Turkcell plans move into German mobile market

Turkcell, Turkey’s largest mobile operator by subscribers, has signed a five-year wireless wholesale contract with German telecoms company Deutsche Telekom (DT) as it seeks expansion opportunities abroad, the Wall Street Journal reports. The deal will enable Turkcell to launch mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) services over DT’s third-generation network in Germany in the first quarter of 2011. The company will aim its services at the roughly 3.5 million Turks living in the country by offering packages that would allow customers to call or receive calls from Turkey at local rates. According to Turkcell, mobile phone penetration among the Turkish population in Germany is 92%, providing an opportunity for growth. The company hopes to capture about 4% of the German market, selling voice, mobile broadband and other data services. ‘We have become one of the leading communication and technology companies in our region and in the world,’ said Turkcell’s CEO Sureyya Ciliv in a statement disclosing the deal, adding: ‘We are happy that we can now meet communications and technology needs of our citizens and people in Germany who have close ties with Turkey through our high quality products and services.’