, is estimated to reach 1 trillion by 2030. It is even predicted that the number of phones in the world is 5 times the number of computers. When we think about it, how many people can say 'it's not important' and not turn back to pick up their mobile phone left at home?”
Touching on the problems experienced by store owners regarding "subscriptions to mobile lines without the knowledge of individuals," Sayan said, "We have held serious consultations with the Ministry of Justice on this issue. We have prepared our drafts for its solution. We expect it to be enacted according to the Parliament's calendar in the upcoming period. We will follow this process together."
Providing information on smartphone usage statistics, Sayan said, “When we look at it, the average mobile device usage time per person was close to 3 hours in 2019, but now it is approaching 4 hours due to Covid-19. Moreover, it is estimated that 22% of users check their phones every few minutes and more than half look at their phones several times an hour. More than 5 billion people, corresponding to two-thirds of the world's total population, own mobile devices. 70% of these are smartphones. The number of internet users is also increasing exponentially. It is predicted that an additional 1 million people start using the internet every day since January 2018.”
Expressing that the developments recorded in mobile communication are a team effort, Sayan said, “As our Ministry and BTK, while signing studies that will contribute to the development of the sector, we have strived to create sectoral rules in line with needs, both to prevent grievances and to avoid creating obstacles to the sector's growth rate. MOBİSAD's effective bringing of the sector's problems to the agenda and its contributions to our consultation environments are important for us. I have always attached importance to consultation. We have demonstrated strong administration in resolving our sector's problems through cooperation between public institutions, the private sector, and civil society organizations. Insha'Allah, we will continue our efforts to take our sector to even better points together with strengthened resolve.”
Deputy Minister Sayan: We are Working to Establish Standards Regarding Mobile Devices
Noting that more than 80% of the devices sold in the market for the electronic communications sector are mobile phones, Sayan emphasized that they are working sensitively to ensure compliance with national and international standards regarding mobile devices, saying, “Of course, there is also the issue of second-hand use of these devices. With the regulation published in August 2020, certain rules and standards were introduced for second-hand sales, thereby preventing consumer grievances in the second-hand market and providing the opportunity to eliminate the informal economy.”
President Karagözoğlu: Interest in Mobile Devices is Increasing Day by Day
Information Technologies and Communication Authority President Ömer Abdullah Karagözoğlu also stated that Turkey, with its population of 83.6 million as of the end of 2020, is the largest country in Europe with a majority young population. Karagözoğlu noted that mobile broadband services in Turkey are used by a very large portion of society with a penetration rate of 80% according to the reached population.
Drawing attention to the increasing interest in mobile devices and applications not only in Turkey but also in other countries in recent years, Karagözoğlu said, "The number of smartphone users worldwide, which was 1 billion in 2012, reached 3.6 billion last year, and this number is expected to be 4.6 billion in 2023. The annual average number of smartphones sold in the last five years is nearly 1.5 billion units. Mobile devices, whose share in internet access is rapidly increasing, are expected to become even more popular in the next few years, with nearly three-quarters of internet users expected to access the internet via their smartphones by 2025."
Pointing out that interest in mobile devices in the country has increased over the years with technological developments, Karagözoğlu announced that, according to the Mobile Equipment Registration System data, more than 22 million devices with electronic identity information were registered as of the end of 2020, and these devices mostly entered the country through imports.
President Karagözoğlu: Manufacturer Tracking Codes Issued to Nearly 100 Companies
Emphasizing that the number of devices manufactured and registered in Turkey is also increasing year by year, Karagözoğlu said, "The number of devices manufactured and registered in our country in the previous year was around 900 thousand, while this number exceeded 1.1 million by the end of 2020."
Explaining that BTK has issued manufacturer tracking codes to nearly 100 companies to date in terms of domestic manufacturing, Karagözoğlu stated that 6 of the active companies among them are engaged in mobile phone device manufacturing.