Turkcell carries its R&D activities to a different dimension with its new generation communication technologies oriented project. The 'Turkcell 1515GEN LAB' project, which has been awarded the TÜBİTAK 6 Preliminary R&D Laboratories Support Program support, will focus on the development of future 6G networks with artificial intelligence-based autonomous capabilities. In addition, thanks to the project, Turkcell aims to contribute to the training of qualified human resources in the field of domestic technologies and to reverse brain drain.
Leading the way in technology and innovation with its vision of 'superior services for a better future', Turkcell continues its efforts to make Turkey not only a consuming but also a producing country in technology. Turkcell, which has carried out many national and international projects with its nearly 1.100 R&D employees, takes its R&D activities to a different dimension with its future-oriented approach.
The “6G autonomous networks equipped with artificial intelligence capabilities” project, which Turkcell started to work on, was deemed worthy of support within the scope of TÜBİTAK 1515 Preliminary R&D Laboratories Support Program. With this project, Turkcell will provide Turkey with a laboratory at international standards to conduct research in the field of new generation technologies.
Launch and signing ceremony of the 'Turkcell 6GEN LAB' project; Turkcell Chairman of the Board of Directors Bülent Aksu and General Manager Murat Erkan hosted the Minister of Industry and Technology Mustafa Varank, Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Ömer Fatih Sayan, President of the Presidency Digital Transformation Office Ali Taha Koç, President of TÜBİTAK Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal, Information and Communication Technologies Authority President Ömer Abdullah Karagözoğlu and guests from the academic world took place at Turkcell Küçükyalı Plaza.
Mustafa Varank: “We are becoming a global center of attraction in technology”
Speaking at the ceremony held at Turkcell, Industry and Technology Minister Mustafa Varank said that Turkey, which produces high technology, is on its way to becoming one of the leading attraction centers in the world with its innovation infrastructures and qualified human resources. Emphasizing the need to be ready for the future in a world where change and competition are accelerating, Varank continued as follows:
“Therefore, we do not want to leave the slightest gap in the innovation ecosystem. We pay particular attention to the fact that the output of one support program is the input of another support program. In this sense, Öncül R&D Laboratories fill an important gap. In these laboratories, basic research, which is the input of technological developments, is carried out. With the efforts of scientists working here, our country; It is becoming a global center of attraction in areas such as artificial intelligence, 6G networks, additive manufacturing technologies, autonomous driving technologies and advanced material technologies. In the Turkcell 6G and Artificial Intelligence laboratory, where we held the signing ceremony today; Studies such as the artificial intelligence supported autonomous design of the 6G network and the artificial intelligence supported integration of these business models to the sectors will be carried out. Technology-oriented R&D activities will be carried out. 6G will not only provide high data rates, but will also offer a smart communication environment with artificial intelligence support. Turkcell's work in this laboratory will ensure that our country can be at the forefront of new generation wireless communication technologies. Pioneering R&D research laboratories will increase our technological capabilities on the one hand, and make our country a center of attraction for scientists, on the other hand, contribute to the brain drain. The way to reach the goals of the Turkish century is through science and technology.”
Ömer Fatih Sayan: “We continue our work in a manner befitting the Turkish century”
Speaking at the meeting, Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Dr. Ömer Fatih Sayan said the following about the project: “We are talking about a communication family where not only interpersonal communication is used, but everything is used now and the number of subscribers in our country reaches 104 million. Turkcell is the most valuable member of this for us. We continue our work in a manner befitting the Turkish century by going beyond what we did in 4.5G, increasing both R&D obligations and domestic technology obligations. At this point, TÜBİTAK 1515 Preliminary R&D Laboratories Support Program is very meaningful. We, as Turkey, have been the only users of communication technologies until now. We remained a peripheral country where technologies developed in certain centers were used. However, we are now in a position to take action and roll up our sleeves to become a global center that develops technology. We aim to use completely domestic and national products, especially in terms of critical infrastructures. In this context, we have revealed our policies and strategies for our sector with the vision of our President's National Technology move. We have carried out important works towards transitioning to 5G with our domestic and national products, and we are very happy that the works have turned into concrete products at the point we have reached today.”
Dr. Ali Taha Koç: “The story of 6G will be the 'internet of everything'”
Stating that Turkcell engineers have been doing research on 4G and 5G so far, and 6G research can be done successfully with the experience gained from this, Presidential Digital Transformation Office President Dr. Ali Taha Koç said:
“We will have seen 2030G in the 6s. The most important story of 6G will be the 'internet of everything'. Artificial intelligence is indispensable in 6G. 6G technology is a big revolution and we have engineers to realize this revolution. At Turkcell, we have very good engineers in this regard. I am sure that very good technologies will be produced within the scope of this project.”
Bülent Aksu: “For us, R&D activities are our country's issue”
Referring to the goals of the project, Turkcell Chairman of the Board Bülent Aksu said, “We are taking a strategic step not only for our country, but also for our industry in terms of the formation of 6G standards in the world. We are implementing our new research laboratory, which will contribute to future-oriented technologies, under the auspices of our Ministry of Industry and Technology, with the support of TUBITAK. We see this project as the most strategic and long-term R&D step in Turkcell's history. We named this R&D center, which excites us with its future-oriented vision, 'TURKCELL 6GEN LAB'. This project, in which we aim to contribute especially to the reverse brain drain, is a very important step on the way to our goal of bringing qualified human resources together with the right projects. With the project, we will provide multidimensional added value in terms of national development and employment. Today, where information and data gain strategic importance, we consider this project as a 'country issue' beyond commercial concerns. We say 'R&D issue is also our country's issue'. Good luck to Turkcell 6GEN LAB, our industry and our country.” said.
Murat Erkan: “We will continue our leadership in technological innovation”
Turkcell General Manager Murat Erkan said: “As a result of Turkcell's human and future-oriented approach, we have been leading the way in technological innovation for years. Turkcell Teknoloji, our R&D company working with the aim of reducing foreign dependency in technology, proudly carries the flag of the last two years as the 'patent champion of Turkey'. While nearly 3 of our patents have been registered as a result of more than 900 thousand national and international patent applications, we have also produced benefits for our country with our many international R&D projects. We have turned into a technology company that develops innovative digital services and applications with our nearly 1.100 R&D engineers and exports them to more than 40 countries around the world. Thanks to our Turkcell 6GEN LAB project, we will create international added value in our industry by developing new collaborations with the domestic technology ecosystem. Our goal is to put our country's name among the countries that have a say in the next generation communication technologies. Thanks to this project, we will increase our share of the digital economy.”
After the speeches, TÜBİTAK President Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal and Turkcell General Manager Murat Erkan signed the protocol on the project cooperation.
The 'Turkcell 1515GEN LAB', which will be established within the scope of TÜBİTAK 6 Preliminary R&D Laboratories Support Program, will start its activities as of January 1, 2023. In this research laboratory of Turkcell, studies will be carried out that offer a pioneering R&D infrastructure to the ecosystem in the fields of artificial intelligence, 6G technology, autonomous networks and the application of next-generation technologies to vertical sectors, which are among the professions of the future.
Turkcell 6GEN LAB also aims to make significant contributions to the realization of the objectives of the National Technology Move, Reverse Brain Drain and National Artificial Intelligence Strategy in line with the vision of the Ministry of Industry and Technology.
New Generation Technologies Laboratory: Turkcell 6GEN LAB
- Within the scope of R&D activities to be carried out at TURKCELL 6GEN LAB, sustainability-oriented studies will be carried out for the autonomous design of 6G networks with artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities, energy efficiency and the integration of new generation technologies with vertical sectors.
- It is aimed to carry out scientific studies on the design of the artificial intelligence-based 6G network and the adaptation and application of these autonomous network capabilities to the usage scenarios of vertical sectors such as e-mobility, aviation, defense industry, energy and health.
- The main purpose of the laboratory, which will be equipped with leading researchers within the scope of the project; to produce patents, contribute to standards, and produce prestigious projects and academic publications on national/international platforms.
- TÜBİTAK will provide support to Öncül R&D Laboratory for 5 years within the scope of this support program. With the decision of the Executive Committee and the approval of the Presidency, the support period can be extended for another 5 years.
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