At the Mobile World Congress Barcelona (MWC) 2024 in Spain, Ericsson and Turkcell have inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at propelling research and development in the realm of 6G technology and driving technological progress in Türkiye. Turkcell, the Turkish operator boasting the sole 6G-dedicated laboratory in the nation, and Ericsson Research site in Istanbul, one of Ericsson’s 16 global research centres and the sole centre in the Market Area Middle East and Africa (MMEA), are poised to foster bilateral research initiatives, bolster cooperation in national and international research and development (R&D) collaboration projects, and facilitate the exchange of invaluable insights on emerging technologies.
The collaboration between Ericsson and Turkcell is set to accelerate the development and innovation of technologies pivotal to Türkiye’s national technology ecosystem. With a primary focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and the overarching vision and architecture of 6G, Ericsson Research and Turkcell are primed to lay the groundwork for innovative future use cases.
6G networks, once deployed on a large scale, are poised to revolutionise the way people live, learn, and interact, opening up new technological frontiers for immersive, ubiquitous, and multi-sensory digital experiences.
Commenting on the deal, Dr Ali Taha Koç, Chief Executive Officer of Turkcell, said: “6G will play a vital role in realising a digitally – transformed and programmable physical world, fostering connectivity and sustainability. The development of 6G will require significant investment in research and development. Turkcell is committed to investing in this area, and we are confident that this investment will pay off in the long run. By studying current ecosystems and the evolution of 5G, we will work with Ericsson to devise a roadmap to 6G and lead technological advancements in crucial areas required by future 6G networks. This collaboration with Ericsson represents a major milestone in our ambition to drive innovation and lead advancements in the telecommunications space.”
Işıl Yalçın, Vice President and Head of Ericsson Türkiye at Ericsson Middle East and Africa, added: “We are looking forward to embarking on this groundbreaking collaboration with Turkcell, which will set the stage for transformative innovations, shaping the future of telecommunications in Türkiye. 6G will profoundly impact a wide range of industries and promises to create a more connected, intelligent, and sustainable future for Türkiye. Our collaboration with Turkcell will explore the foundations of 6G research and cutting-edge solutions that will place Türkiye at the forefront of this technological revolution.”
Ericsson Research site in Türkiye has been actively engaged in Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe, the EU’s primary funding programmes for research and innovation, through various projects and has been playing a pivotal role in the EU’s flagship 6G projects, Hexa-X and its second phase named Hexa-X-II. Meanwhile, Turkcell is steadfastly focused on the development of 6G networks with artificial intelligence-based autonomous capabilities through the “6GEN. Lab: Artificial Intelligence and 6G Laboratory” project, backed by The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TÜBİTAK) 1515 Frontier R&D Laboratories Support Programme. By pooling resources and expertise, Ericsson Research and Turkcell aspire to bolster the global standardisation of 6G and make significant strides in the national and international telecommunications landscape.
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