As of April 1, Türkiye marks a shift to a new era in mobile communications as the country is set to officially adopt 5G technology.
Final preparations are underway for the transition to 5G technology, which represents a new phase in Türkiye’s digital transformation process.
With a ceremony planned to be held at the Presidential Complex on March 31 and attended by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Türkiye’s transition to 5G will be officially announced.
5G services will be launched gradually across all 81 provinces, with the goal of making the service available nationwide within two years.
Next-generation mobile communication will bring transformation across many fields with high speed and low latency. The system is expected to introduce significant innovations in areas ranging from industry to health care. This technology will increase internet speed while minimizing delay.
Here are 10 frequently asked questions (FAQs) and answers about 5Gs.
5G is defined as fifth-generation mobile communication technology. Compared to 4.5G, it offers much higher speeds, lower latency, and the ability to connect more devices.
Within the framework of new authorizations, service providers will begin offering 5G services nationwide as of April 1, 2026. The authorization period will continue until Dec. 31, 2042.
5G is planned to be activated simultaneously in all 81 provincial centers at the initial stage. Within two years, it is expected to expand to every corner of the country.
With 5G technology, mobile internet speeds can reach gigabit levels from megabit levels, increasing current speeds by at least tenfold. The key difference is not only speed but also ultra-low latency at millisecond levels and the ability to connect many devices simultaneously without issues.
5G will bring significant innovations to many aspects of life, including health care, industry, agriculture, education and transportation. Smart city applications will become possible.
Compared to 4.5G, 5G will offer much higher speeds, enabling large files to be downloaded within seconds. Data transmission delays will be significantly reduced, and far more devices will be able to connect simultaneously without issues.
This will form the basis for “smart cities” and the Internet of Things (IoT).
Moreover, traffic management, autonomous vehicles, and smart infrastructure will operate more efficiently. Doctors will be able to perform remote surgeries, and patients can be monitored in real time.
Factories will become smarter (Industry 4.0), with robots and machines operating more efficiently using real-time data. Video streaming, live broadcasting, augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR) will become much smoother.
To benefit from 5G, devices must be compatible with the technology. There are around 95 million mobile phones in Türkiye, about 32 million of which are compatible with 5G. About a year ago, this number was around 15 million. It is expected to increase rapidly after the transition to 5G.
Three major operators that won the tender, Turkcell, Türk Telekom and Vodafone, will all provide 5G services.
To establish a domestically developed 5G communication infrastructure, an R&D support call was launched on Jan. 5, 2023. Contracts were signed with 14 companies on Oct. 1, 2023, initiating R&D support processes.
The tender process for 5G in Türkiye was completed in 2025. Preparations were carried out through fiber infrastructure and base station investments.
Domestic and national technology is being supported within the scope of 5G efforts. Initially, there is a requirement for 60% domestic products and 30% national communication products. After 5G is introduced, the domestic contribution is expected to gradually increase.
5G is expected to accelerate Türkiye’s digital transformation, increasing production, service quality, and global competitiveness. This technology will bring many conveniences and opportunities both across sectors and in daily life.
