Turkey’s telecommunications and communication technologies leader Türk Telekom Group celebrated its 175th year in Ankara with a glamorous reception attended by the President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. President Erdoğan expressed his gratitude to Türk Telekom Group for its contributions to the communication infrastructure and digital transformation of Turkey. Türk Telekom Chairman Mohammed Hariri said “We will stand side by side with Turkish people and the Turkish government in our journey towards the vision 2023”
Türk Telekom Group celebrated its 175th anniversary with a glamorous reception held in Ankara. The President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the Minister of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications Feridun Bilgin, senior state officials, as well as former ministers, former executives and employees of Türk Telekom and a significant number of bureaucrats and journalists attended the occasion hosting the top of the government. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan called the attention on the importance of 175 year-old Türk Telekom Group in Turkey’s telecommunication history, expressed his gratitude to Türk Telekom Group for its contributions to the communication infrastructure and digital transformation of Turkey.
“We will stand side by side with Turkish people and the Turkish government in our journey towards the vision 2023.”
Türk Telekom Chairman Mohammed Hariri expressed his love for Turkey and his happiness in investing in this country and said “10 years ago, when our company, Oger Telecom, won the privatization bid of Turk Telekom, I knew then that we made a sound decision to operate one of the most prestigious and the largest privatized corporation in Turkish history. This feeling of mine got confirmed again few years later with the big success of Turk Telekom’s IPO. Turk Telekom leads the Internet and communications industry with our significant investments, which exceeded 50% of total investments in Turkey’s telecom infrastructure. Our investments will reach 22 Billion Turkish Lira by the end of this year. I am a proud member of a family well known for their love and respect for Turkey. Our family leader, the late Prime Minister, Refik Hariri, was truly fond of this great country. Today, the Hariri family is delighted to have realized his dreams of investing and growing in Turkey.”
Hariri continued his remarks by saying, “With its strategic location, it’s robust and growing economy, combined with a young and dynamic population, I am certain that Turkey will continue on its path towards an even greater and more prosperous tomorrow. I hereby commit to you that both the Turk Telekom and Oger Telecom families will stand side by side with the Turkish people and the Turkish government and maintain a steady course in our journey towards the 2023 vision. Turk Telekom shares a strong drive with the people of Turkey: a bright and promising future. This drive and vision requires team effort. I am always grateful for every one of our employees, our partners and their families for their hard work and dedication. Besides, allow me to extend a special thank you to the leader and President of Turkey, H.E. Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdogan for shedding light on our path and establishing the vision to build a strong socio-economic environment which leads to sustainable opportunities.”
“Türk Telekom is the technological and innovative force of Turkey”
Türk Telekom Group CEO Rami Aslan indicated that they are here to transcend Turkey to a state of the art, smart and ground-breaking digital environment and said “Türk Telekom is the technological and innovative force that blazes new bold trails in communications and technology including voice, broadband, fiber, IPTV, modern corporate solutions and now smart cities. Throughout history, Turkey’s passion for communications and technology continued to rise and prosper catalyzed by Türk Telekom leadership and innovation.” Indicating that will have made investments over 22 billion TL to Turkey until the end 2015, Rami Aslan said “This is the largest investment made in the sector and compared to revenue streams it is the largest investment in Europe, the Middle East and Asia excluding China. With our investments so far, you could build 6.500 schools, 16.000 km highways and 3 Bosphorus bridges.”
Aslan added, “A decade ago our subscribers connected to the internet at 1 Mbps speed, today our subscribers can enjoy up to 1000 Mbps speed. TT is able to provide internet connection to 98% of Turkish households. Our smart fiber footprint in 81 cities enables us to supply “ultra high speed internet” to more than half of these households. Today 1 out of every 10 homes is enjoying our fiber service. This figure surpasses the average in Germany, Spain, France and Italy.”
“3G services are enabled on Türk Telekom’s infrastructure and 4G will also be operating on Türk Telekom’s strong and extensive fiber network”
Aslan continued his remarks by saying “Today 3G services are enabled on Türk Telekom’s infrastructure. With the good news just announced by our Minister, 4G services that we have been eagerly waiting for with great excitement, will also be operating on Türk Telekom’s strong and extensive fiber network. With all our prudence and energy, we are ready for 4G. And I hereby promise today that we will build and develop the country’s state of the art and highest quality 4G network - A 4G network that surpasses in quality and resilience all comparable networks worldwide. Recently we have proved our level of preparation with our mobile operator Avea’s 4G speed test reaching 3.6 Gbps. We broke the speed record in Turkey. And like our Chairman of the board and our BoD have kept their promise in value creation, the management team will keep their promise in delivering unrivalled speed. We have already started working with world’s well-respected and leading global organizations for 5G. This is because we are an innovation hub seeking to develop technologies of tomorrow and deliver them today.”
"Türk Telekom Group envisions a future with innovation in its core"
Rami Aslan said, "We are here to transcend Turkey from ‘good enough’ technologies to a state of the art, smart and ground-breaking digital environment. And therefore, we are pleased to take part in many digital transformation projects implemented by our government” Aslan added the following to his words: "Fatih Project, the largest educational technology project in Turkey and across the globe, has been realized with the aim of providing equal opportunity in education and using technology more efficiently at our schools. Our Group Company, Sebit, provides the content for Fatih Project, and today has succeeded in becoming Turkey’s largest innovator in digital educational technology. Sebit offers the world’s best online education content from USA to China, Saudi Arabia to Malaysia, to KSA to USA. We actually develop the software in Turkey by local expertise and sell the software to Americans in the United States.
We mark important projects to transform health sector with our technology infrastructure. Recently our Ministry of Health implemented e-Nabız (e-Pulse) Project with Türk Telekom’s infrastructure. A new era in Turkey’s health sector has begun with this project that will enable our citizens to keep all of their health records on a digital platform. Our Group company, Innova manages this ambitious project and also supports major IT systems integration projects in our region and across many industries. Türk Telekom Group envisions a future with innovation in its core from homes to cars, hospitals, schools and even cities. And enabling our vision and turning it into a reality, we launched recently Turkey’s first Smart City Project in Karaman. Our goal is to turn 81 cities into smart cities."
“We are taking confident steps towards making Turkey a regional hub and digital center”
Mentioning that they do not contain their investments merely in Turkey, Aslan said “We are taking confident steps towards making Turkey a regional hub and digital center. Our goal is to help establish Turkey as a regional technology development centre connecting east and west. Operating in 19 countries, Türk Telekom International successfully represents our country and our Group on the world capacity and fiber connectivity stage and connects continents. We are now working on rolling out a single fiber connection with full redundancy that starts in Frankfurt, Germany and ends in Shanghai, China. Two continents and many countries will communicate and engage together through one hub. One historical hub, İstanbul.”
“We are a major player in corporate Social Responsibility projects”
Stating that they are a major player in corporate Social Responsibility projects, Arslan said “We so far built 76 educational facilities with Türk Telekom Schools Project with the support of Ministry of National Education and Ministry of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications. (33 high schools and their equivalents, 13 primary and secondary schools, 25 dormitories, 22673 graduates) In Türk Telekom Amateur Sports Clubs Project, we have so far trained more than 30 thousand athletes with 45 sports clubs across Turkey. Hundreds of young athletes among them have made it to the national teams and represented Turkey internationally and are all now a source of pride with impressive rankings in international competitions. Türk Telekom Group realized the Project of ‘Türk Telekom Internet Houses’ offering free internet service throughout the country, with the principle of ‘it is Impossible to think of a future without education, and modern education requires significant and flawless interaction with the Internet.’ We contribute to increasing internet literacy in Turkey and we offer equal opportunities for access to information with the Project entitled ‘Life Is Simpler with Internet’. The project provides training courses on internet literacy for individuals with no means to purchase internet access.”
“Internet for every household in Turkey. Free internet to all our citizens who were not internet subscribers before”
Rami Aslan also heralded a very important project that will contribute to Turkey’s digital transformation and said “We always stepped forward with ‘firsts,’ we are offering Turkey yet another ‘first.’ Adding new proposition to our portfolio through a new campaign, we are offering everybody in the country who are without an Internet connection the chance to get connected free of charge. Our next 3m offer allows for two years of Internet free of charge for anyone who has never had an Internet connection installed at home. This free Internet connection is provided on the basis of 4 GB with a speed of 4 MBPS, and our goal is to break the digital divide and meet all of Turkey’s communications needs.”
175-year journey through time
The guests were charmed by the cutting edge video mapping demonstration during the special occasion where an exhibition reflecting 175 years of communication technologies in Turkey served as the entrance. İnci Ertuğrul ve Engin Altan Düzyatan were the presenters of the night. Their entertaining presentation as well as the special musical performances of Le Trio Joubran were highly appreciated.
