Turkiye to hold 5G tender on Oct. 16, service to be available in April 2026, minister says

Turkiye’s Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloglu addresses an audience during a signing ceremony in Istanbul, Turkiye, April 29, 2024. Reuters
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Updated 31 August 2025
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Turkiye to hold 5G tender on Oct. 16, service to be available in April 2026, minister says

ANKARA: Turkiye will launch a long-awaited 5G frequency tender on Oct. 16, and mobile operators will start providing 5G services in April 2026, the transport and infrastructure minister said on Sunday.

Mobile operators currently holding GSM and 4.5G licenses can participate, Abdulkadir Uraloglu said in a statement, meaning government-controlled Turkcell and Turk Telekom, along with Vodafone’s Turkish unit, can all take part. “We will hold the 5G tender on Oct. 16 and our mobile operators will start offering 5G services as of April 1, 2026,” he said.

“A total of 11 different frequency packages will be allocated to operators through the tender, which will be held at a minimum value of $2.125 billion for a total of 400 MHz of frequency in the 700 MHz and 3.5 GHz frequency bands,” Uraloglu said.

The tender specifications have been published in the Official Gazette, Uraloglu said.

Existing mobile network licenses will expire in 2029, and operators’ infrastructure and services will be subject to a new authorization regime to be offered under a new tender, he added.

“From this date (2029) on, our operators will be obligated to pay 5 percent of their annual revenues to Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK). The authorization period will be valid until 31 December 2042,” he said.


Closing Bell: Saudi main index slips to close at 10,588 

Updated 14 December 2025
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Closing Bell: Saudi main index slips to close at 10,588 

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index slipped on Sunday, losing 127.15 points, or 1.19 percent, to close at 10,588.83. 

The total trading turnover of the benchmark index was SR2.57 billion ($685 million), as 28 of the stocks advanced and 232 retreated.    

Similarly, the Kingdom’s parallel market Nomu lost 108.53 points, or 0.46 percent, to close at 23,719.13. This comes as 22 of the stocks advanced while 47 retreated.    

The MSCI Tadawul Index lost 17.17 points, or 1.22 percent, to close at 1,393.34.     

The best-performing stock of the day was Sport Clubs Co., whose share price surged 3.69 percent to SR9.00.   

Other top performers included Flynas Co., whose share price rose 2.55 percent to SR72.30, as well as National Industrialization Co., whose share price surged 2.13 percent to SR10.09. 

Consolidated Grunenfelder Saady Holding Co. recorded the most significant drop, falling 6.61 percent to SR8.90. 

Sustained Infrastructure Holding Co. also saw its stock prices fall 5.75 percent to SR30.82. 

CHUBB Arabia Cooperative Insurance Co. also saw its stock prices decline 5.72 percent to SR22.40. 

On the announcements front, Wataniya Insurance Co. said it has received a notice of award for a one-year contract with Saudi National Bank to provide general insurance as well as protection and savings insurance services, in line with agreed terms and conditions. 

According to a Tadawul statement, coverage will begin on Jan. 1, 2026. The contract value exceeds 15 percent of the company’s total revenues, based on its latest audited financial statements for 2024.  

Wataniya Insurance Co. ended the session at SR14.35, up 1.92 percent. 

Fawaz Abdulaziz Alhokair Co., or Cenomi Retail, has announced executing a SR1.5 billion facility agreement structured as a short-term loan with Emirates NBD – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A bourse filing revealed that the financing duration is three years with an option to extend for a total of two years. 

Cenomi Retail ended the session at SR20.00, up 0.26 percent. 

First Milling Co. has announced the Board of Directors’ recommendation to amend the firm’s bylaws Article “Company Management” to increase the number of board members from seven to eight. This change reflects the firm’s commitment to broadening the range of expertise and skills on its board, in line with its growth and expansion plans for the next phase. 

The company reiterated its commitment to fulfilling all necessary procedures and obtaining approvals from the relevant authorities. The recommendation will be submitted to the upcoming General Assembly, with the date to be announced in due course. 

First Milling Co. ended the session at SR49.22, down 1.06 percent.