The U.K.-based satellite communication company, Inmarsat, and Turkey's satellite operator TurkSat have signed a partnership agreement to collaborate in satellite services, maritime communication, defense and aerospace areas.
Speaking to reporters in the capital Ankara on Tuesday, Minister of Transport Maritime Affairs and Communications Ahmet Arslan said Inmarsat's worldwide satellite communication services were well known.
"With the strategic partnership between TurkSat and Inmarsat, some high-value added Inmarsat equipment would be produced in Turkey by one or more Turkish firms. It is an important opportunity," Arslan said.
"This agreement is very significant and will be an example to our region. This strategic partnership will provide Turkey with collaboration opportunities in that specific area. It is just a starting," he said.
"TurkSat was founded in 2004…Today, it works as a cable operator and solution center for public besides its satellite operator role," Arslan added.
Rupert Pearce, chief executive officer at Inmarsat, said the strategic partnership with TurkSat offered tremendous potential, both for Inmarsat and TurkSat, as well as their joint business and technology ecosystem in Turkey, and of course for the wider Turkish economy.
"TurkSat is among 'thought leaders' in our industry, and we believe that, together, Inmarsat and TurkSat will be very well-placed to collaborate to bring cutting edge, high-value added, space-based communications capabilities to Turkish government, enterprise and consumer users in the years ahead, making a vital contribution to the development of a pervasive digital society in Turkey," Pearce said.
"We are confident that, in partnership with Türksat, we can powerfully support the development of hi-tech, high skills, satellite services sector in Turkey," he added.
Cenk Şen, chief executive officer at TürkSat, said Turkey already had four satellites in the space and three more projects were underway to boost the country's satellite communication capability.
"We are not aiming at only business relations with Inmarsat. One of our targets is technology transfer to our country. In this sense, Inmarsat's fourth land station for satellite services will be established in Turkey," he said.
About opportunities in civil areas, Şen said: "We also have been working on providing broadband Internet services on airplanes with Inmarsat capabilities. This partnership will assist the qualified internet services for passengers of Turkish Airlines."