Türk Telekom, Aselsan partner to develop domestically produced communication devices

ISTANBUL

Telecommunications provider Türk Telekom and defense company Aselsan have signed a strategic cooperation agreement to develop domestically produced communication technologies in Türkiye, aiming to reduce foreign dependency in the sector and strengthen the country’s local technology ecosystem.

According to a company statement, the partnership will focus on the development of locally manufactured smartphones, user devices and communication equipment, including both hardware and software systems.

The initiative is intended to increase the share of domestic production in communication technologies and support Türkiye’s broader localization and digital transformation goals.

Türk Telekom CEO Ebubekir Şahin said Türk Telekom aims to move beyond being solely a consumer of technology and instead become a producer and exporter of advanced technologies.

“As one of the largest investors in our sector, our infrastructure initiatives and R&D studies carry great importance in our vision to build our country’s digital future with domestic and national resources,” Şahin said.

Aselsan CEO Ahmet Akyol said the company’s expertise in defense technologies and secure communication systems would support the development of critical domestic infrastructure.

Akyol noted that Aselsan was originally founded to produce military communication devices domestically and has since delivered more than one million communication systems.