Within the scope of the 14th International Electronic Communications Regulators Conference, the panel titled “New Generation Regulatory Approaches: Turkey Perspective” was held.
The panel, moderated by Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Dr. Ömer Fatih Sayan, featured speakers including Ömer Abdullah Karagözoğlu, President of the Information Technologies and Communication Authority; Hasan Hüseyin Ertok, General Manager of TÜRKSAT; Dr. Ali Taha Koç, CEO of Turkcell; Ümit Önal, CEO of Türk Telekom; and Dr. Hasan Süel, Vice President of the Executive Board responsible for External Relations at Vodafone Turkey.
Deputy Minister Dr. Ömer Fatih Sayan stated that the highly dynamic and change-prone structure of the information technologies and communications sector necessitates the continuous review and adaptation of regulations to evolving conditions, as this sector is strategic in importance, affecting all sectors, generating new business models, and sometimes even determining the fate of nations.
Sayan mentioned that with the global digital transformation, we are living in an era where access to and transmission of information occurs very easily and quickly, and as a result, information and communication technologies process, store, and utilize massive amounts of data that grow daily. He emphasized that, for this very reason, the effective use of big data has become extremely important for decision-making mechanisms. Highlighting that countries that effectively utilize information technologies are one step ahead, the Deputy Minister noted that nations capable of developing and using these technologies effectively also gain significant advantages during crises.
Sayan pointed out that new services bring new approaches, and classical regulatory methods are no longer sufficient, stressing the need for regulations that center on the individual, foster sector growth, address new dynamics, and enable development.
During the panel, speakers discussed the contributions of communication operators to Turkey's digital transformation, future-oriented goals and strategies, TÜRKSAT's current position in satellite communications and targets for international services, the importance of a domestic and national ecosystem in 5G and beyond technologies, and efforts to provide broadband internet services via low Earth orbit satellites.