Mobile operators that fail to meet domestic quotas in advanced 4G system to be fined

Hacer Boyacıoğlu - BARCELONA

AA photo

A penalty will be assessed to GSM operators who do not meet the quotas for usage of domestic products in adopting advanced 4G technologies, a top official has warned. 

“Mobile operators are obliged to use domestic products at a rate of 30 percent in the first year, 40 percent in the second year and 45 percent in the third year, according to the 4.5G concession agreement,” Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communication Minister Ahmet Arslan said.

He noted that his ministry’s goal was to ensure the production of domestic software and hardware as much as possible. 

“The Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) will evaluate the domestic production rates as of April 1, 2017. The authority may fine operators if they do not comply with the domestic production obligation in the regulation,” added Arslan.

Responding to questions from a group of journalists ahead of the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, he also explained the latest developments in the domestic base station ULAK. 

Tests are underway on domestic base station ULAK which is being jointly designed by Aselsan, Netaş and Argela, said Arslan, adding that they expected the tests to be completed soon. 

“There are very few and detailed parts. We expect this product to be in service in a very short time,” he said. 

For the mass production of the ULAK base station, an agreement should be made with mobile operators so that they place orders, said Arslan. “All three operators continue to meet with Aselsan. There are 250 orders from Turkcell, as far as we know. In Barcelona, Turkcell, Türk Telekom and Vodafone will place new orders for the ULAK base station through Aselsan. The Undersecretariat of Defense Industry is working to launch a joint company.”