Türkiye
Türkiye - 3.4 Telecommunications
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In the contemporary telecommunications landscape of Turkey, the infrastructure is a multifaceted system that involves a balance of government oversight, private sector involvement, and varying degrees of competition. Government regulations play a significant role in shaping the industry, influencing the extent of control exerted by authorities over telecommunications networks. These regulations encompass areas such as spectrum allocation and licensing prerequisites for service providers, thereby impacting the number of private companies operating within the sector. At present, Turkey hosts multiple private companies actively engaged in delivering telecommunications services, fostering competition that encourages innovative offerings and enhanced customer experiences. 

Within this dynamic context, the process of registering SIM cards or mobile numbers typically entails specific procedures mandated by the government to bolster security and mitigate misuse. These procedures often involve identity authentication, submission of official documents, and adherence to privacy directives. Such measures are designed to ensure that mobile numbers are associated with legitimate individuals, discouraging fraudulent activities. Additionally, the provision of data plans has become an integral facet of contemporary telecommunications services. Given the escalating demand for data-driven applications, telecom companies in Turkey provide an extensive range of data plans tailored to cater to diverse user requirements, encompassing options like prepaid, postpaid, unlimited, and pay-as-you-go plans. 

Additional Service Providers Contact List (Section 4.11): 

Argela 

Contact  

Ankara: +90 312 912 92 00 

İstanbul: +90 212 707 50 00 

Website: https://www.argela.com.tr/ 

Turk Telekom 

 

Turksat 

Contact: +90 312 925 3000  

E-Mail: info@turksat.com.tr 

Website: https://www.turksat.com.tr/ 

Vodafone 

Turkcell 

TurkNet 

Contact: +90850 2886309 

 

For more information on telecoms contacts, please see the following link: 4.11 Additional Services Contact List

Telephone Services 

Is there an existing landline telephone network? 

Yes 

Does it allow international calls? 

Yes    

Number and Length of Downtime Periods (on average) 

One to two times a year for 2 days due to maintenance or weather condition 

Mobile Phone Providers  

Turkcell 

Vodafone  

Turk Telekom 

Approximate Percentage of National Coverage 

 98.3% for all three providers 

Telecommunications Regulations 

There are three national laws that set out the general legal framework for telecommunications in Türkiye. They contain a detailed institutional framework. They include licensing, competition policy, quality service, interconnection, scarce resources management, universal service, and tariffs regulation. It also covers the television service. These laws address the universal service regime. 

Telecommunications Law No. 4673 of 12.5.2001 

Telecommunications Law No. 4502 of 29.01.2000 

Universal Service Law 2005 

Regulations on Usage and Import 

 

Regulations in Place? 

Regulating Authority 

Satellite 

Yes  

Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure 

HF Radio 

Yes 

Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure 

UHF/VHF/HF Radio: Handheld, Base and Mobile 

 Yes  

Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure 

UHF/VHF Repeaters 

 Yes  

Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure 

GPS 

 Yes  

 Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure 

VSAT 

 Yes  

Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure 

Individual Network Operator Licenses Required 

For UN Agencies, it's acquired through MoFa in coordination with UNDSS also Tekser is the local service provider for configurations 

Frequency Licenses Required 

For UN agencies it's acquired through MoFa in coordination with UNDSS also Tekser is the local service provider for configurations 

 

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)  

Internet Service Providers 

Are there ISPs available? 

 Yes 

If yes, are they privately or government owned? 

Turk Telecom (Government) 

Turk Cell and Vodafone (Private) 

Dial-up only? 

 Yes 

Approximate Rates (local currency and USD - $) 

Dial-up 

 Very Minimal 

Broadband 

 300 TL, 10 USD 

Max Leasable ‘Dedicated’ Bandwidth 

200 MB 

 

Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) 

For information on MNOs please visit the GSM Association website.  

Company 

Number of Agent Outlets by Area 

Network Strength by Area 

Contracted for Humanitarian or Government Cash Transfer 

Programmes? 

Services Offered 

(i.e. Merchant Payment, 

Bulk Disbursement, 

Receive & Make Payment) 

Turk Telcom 

Enough Agent outlets throughout the country 

98.5% 

No, but the service is available  

No, but the service is available  

Vodafone 

 Enough Agent outlets throughout the country 

98.0% 

No, but the service is available 

No, but the service is available  

Turk Cell 

 Enough Agent outlets throughout the country 

98.3% 

No, but the service is available 

No, but the service is available  

 

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