Competition Intensifies in 5G Auction: Highest Bids Announced

The 5G Auction Marks the Beginning of Turkey's Digital Transformation

The 5G mobile electronic communication infrastructure authorization auction organized by the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (ICTA) has commenced with great excitement. Ömer Abdullah Karagözoğlu, the President of ICTA and the Auction Commission, emphasized the significance of this historic moment in his opening speech, stating that Turkey has entered the 5G era. Karagözoğlu remarked that this auction not only represents a technological step for the country, but also marks the beginning of a strategic transformation.

A New Era Begins with 5G

ICTA President Karagözoğlu stressed that 5G technology will create revolutions in many areas, highlighting its foundation for innovative applications in sectors like machine-to-machine communication (M2M), artificial intelligence, augmented reality, autonomous systems, and robotics. The advancements enabled by 5G will enhance users' digital experiences, making them more seamless and high-quality.

Supporting Domestic Production

Karagözoğlu pointed out that the primary criterion of the 5G auction is to support domestic and national endeavors. He recalled that during the 3G auction held in 2008, they imposed a condition on operators to source part of their investments from R&D centers in Turkey. In the 4.5G auction process in 2015, this approach was further strengthened with a requirement that 45% of the investments must be from locally produced certified products.

Highest Bids in the 5G Auction

As a result of the auction, the highest bid for the A1 package in the 700 MHz frequency was made by Turkcell (#TCELL) with 429 million dollars, while Vodafone provided 426 million dollars for the A2 package and Türk Telekom (#TTKOM) bid 425 million dollars for the A3 package. In the 3.5 GHz frequency, Turkcell offered 214 million dollars for the B1 package, Türk Telekom provided 209 million dollars for the B2 package, and Vodafone offered 201 million dollars for the B3 package.

These bids represent a significant step in Turkey's digitalization process and will also ensure the integration of technology investments with local manufacturers.