Telecoms & IT

Having broken the monopoly of the Turkish Post Telegraph and Telephone Company (PTT) and with the privatisation of Turk Telekom, the prospects for telecoms in Turkey was radically altered. Rapid growth in internet use and the steady uptake of data-capable mobile phones has resulted in a convergence of telephony and internet services that is stressing telecoms infrastructure. However, firms are responding with the installation of fibre-optic lines to boost speed, while new offerings of apps and technologies are also a front for heavy competition. The government’s support offers technoparks incentives, including tax and duty exemptions, aid in construction and rent subsidies, in order to attract increased domestic and foreign investment. With sounder technology and infrastructure, more and more public services are being transported to the internet, and the emergence of a significant web culture is likewise driving new avenues for profit. This chapter has interviews with Gökhan Bozkurt, the CEO of TurkTelekom; and Süreyya Ciliv, the General Manager of Turkcell.