Turkey’s locally developed base station takes first orders

BARCELONA

Turkey’s indigenously developed base station, dubbed ULAK, has received its first orders from all three telecommunications operators active in Turkey, state-run Anadolu Agency has reported. 

The ULAK project, which is carried out by the Netaş, Aselsan and Argela consortium, received 250 base stations orders from Turkcell, Vodafone and Türk Telekom in a deal clinched at a major sector event in Barcelona on Feb. 27.

The project aims to reduce external dependence in mobile communication technologies by development of national software and hardware components for advanced 4G technologies, dubbed “4.5G” in Turkey. 

Meanwhile, tests are underway on domestic base station ULAK and these tests will be completed soon, according to top officials. 

“There are few parts but they are very detailed. We expect this product to go into service in a very short time,” Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communication Minister Ahmet Arslan said on the sidelines of the Mobile World Congress.