ZTE and Turkcell extend Cooperation to GPON, DWDM, 5G

ZTE announced that it has entered into a strategic cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreement with Turkcell of Turkey, which serves around 34 million mobile customers in Turkey and a total of over 66 million subscribers across its 9-country footprint.

ZTE noted that it has been working with Turkcell on developing the T-series of mobile phones for several years, and under the new MoU will build on the existing cooperation and extend it into other areas including GPON, DWDM and 5G. The new agreement is designed to strengthen the existing relationship between the two companies as well as extending it to fields including fixed network and wireless products such as CPE, GPON and 5G networks.

The MoU between Turkcell and ZTE was signed during the recent Mobile World Congress by Dr. Zhao Xianming, CEO of ZTE and Turkcell CEO Kaan Terzioğlu.

In July last year, Turkcell fixed-line subsidiary Turkcell Superonline, Vodafone Turkey, TurkSAT and members of TELKODER (Telecommunication Operators Association) began negotiations to establish a JV designed to enable more effective investment in fixed broadband infrastructure in Turkey. Turkcell stated that the aim was to make FTTH networks available to a further 21 million households.

Turkcell Superonline is the largest alternative ISP and the leading provider of FTTH in terms of customers, at that time claiming around 965,000 fibre-connected subscribers and around 2.5 million home passes with fibre.

Earlier in 2106, Turkcell announced it had achieved mobile broadband speeds of 1.2 Gbit/s based utilising 4.5G technology with the aggregation of five carriers in a demonstration carried out at its Istanbul headquarters. Turkcell utilised 79.8 MHz of frequency consisting of 29.8 MHz (20 plus 9.8 MHz) in the 1800 MHz band, 30 MHz (20 plus 10 MHz) in the 2100 MHz band, and 20 MHz in the 2600 MHz band. The demonstration was based on equipment from Huawei.

At the time, Turkcell stated it planned to launch 4.5G mobile networks in Turkey from April 2016 offering mobile data rates up to 375 Mbit/s using 3 carrier aggregation, and was aiming to offer speeds of 1 Gbit/s by the end of 2016.

Turkcell had previously announced a MoU with Ericsson to collaborate on 5G research and development.