31.03.2026 15:52
Turk Telekom made a strong entry into 5G technology, which will start on April 1st. With its pioneering role in innovative technologies, the company is carrying Turkey into the future and shared its vision of "5G for Everyone" with the public at a gala night held at the Atatürk Cultural Center (AKM). During the event, a hologram of Müslüm Gürses was brought to the stage. The company's CEO, Ebubekir Şahin, stated, "We were the ones who built yesterday, and we will be the ones who build the future with 5G."
Leading Turkey's digital transformation, Türk Telekom shared its vision for 5G with the public at an event held before the launch of the fifth generation mobile communication technology (5G) on April 1 in Turkey. The event, hosted by Türk Telekom CEO Ebubekir Şahin, took place at the Atatürk Cultural Center Türk Telekom Opera Hall, where Türk Telekom is the main sponsor and technology meets art.
To highlight the innovative features of 5G technology, such as high speed, low latency, and simultaneous connections, Türk Telekom organized a surprise stage show. The duet performed by the late Müslüm Gürses's 5G-based hologram and rap artist Sefo, which was seamlessly staged thanks to 5G, made a significant impact on the night. The song "Bilmem mi," one of Sefo's most listened-to tracks, was voiced by Müslüm Gürses using artificial intelligence technology. Sefo and Müslüm Gürses's 5G-based hologram sang "Bilmem mi" together on stage, providing unforgettable moments for the attendees. In addition to Sefo, beloved artists Fatma Turgut and Levent Yüksel also performed on stage. While Fatma Turgut accompanied Müslüm Gürses with her hologram, Türk Telekom's screen face, comedian Tolga Çevik, also joined the artists on stage.
"5G IS COMING FOR EVERYONE" In his speech at the 5G gala night, Türk Telekom CEO Ebubekir Şahin emphasized the historical responsibility placed on their shoulders by a legacy that transcends centuries and noted that 5G is much more than a technological transition for Turkey. "Our story, which began 186 years ago with the aim of bringing distant places closer, continues with the mission of bringing Turkey into the future. As an institution that carries the memory, culture, and history of these lands in its genetic code, we are building the digital future with this rich heritage and technological accumulation. As Türk Telekom, which touches every cell of Turkey with the digital backbone we have created stitch by stitch, we are not only transitioning to a new technology today but also opening the doors to a new era in carrying our country into the future. We believe that 5G technology, which enables accessibility in health, equality of opportunity in education, efficiency in production, and savings in energy, is a driving force that will accelerate economic and social progress beyond just connection speed. Since 2005, we have invested over 23 billion dollars for Turkey's digital transformation. For the last four years, as the investment leader in the sector, we have been preparing our country for innovative technologies and advancing steadily in building the digital world. For years, we have carried out our investments and efforts in line with this awareness in a 5G-compatible manner. We have implemented pioneering 5G use cases in various fields from health to industry, agriculture to sports, and culture to art. Our fiber infrastructure, which exceeds half a million kilometers, is the greatest assurance of 5G's high data carrying capacity, and we have already surpassed the global 2030 targets in terms of the ratio of fiber-connected stations, which are the lifeblood of 5G. With our fiber network extending to every corner of 81 provinces, our widespread 5G infrastructure, our experience in 5G applications, and our LTE base stations, 61% of which are connected by fiber, we are ready to offer the most inclusive 5G experience for everyone with the highest capacity per customer in 5G. With our vision of '5G for Everyone,' we aim to close digital divides and make technology a solid foundation that rises above national sovereignty rather than a luxury. We will continue to work decisively to carry our country to stronger tomorrows with the strength we derive from our roots, our innovative vision, our expert engineers, and our high technology accumulation," he said.
"OUR MOBILE ASCENT WILL CONTINUE WITH 5G" Ebubekir Şahin stated that they aim to maintain the momentum of their rise in the mobile sector during the 5G era, saying, "We crowned our strength and successful strategy in the mobile field with successful results in 2025. We completed the year with the highest net subscriber acquisition in history and became the most preferred operator in the mobile number portability market for four consecutive years. While continuing to grow in this area with our customer experience-focused long-term strategy, we achieved a historic success by changing the ranking in the mobile sector according to the BTK (Information Technologies and Communications Authority) 2025 third-quarter data. With our strong capacity position in 5G and AI-supported customer experience management, we aim to maintain our upward momentum in mobile in the new era. We will continue to design products and offers tailored to our customers' needs with a proactive approach and provide a digital ecosystem that makes our customers feel valued at every touchpoint," he said.
"WE HAVE OVER 70 INTERNATIONAL PATENTS IN 5G" Ebubekir Şahin stated that they are focused on national efforts in 5G, saying, "In order to reduce our country's dependence on foreign technology and elevate it to higher ranks in the global technology league, we are investing in companies that produce national solutions in addition to our R&D efforts. By implementing collaborations and projects that will strengthen our national ecosystem, we are signing every move that will advance our country. In recent weeks, we inaugurated Turkey's first and most comprehensive 5G-focused 'Technology and Innovation Center.' Beyond being a telecommunications company, we take pride in leading the digital transformation with 921 national patent applications in 2025 as the architect of the digital future. Our group companies, Argela and our subsidiary Netsia in Silicon Valley, have over 70 international patents in the field of 5G, contributing to our country's goal of exporting high technology," he said.