The Turkcell Group reached a turnover of TL 4.3 billion ($1.22 billion) in the second quarter with a growth of 28.5 percent compared to the same period of the previous year, while its contribution to the Turkish economyin three years amounted to TL 29.2 billion ($8.27 billiopn), Turkcell General Manager Kaan Terzioğlu said Friday.

Terzioğlu also indicated that they achieved all-time high figures and record growth rates over the past 10 years in both income and earnings before interest taxes depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) during this period.

The managers of Turkcell - the only Turkish company listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) - announced the company's record growth results by ringing the closing bell at the NYSE after a meeting attended by Turkcell Chairman Ahmet Akça, board members Atilla Koç and Bekir Pakdemirli, and General Manager Kaan Terzioğlu.

Speaking at a press conference held at the stock exchange's headquarters on Wall Street before the closing bell ceremony, Terzioğlu said the Turkcell Group reached TL 4.3 billion in turnover in the second quarter, achieving a year-on-year rise of 28.5 percent, reached TL 1.5 billion in EBITDA with a 41.6 percent surge and reached 33.8 percent EBITDA margin.

Terzioğlu noted the group's net profit in the second quarter stood at TL 704 million with an increase of 69.2 percent, adding: "In Turkcell Turkey, which constitutes of 88 percent of the group's revenues, income grew by 26.4 percent while EBITDA increased by 40.6 percent. ... We trust Turkey and will shoot for the sky again"

Stressing that they found strength in the successful performance and high demands of Turkcell's customers in digital services in the first six months, Terzioğlu said they have upwardly revised their income and EBITDA margin expectations for 2017.

Pointing out that they trust Turkey and will continue to invest in the country, he added: "At the end of 2017, we will have actualized our three-year investment plan of TL 10 billion. And as of the end of this quarter, the resources we transferred to the treasury as licenses, taxes and legal obligations reached TL 19.2 billion. So, our contribution to the Turkish economy in three years has amounted to TL 29.2 billion. The favor shown by our customers in return for investments, which we make with confidence in our country, shows that our steps are sound and encourage us even further."

According to Terzioğlu, the Turkcell Group and Turkcell Turkey achieved all-time high figures and record growth rates over the past 10 years, in both income and EBITDA in the second quarter. During that period, Turkcell aimed to go beyond offering sound and data services with its digital services, which transformed Turkcell from a technology-driven infrastructure company to a service-oriented experience player. Terzioğlu emphasized that the strong results they have achieved thanks to the group's growing customer base, increasing data demands, increasingly innovative products and services - used more prevalently with every passing day - and the fast and advanced infrastructure technology based on this demand, forced the company to upwardly revise its 2017 forecasts. The income growth has been revised from 21 percent to 23 percent and the EBITDA margin from 33 percent to 35 percent.

Indicating that the telecom industry has experienced an interesting period in the past 10 years, Terzioğlu expressed that though the digital market grew considerably, the telecom sector was unable to progress resulting in the internet coming to the fore in consumer use in this field. Underlining that the progress seen in the internet has not been reflected in the telecom sector, Terzioğlu stated that while Google, Facebook, WhatsApp and other similar platforms grew, telecom operators ran in circles, limited by their sound and raw data services. Terzioğlu pointed out that research and development (R&D) activities on a domestic search engine in Turkey are continuing: "We are at a point where only Turkcell users can benefit. We have a very nice product to which we have also added location-based search services." Terzioğlu also announced that they will launch the product as soon as possible.