Turkey making preparations for 6G technology: Minister

By Sevgi Ceren Gökkoyun, Tolga Yanik and Abdulkadir Gunyol

ISTANBUL (AA) - Turkey is making preparations for 6G technology because countries that have a say in technological innovations will be those that can produce technologies and enter the game before anyone else, the Turkish transportation and infrastructure minister said Wednesday.

Speaking at a virtual information technologies (IT) event, Bilisim Zirvesi, Adil Karaismailoglu stressed that compared to 5G, 6G wireless networks are expected to provide a much higher spectrum, energy and cost efficiency, higher data rate and more automation possibilities.

"In addition to these efforts, we will take our place among the leading countries in the world in IT and communication fields thanks to the support of our domestic and national satellite technologies,” he said. "We are moving forward with strong and determined steps in Turkey's digital transformation journey."

Within the scope of the Turkish information and communication sector, around 5,700 companies operate in 84 technoparks, employing 58,000 people. Total exports of the sector in 2020 increased by half compared to the previous year and exceeded 10 billion liras ($1.4 billion), he said.

Ali Taha Koc, the head of Turkey's Digital Transformation Office, said the country has become one that is preparing to send its satellite to space, rising to a leading position in unmanned aerial vehicle systems equipped with a new generation of digital technologies.

The Turkish IT sector's main priorities will be artificial intelligence, cloud computing, big data, digital transformation, cyber security and blockchain in the next five years.

"In this direction, we need to integrate new and innovative technologies into our internal processes, from the internet of things to 5G, from blockchain to cloud computing, from artificial intelligence to the internet of the senses, which is expected to enter our lives with 6G," he said.

*Writing by Gokhan Ergocun