Turkey Prepares for 5G as 4.5G Hits Record Levels
Ahead of the transition to 5G in mobile communications, the number of subscribers using 4.5G—the most advanced technology currently in use—surpassed 91 million for the first time in the third quarter of last year.
Turkey is preparing for a major transformation in mobile communication technology on April 1.
5G technology, whose preparations have been underway for many years and for which three operators purchased 11 frequency packages at an auction held on October 16, 2025, will be made available to users on April 1.
From this date onward, 2G, 3G, and 4.5G subscribers who wish to use 5G will be able to do so, provided they have a compatible SIM card and device and are within a 5G coverage area.
The 5G technology, which will increase speed, capacity, and service quality in mobile communications, is expected to be rolled out across all of Turkey within two years.
According to the “Turkey Electronic Communications Sector Quarterly Market Data Report” for the third quarter of last year published by the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK), another critical threshold has been surpassed in 4.5G usage ahead of the transition to 5G.
During this period, the number of 4.5G subscribers exceeded 91 million for the first time. In that quarter, 91,099,845 of Turkey’s total 99,129,226 mobile subscribers were 4.5G users.
The number of 4.5G subscribers had been calculated at 87,537,163 in the same quarter of the previous year, representing a 4% increase between the two periods.
3G Subscribers at 5.9 Million
The number of “active 4.5G subscribers”—defined as users whose devices and SIM cards are compatible with 4.5G services—reached 77,710,446 as of the end of September 2025.
During the same period, the number of 4.5G-compatible devices was calculated at 79,959,466.
As of the third quarter of last year, the number of subscribers using 3G technology was recorded at 5.9 million, while those using 2G stood at 2.1 million.
Landline Subscribers Drop to 8.5 Million
With the advancement of mobile communications, the use of landline telephones continues to decline.
The number of landline subscribers, which was calculated at 11.2 million in 2022, fell below 10 million in 2023.
While the number of landline subscribers stood at 9.1 million in the third quarter of 2024, it declined further to 8.5 million in the third quarter of last year. During the same periods, the number of public payphones decreased from 36,398 to 31,972.