Türkiye’s 5G rollout set to boost mobile market, enable new services

By Seda Tolmac and Emir Yildirim

ANKARA (AA) - The rollout of 5G network connectivity in Türkiye is expected to transform the country’s mobile market and open the door to new service models and applications, especially in areas such as augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR), according to industry representatives.

They say widespread 5G use will bring the speed, low latency, and broad coverage required for next-generation digital services — but only if the right infrastructure is built to support it.

Halil Nadir Teberci, chair of the carrier operators’ association Telkoder, told Anadolu that 5G users will consume far more data, pushing companies to invest in fiber networks and shared infrastructure. Such upgrades, he said, will drive growth across Türkiye’s mobile market.

“The most important factor in making 5G-compatible devices more widespread is to make a robust infrastructure available for these devices — accelerating and expanding fiber investments will be decisive in the effective use of these devices, as without such an infrastructure, 5G services can’t be provided properly,” he said.

Teberci said sharing infrastructure could cut costs and expand access. “If relevant institutions supporting and facilitating infrastructure sharing adopt this approach, it will be key in ensuring the fair and balanced coverage of 5G nationwide,” he said.

He also called for long-delayed reforms to support new entrants.

“It is also important to implement the virtual mobile network service, something that has long remained unresolved, and to integrate it into the 5G tender process,” Teberci said.

“With this integration into 5G, the service will facilitate new mobile carriers to enter the market and open up space for carriers who wish to offer services by leasing the infrastructure of existing carriers, which will lead to a price drop, in favor of subscribers — this will bring the greatest benefit to both the sector and the consumers,” he added.

Mustafa Kemal Turnaci, chair of the communications and information technologies association Mobisad, said demand for 5G-ready smartphones will climb sharply once the technology goes live.

Turnaci projected a 20-30% increase in smartphone sales between 2026 and 2030, with mobile service revenues also rising by 8-15% over the same period.

- 'Campaigns with affordable and homegrown devices'

He noted that while 5G phones remain costly, “carriers and manufacturers have already begun campaigns with affordable and homegrown devices,” he said.

Turnaci added that 5G will fuel Türkiye’s digital economy and create new opportunities for entrepreneurs.

“Applications with high bandwidth requirements, such as, AR and VR, high-definition video streaming, live broadcasting, and gaming, are expected to become more widespread,” he said.

“For instance, low-latency and secure private 5G networks will enable factories, logistics centers, and mining sites to benefit from this technology, while independent carriers will be able to offer both infrastructure and software solutions.”

“Robots, production lines powered by artificial intelligence (AI), AR-powered maintenance processes will become more efficient, and Türkiye’s local ecosystem will be strengthened with 5G,” he added.

“Türkiye, as a bridge between Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, can become a strategic hub for 5G-supported data and service centers.”

He said carriers will likely prioritize industrial hubs such as Bursa, Kocaeli and Gaziantep, where 5G could sharply improve production efficiency.

However, Turnaci warned that it would be unsustainable for every mobile operator to build a nationwide 5G network alone. He urged regulators to make infrastructure sharing easier and legally safe. He noted that Turkiye's Information and Communications Technologies Authority (BTK) should state clear rules to boost infrastructure sharing.

“Regulations on this could ease the concerns of carriers in terms of compliance to competition laws when using shared infrastructure,” he said. “State funds and other support can be mobilized for shared base stations and fiber investments in rural areas, while municipalities can facilitate tower construction, licensing, and excavation for fiber permits.”

“We think that this roadmap can ensure that 5G is technically and economically accessible in Türkiye,” he added.