Software-defined radio

A total of 2 billion euros has been paid to the Treasury by the telecommunication companies which won a tender for the launch of advanced 4.5G technologies in Turkey.

Some 30,000 new base stations need to be built in Turkey to adapt to the advanced 4G technologies, but it is a big unknown which authority will give the permission.

Yesterday was one of the most anticipated days of the Turkish communication industry. The sheer excitement about the tender of new mobile frequencies was not much different than a techno-political thriller. Turkey is very keen on using mobile data services and currently the backbone of the mobile network cannot handle the demand for data.

Turkey?s three existing mobile operators, Turkcell, Vodafone and Avea, have won the rights to the country?s advanced 4G network due to be established for a sum of more than 1.14 billion euros, in the Aug. 26 tender held by the Information and Communication Technologies Authority.

Another bidder, Netgsm, declined to make an offer.

Turkey did not cancel a planned 4G tender, but will make a 4.5G tender on Aug. 26, a high-level official from the Information and Communications Technologies Authority (BTK) has told Anadolu Agency. 

Turkey has an urgent need for more mobile frequencies to meet a skyrocketing demand for broadband services and the required steps should be taken immediately to open the way for such investments, said Hasan Süel, the vice chairman of Vodafone Turkey's executive board. 

Turkey's biggest mobile operator Turkcell and defense company Aselsan signed a framework agreement to develop joint projects in 5G technologies, Turkcell said in a written statement July 6. 

Turkcell, Turkey's leading mobile phone operator, has launched Ukraine's first 3G GSM network service through the Life:) brand. 

The brand, 55 percent of which is owned by Turkcell, was awarded 3G mobile licenses in Ukraine in February. 

The planned tender for 4G Internet technology has been delayed for three months, the Information and Communications Technologies Authority (BTK) said in a statement on May 15.

The BTK announced that the tender will be made on Aug. 26 this year, after a three-month delay.

Turkey should skip 4G internet technology and move directly to 5G in two years, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an has said, but sector representatives have concerns about realizing this target, as the 5G technologies have been in the development stage and it might take some four years for the world to get 5G online.