Vodafone, one of the world’s leading names in telecommunications, has chosen Turkey as the new home for its global research and development center. The company, which recently invested about $627 million in the 5G spectrum auction, is now positioning Turkey as its central hub for developing next-generation mobile network technologies.
The move marks Vodafone’s third-largest direct foreign investment in Turkey in 2025, underscoring the company’s long-term commitment to advancing network innovation and digital transformation in the region.
According to Engin Aksoy, Vodafone Turkey’s CEO, the new R&D facility in Istanbul will focus on creating an open testing ecosystem dedicated to exploring the future of 6G. He emphasized that the center will not only address 6G innovation but also strengthen 5G infrastructure and emerging services. Aksoy shared that a large-scale open-air testing zone is being established in Istanbul, where state-of-the-art mobile technologies such as Open RAN, Massive MIMO, RedCap, and Ambient IoT will be trialed and benchmarked.
Both local and international suppliers will be invited to collaborate, implementing innovative solutions within Vodafone Turkey’s test network. Aksoy added: “Through BESTT, our goal is to position Turkey as a key innovation center for Vodafone’s global operations. This advancement will enhance Turkey’s presence in the international technology ecosystem.”
Vodafone currently operates in 15 countries, serving more than 340 million mobile and broadband users worldwide. Establishing this new base in Turkey not only reinforces the country’s role in global telecommunications but also ensures faster adoption of next-generation connectivity standards.
Following its success in the 5G licensing auction conducted by the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK), Vodafone secured two frequency bands — 2×10 MHz in the 700 MHz range and 80 MHz in the 3.5 GHz range — for a total of $627 million. The official commercial 5G rollout is scheduled to begin on April 1, 2026.
Aksoy concluded by stating, “By launching our 5G network across 81 provinces and 922 districts, Vodafone aims to provide an unparalleled connectivity experience for every customer in Turkey.”