Turkcell and Ericsson Research Center signed a new cooperation agreement on information sharing and research on emerging technologies. This collaboration aims to accelerate Turkcell’s research and development efforts in the field of 6G and contribute to Turkey’s technological development.
Turkcell and Ericsson cooperated to accelerate R&D studies in the field of 6G and to accelerate Turkey’s technological progress and have a say in this field. Turkcell Deputy General Manager Responsible for Network Technologies Prof. Dr. Vehbi Çağrı Güngör and Ericsson Middle East & Africa Region Vice President and Turkey General Manager Işıl Yalçın came together for the signing ceremony held at the Mobile World Congress (MWC24) in Barcelona, Spain.
Within the scope of the agreement, Ericsson Research Center in Istanbul, which is the only center of Ericsson in the Middle East and Africa Market Area (MMEA) among 16 global research centers, will promote bilateral research initiatives together with Turkcell, Turkey’s first and only operator with a 6G laboratory. . In addition, it will strengthen cooperation on national and international fund-supported R&D projects.
The agreement also includes sharing important information about emerging technologies. Ericsson Research and Turkcell will play a critical role in the advancement of Turkey’s national technology ecosystem, accelerating the development and innovation of revolutionary technologies. The two companies’ focus on security, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and the overall 6G vision and architecture will pave the way for innovative use cases to be developed.
Prof. Dr. Vehbi Çağrı Güngör: “We lead innovation and development”
Turkcell Deputy General Manager Responsible for Network Technologies Prof. Dr. Vehbi Çağrı Güngör said the following on the subject:
“6G will play a vital role in a programmable physical world that has completed its digital transformation; will promote connectivity and sustainability. 6G technology requires serious R&D investments.
As Turkcell, we are determined to invest in this field and we wholeheartedly believe that we, as a country, will receive the reward of these investments. Our collaboration with Ericsson is an important milestone for us in our goal of leading innovation and development in telecommunication technologies.
“Taking into account existing ecosystems and the development of 5G technology, we will work together to draw a roadmap for 6G and deliver technological advances that will be key to the next generation networks of the future.”
Işıl Yalçın: “This collaboration is a starting point for advanced technology solutions”
Ericsson Middle East & Africa Region Vice President and Turkey General Manager Işıl Yalçın made the following evaluation:
“We look forward to starting this pioneering collaboration with Turkcell that will shape the future of telecommunications in Turkey and lay the foundation for transformative innovations. 6G technology, which will deeply affect many sectors; It carries the potential for a more connected, smart and sustainable future for Türkiye.
“Our collaboration with Turkcell in this field will be a starting point for 6G research and advanced technology solutions that will position Turkey at the forefront of this technology revolution.”
Important steps are aimed globally
Turkcell focuses on the development of 6G networks with artificial intelligence-based autonomous capabilities with the “Turkcell 6GEN Lab: Artificial Intelligence and 6G Laboratory” project, which started operating last year with support within the scope of TÜBİTAK 1515 Leading R&D Laboratories Support Program. As a fundamental part of the Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe program, the Ericsson Research Center in Turkey supports the EU’s research and innovation activities in various project partner and general project coordinator roles. In addition, it plays an important role in the Hexa-X and Hexa-X’s second phase Hexa-X-II projects, which are the 6G flagship projects of these programs.
By joining forces, Ericsson Research and Turkcell aim to support the global standardization of 6G and take important steps not only nationally but also internationally in the field of telecommunications.
6G networks, when deployed on a large scale, have the potential to create fundamental changes in the way people live, learn and interact. These networks open the door to new technologies that will enable immersive, ubiquitous and multi-sensory digital experiences. The main use cases for 6G fall into three broad categories: Internet of the senses, connected smart machines, and a connected sustainable world.