The Ministry of Transport of Turkey noted that commercial 5G services are expected to be launched by April 2026
In sum – what to know:
5G spectrum auction set – Turkey will sell 11 frequency packages on 16 October, aiming to raise at least $2.1 billion ahead of a planned April 2026 rollout.
Domestic production rules – Operators must use a share of locally made equipment in 5G networks, a move designed to cut foreign dependence and boost Turkey’s technology industry.
Three operators eligible to bid – Turkcell, Vodafone Turkey, and Türk Telekom dominate the market and are expected to compete for spectrum.
The Turkish government has officially launched the process for nationwide 5G rollout, confirming October 16 as the date for its long-awaited spectrum auction.
In a release, the Ministry of Transport noted that commercial 5G services are expected to be launched by April 2026.
Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu said 11 spectrum packages will be available, with the government aiming to raise at least $2.1 billion. The allocation covers 400 megahertz across the 700MHz and 3.5GHz spectrum bands.
The rules of the tender stipulate that only existing mobile operators can bid, with license fees to be paid in three installments. The auction details were published in the country’s official gazette on August 31.
The minister stressed the importance of 5G for Turkey’s digital transformation, highlighting expected improvements in connectivity, industrial automation, and machine-to-machine communication. Authorities predict mobile internet speeds could be at least ten times faster once the 5G networks are launched nationwide.
To encourage local participation in building the new infrastructure, the government has set conditions requiring operators to use a portion of domestically produced equipment. The policy aims to reduce reliance on foreign vendors and stimulate Turkey’s technology sector.
Local carriers had been carrying out 5G trials, including at an Istanbul conference center and at the city’s airport.
Uraloğlu also reminded operators that their current mobile network authorizations expire in April 2029. At that point, operators will be required to pay a new fee equal to 5% of annual turnover to continue operations.
Turkey currently has three mobile operators. According to GSMA Intelligence figures for the second quarter of 2025, Turkcell leads the mobile market with 33.4 million connections, followed by Vodafone Turkey with 25.4 million and Türk Telekom with 22.6 million.
Turkcell aims to enter the 5G era with the provision of 5G-Advanced (5G-A) services, the company’s CEO, Ali Taha Koç, previously told RCR Wireless News.
“We continue our investments to provide the highest quality internet service to our subscribers and 5G technology is a very high priority among our investments. Thanks to the 5G launch schedule, we have the opportunity to start with 5G-Advanced. With 5G-Advanced, we will provide the best mobile broadband service to our subscribers while also advancing the digitalization of the country,” added Koç.
Meanwhile, rival operator Türk Telekom said the telco is ready from a technical point of view to launch 5G in the country once the government awards the frequencies.
The telco’s CEO Ümit Önal emphasized that more than half of the company’s LTE base stations are already fiber-connected, placing it in a strong position for the government’s upcoming 5G spectrum tender and rollout.
