Türkiye's Turk Telekom partners with US tech giant Cisco ahead of 5G transition

Türkiye’s state-owned telecommunication company, Turk Telekom, signed a goodwill agreement with U.S. networking technology giant Cisco on Friday to localize and expand the application of innovative cloud-based solutions in Türkiye, with a focus on advancing adoption of 5G.

According to a press release from the company, the agreement was signed during the GSMA Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain. As part of the deal, Cisco’s Mobility Services Platform, which enables faster, smarter, and more secure management of Internet of Things (IoT) devices and SIM cards, will be integrated into Turk Telekom’s data centers.

Türkiye's Turk Telekom partners with US tech giant Cisco ahead of 5G transition — A view inside Türk Telekom’s state-of-the-art data center in Esenyurt, Istanbul—the largest in Türkiye. (Photo via kurumsal.turktelekom.com.tr)

Turk Telekom aims to enhance customer experience through advanced, AI-powered cloud-based solutions, as the adoption of 5G is expected to expand IoT applications, the company stated.

‘The most 5G-ready operator in Türkiye’

Turk Telekom CEO Umit Onal, quoted in the statement, emphasized the company’s leadership in shaping the digital future through its robust fiber infrastructure and technological expertise.

“We bear the responsibility of bringing next-generation technologies to Türkiye and our users in sync with global advancements,” Onal said. “Through our collaboration with Cisco, we are introducing AI-powered, advanced cloud-based solutions that will accelerate digital transformation for businesses and institutions via our data centers.”

“As the opportunities offered by 5G make AI-powered cloud-based solutions even more essential, we will continue to deliver innovative services as the most 5G-ready operator in Türkiye,” he added.

Gordon Thomson, vice president for service providers across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa at Cisco, expressed satisfaction with the collaboration, highlighting Turk Telekom’s role as a pioneer in Türkiye’s telecommunications sector.

“With our joint investments, we aim to expand IoT services across Türkiye while enhancing the reliability, security, and overall performance of the country’s network infrastructure,” Thomson said. “This partnership will accelerate innovation, delivering tangible benefits to industries and consumers alike.”