Türk Telekom and ASELSAN are signing a giant partnership to produce entirely domestic smartphones, user devices and communication equipment. This strategic move, which aims to increase Turkey’s competitiveness in the global arena, aims to maximize the rate of localization in civil communication technologies. At the meeting held with the participation of high-level representatives of the public and private sectors, concrete steps of the domestic device project are taken and the road map becomes clear.

• Türk Telekom and ASELSAN are establishing a strategic partnership to develop domestic smartphones, user devices and hardware/software solutions.

• Within the scope of the cooperation, the high technology know-how in the defense industry is transferred to civilian communication infrastructures and consumer devices.

• The project aims to reinforce digital homeland security by reducing foreign dependency in Türkiye’s critical communication infrastructures.

Strategic Step to Reduce Foreign Dependency in Technology

Türk Telekom sees developing innovative local products as a national responsibility while leading digital transformation processes. The company moves forward with a vision of not only consuming technology in the new era, but also producing it and exporting it to the world. The agreement is of great importance in shaping Turkey’s technology-oriented future.

Subsidiaries such as Argela and Netsia operating within Türk Telekom have more than 70 international patents in the field of advanced technology. This innovation power enables domestic products to find a place in the global market. For example, the synchronization work developed with Net Insight, an international partner, has become a commercial success. In addition, Open RAN solutions, RIC and SEBA products developed by Turkish engineers are used effectively around the world. Thanks to this new partnership, this domestic engineering power is also carried to the smartphone and user devices market.

Digital Homeland Security and ASELSAN Experience

Transferring the high technology success achieved in the defense industry to civilian areas constitutes one of the most critical legs of the project. ASELSAN, whose primary field of activity is communication, has introduced more than 1 million communication systems to the field to date. Vital communication infrastructures were established throughout Türkiye with projects such as JEMUS and KETUM developed for the Police and Gendarmerie organizations.

Conflicts and developments on a global scale in recent years show that reliable connection and device security are not just a technology choice, but a direct cyber security problem. When ASELSAN’s production capacity and infrastructure establishment competence combine with Türk Telekom’s telecommunication power, the resulting products are planned to be both reliable and in compliance with global standards.

A New Era Begins in the Global Arena

This project, the foundations of which were laid at the strategic meeting attended by Ankara Chamber of Commerce (ATO) President Gürsel Baran and Turkish World Business Council President Aydın Erkoç, targets not only the domestic market but also international markets. The domestic and national devices to be developed are expected to be a valuable breaking point in Türkiye’s technology exports. This process, supported by infrastructure investments and R&D studies, promises to take Türkiye to the top of the global technology league.