Turkey formally set the wheels in motion for deployment of widespread 5G, setting the date of 16 October for the sale of spectrum ahead of expected commercial availability in April 2026.

In a statement, Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloglu explained 11 frequency packages would be offered in the sale, with a minimum of $2.1 billion to be raised.

Initial details of the auction were widely reported in recent weeks during the preparation process. The particulars were published in the country’s official gazette yesterday (31 August).

A total of 400MHz is to be allocated across the 700MHz and 3.5GHz bands. The auction is open to existing operators, which will pay fees for the licences in three installments.

Uraloglu described 5G as being critical for the country’s digital journey, adding authorities had “conducted intensive technical work with our operators who successfully maintain 2G, 3G and 4.5G services”.

He predicted internet speeds would “increase at least tenfold” with 5G, along with likely benefits for industrial transformation stemming from improved machine communication.

Conditions for the sale include the use of a set amount of “domestic products” in 5G infrastructure in an attempt to “reduce dependence on foreign technology and encourage domestic production”, the politician added.

Although the technology is yet to be made widely available in the country, trials and limited deployments have taken place, including at a conference centre and airport in Istanbul.

Along with moving the 5G spectrum allocation process on, the minister issued a “reminder” to operators about current “mobile network authorisations” ending in April 2029, with a fee of 5 per cent of annual turnover set to be introduced from then.

There are currently three mobile operators active in Turkey. GSMA Intelligence connection figures for Q2 place Turkcell as the largest with 33.4 million, followed by Vodafone Turkey and Turk Telecom with 25.4 million and 22.6 million, respectively.