Turkcell

Turkcell has renewed an offer to establish a joint fiber infrastructure company with other operators due to the high cost of acting separately, according to Chief Technology Officer ?lker Kuruöz.

Turkcell CEO Kaan Terzio?lu has called on the government to lower taxes placed on the telecommunications industry and remove obstacles to investments for the rapid increase of Internet penetration.

Turkcell and the Turkish Clubs Union Association have signed a sponsorship agreement in Istanbul to help boost the brand value of Turkish football, according to company executives.

Turkcell has announced an acceleration of its efforts to establish 4.5G base stations amid a looming April 1 deadline to adopt the new technology in a press release on Jan. 6.

The company said it will launch 4.5G with speeds of up to 375 Mbps aggregating three carriers. By 2017, Turkcell will reach a speed of 1000 Mbps, according to the press release. 

Türk Telekom has refused to agree to a joint fiber investment offer from other leading communications companies, Vodafone and Turkcell, stirring a debate over who will build fiber networks in the country, which has set ambitious targets in the sector. 

Turkey's largest telecoms operator Turkcell on Nov. 25 said it was making a non-binding indicative offer for Nordic firm TeliaSonera's 58.55 percent stake in its Eurasian unit Fintur.

Türk Telekom's Argela has applied for 10 patents for 5G technologies in the United States, said the company in a press release on Nov. 20. 

A total of 2 billion euros has been paid to the Treasury by the telecommunication companies which won a tender for the launch of advanced 4.5G technologies in Turkey.

Turkey's largest fixed-line operator, Türk Telekom, is talking to banks to raise a loan worth up to $500 million, which it plans to close before year-end, banking sources said on Oct. 26.

The five-year deal will be syndicated with a club of regional and international banks, and is being coordinated by Bank of America Merrill Lynch, the sources said.

Turkey's largest mobile operator Turkcell said on Sept. 17 it was considering acquiring some of the Eurasian assets of its shareholder TeliaSonera, after the Nordic telecom operator said it was looking at leaving seven markets.