Transport and Infrastructure Minister Adil Karaismailoğlu made statements to the press before the Communications Technologies Cluster Meeting. Stating that the determined steps taken in producing their own technologies are bearing fruit in another field every passing day, Minister Karaismailoğlu said, “The world now knows very well that we have long rejected the position attributed to our country years ago as being the 'market of developed countries'. Today, one of the most important components of the vision we have set in human, cargo, and data transportation is to produce our own vehicles, technologies, and software. I can proudly say that today, we produce many transportation vehicles and solutions in the areas under the responsibility of our Ministry with a high rate of domestic content. Moreover, we export them to the world. Hopefully, a new one will be added to the technologies we produce in our country every passing day. Our country will be the followed, not the follower. On this path opened by the state, our entire business world, our universities, and our youth will walk together with us to carry Türkiye to the future it deserves.”
Minister Karaismailoğlu: Investment Amount for Domestic Goods Certified Products in the Fifth Period Reaches 662 Million Lira
Emphasizing that they are carrying out sensitive and intensive work on establishing the infrastructure of data transportation in Türkiye and ensuring its perfect operation, Minister Karaismailoğlu said, “As required by our regulatory and supervisory role, we strive to take all steps that will benefit our country in a timely and effective manner. Encouraging domestic technological production in Türkiye is also among our priorities. In the 2015 4.5G tender, we were particularly meticulous about one issue in the authorization documents given to operators. We made it a condition that at least 10% of hardware and software investments related to the network and communication services be sourced from our SMEs established for product and system development. In the same authorizations, we also recorded the commitment to shift to domestic goods certified products at rates of 30%, 40%, and 45% gradually in the first three years. Additionally, we required that 45% of software and hardware products be domestic goods at the end of each four-year period. In the 2015-2016 period, the share of domestic goods certified hardware and software investments by mobile operators within total investments was only 0.98%. Our authorized institutions brought supply and demand units in the sector together against this unacceptable problem and activated the production ecosystem. Indeed, our efforts and studies bore fruit. In the fourth investment period, the domestic content rate in hardware and software exceeded 23%. The investment amount for domestic goods certified products in the fifth period reached 662 million lira. In other words, we achieved a 44% increase in domestic content compared to the previous period. Approximately 153 different products were procured from 66 different producers. However, we will increase this product diversity even more in the upcoming period. To develop the domestic and national production ecosystem in the electronic communications sector, we established the Communications Technologies Cluster (HTK) in 2017.”
Minister Karaismailoğlu: We Will Transition to 5G System with Domestic and National Means, First Phase of Our Project Will Be Completed in March
Informing that they have very important and equally beautiful goals ahead, Minister Karaismailoğlu said, “With the participation of 14 companies that are members of the Communications Technologies Cluster and 3 mobile operators, we must meet our country's hardware and software needs on the road to 5G with domestic and national means. For this purpose, we are continuing our 'End-to-End Domestic and National 5G Communications Network Project' with the support of TÜBİTAK. Critical 5G core network, 5G base station, and 5G-specific management, service, and operation software products for 5G infrastructures are being developed with domestic and national means. As our President has particularly emphasized, we will transition to the 5G system with domestic and national means, and we are proud of this. The first phase of our project will be completed in March. Our work on the other phases continues. When we complete all phases, we will transition to 5G with a clear conscience.”
Minister Karaismailoğlu: There is Significant Potential in 5G Technologies in Both Domestic and External Markets
Underlining that 80% of the 1.1 trillion dollar investment to be made by operators in mobile networks worldwide in the 2020-2025 period will be directed towards 5G technologies, Minister Karaismailoğlu said, “As you see, there is significant potential in 5G technologies in both domestic and external markets. With the branding and patenting of our domestic and national products in information technologies, the information sector will be the pioneering sector in closing our country's current account deficit. Global Telekom and Integrated Technologies Inc. (GTENT), established by 10 of our companies undertaking important tasks in the 5G project, plays a major role in commercializing the developed products, conducting branding activities from a single source, and increasing collaboration opportunities.”
In his evaluation at today's Domestic Production Coordination Meeting, “In our meeting, we should consider the supply-demand balance to produce the products needed by our businesses domestically, accelerate the work in a planned manner, and take concrete steps,” said Minister Karaismailoğlu, adding, “We should not forget that this is an important part of our national development momentum, prioritize domestic producers' products in tenders, and provide facilities in payments. We should accelerate the work towards showing sensitivity in using domestic and national production beyond commercial concerns. Our support will continue regarding the use of our Ministry's R&D fund in studies on developing and producing domestic and national products that meet the sector's needs.”
Stating that the process of following the use of domestic and national products in 5G technologies will also create branding and export opportunities at the international level, Minister Karaismailoğlu said, “As our President stated, 'Companies that value R&D, strive to catch innovation, design, and pioneer are already the winners of the process.' On behalf of myself and our Ministry, I congratulate you for your contributions to the domestic and national transformation processes and reiterate that we are always your supporters in your work.”