February 15, 2017
The 5G Center of Excellence, where important projects such as Turkey's national software development efforts will be tested, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım.
The opening of Türk Telekom's 5G Center of Excellence, located at ODTÜ Technopark, was attended by Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım, along with Minister of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications Ahmet Arslan, Minister of Science, Industry and Technology Faruk Özlü, BTK President Dr. Ömer Fatih Sayan, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications Suat Hayri Aka, Ankara Governor Ercan Topaca, Türk Telekom CEO Paul Doany, and many officials from the sector.
The 5G Center of Excellence will be the place where important projects such as Turkey's national software development efforts, primarily 5G, are tested. This center will also serve as a laboratory for universities, the private sector, and the public. Tests of produced software, network infrastructures, and other technologies will be conducted here. After all these tests, they will take their place in the international sector. Turkey will be not only an implementer but also a producer in 5G.
TURKEY WILL BE NOT ONLY AN IMPLEMENTER BUT ALSO A PRODUCER IN 5G
Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım, who inaugurated the 5G Center of Excellence, stated that the works have been initiated, saying, “In 2015, we said let's not waste time with 4G and decided to move to 5G. We started with an intermediate step, 4.5G, and now we have launched the preparations for 5G at this center of excellence. Turkey will be not only an implementer but also a producer in 5G.”
SPEED IS DISASTER IN TRAFFIC, BLESSING IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
“Using information is not enough; you must possess information,” said Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım, continuing: “You will produce information. Otherwise, we will join the ranks of offline countries. Speed is disaster in traffic, blessing in IT. Go as fast as you can in IT. Currently, the infrastructure is almost sounding the alarm. Therefore, we must increase the capacity of our data highways by any means, from air or land. This is Turkey's primary goal. Infrastructure is very important.”
BTK IS CONDUCTING WORK TO DETERMINE 5G STANDARDS
Minister of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications Ahmet Arslan stated that the 5G Center of Excellence will both enable the development of Türk Telekom’s services, products, and technologies and serve as a very important lever for Turkey’s developing sector, saying: He recalled that the Next Generation Mobile Communication Technologies Turkey Forum, namely 5GTR, was established in April 2016, a cooperation text was signed between Turkey and Japan for partnership including 5G, and in May 2016, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Information Technologies and Communication Authority (BTK) and the Korea Communications Commission on cooperation in communications including 5G. Arslan noted that BTK is conducting the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)'s 5G standardization efforts at WTSA 2016 Conferences, and that significant progress has been made by deciding to advance the ULAK Project towards 5G and beyond.