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Türkiye completed its long-awaited 5G mobile spectrum auction on Thursday, collecting a total of $3.53 billion in bids (including value-added tax) from the country’s three major telecom operators—Turkcell, Turk Telekom, and Vodafone, surpassing the government’s initial target of $2.1 billion.
The Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) organized the auction, which covered 11 spectrum packages across two frequency bands.
State-run Turkcell emerged as the top bidder, purchasing five packages for $1.224 billion, followed by another state-owned giant, Turk Telekom, with four packages worth $1.094 billion, and Vodafone with two packages totaling $627 million.
The auction divided the 5G frequencies into packages labeled A1, A2, A3 within the 700 MHz band, and B1 through B8 within higher frequency ranges. These designations refer to specific segments of the radio spectrum that determine both the capacity and quality of wireless service—lower frequencies like 700 MHz provide wider coverage and better indoor penetration, while higher bands allow for greater data capacity and speed.
In the closed-bid stage, Turkcell offered $429 million for A1, Vodafone $426 million for A2, and Turk Telekom $425 million for A3. All three companies participated in the verbal bidding phase but chose not to raise their offers.
In the overall allocation, Turkcell acquired A1 and B1, B4, B5, B6 packages; Turk Telekom obtained A3 and B2, B7, B8 packages; and Vodafone secured A2 and B3 packages.
BTK specified that payments will be made in three equal installments. In case of delayed or incomplete payments, an annual interest rate equal to twice 7.93% will apply. If a payment remains pending beyond 30 days after the due date, BTK will initiate a license termination procedure.
To extend current licenses set to expire on April 30, 2029, operators will also pay 5% of their annual gross sales each year. The new licenses will remain valid until Dec. 31, 2042.
The newly allocated frequencies will enable telecom companies to begin offering commercial 5G services starting April 1, 2026. BTK Chairman Omer Abdullah Karagozoglu called the tender a "historic moment", emphasizing that Türkiye’s move into the 5G era represents both a technological upgrade and a strategic milestone for the country
Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu expressed appreciation for the participating companies, noting that the results will "make a major contribution to our economy."
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