32 Years of Mobile Communication in Turkey: 5G Era to Begin on April 1

The Digital Transformation Journey from 1G to 4.5G Turkey's mobile communication journey began in 1991 with 1G technology used via car phones.
One of the most critical turning points in the country's digital transformation occurred on February 23, 1994.
The first mobile phone call, made by then-Prime Minister Tansu Çiller to President Süleyman Demirel, paved the way for 2G technology and the mass adoption of voice communication.
Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu highlighted the evolution of technology on this historic anniversary.
Following the start of internet use in 1993, 2G—which enabled SMS and data transmission—was introduced in 1994.
While data traffic gained momentum with 3G services in 2009, the transition to 4.5G technology on April 1, 2016, created a significant leap in mobile internet speeds.
A New Era Begins with 5G Turkey is preparing for a major transformation in its mobile communication infrastructure as of April 1.
5G technology, which will offer data transfer speeds of 20 gigabits per second, is positioned not just as a speed increase but as an infrastructure that will fundamentally change social and economic life.
Minister Uraloğlu stated that with the transition to 5G, users will be able to play high-speed games without interruption, remote surgeries can be performed, and data transmissions will become instantaneous.
He emphasized that mobile phones are no longer just communication tools but have become an indispensable basic infrastructure for business, education, and the economy.
5G technology is expected to increase efficiency in industrial production by providing the low latency required for the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence-supported systems.
While the goal is to increase Turkey's global power in communication and allow citizens to experience high-speed internet in all areas of life, infrastructure investments continue to expand to carry the high-capacity data traffic required by 5G.